Sitting Idle, Doing Nothing, What To Do?

Hi all,

Two weeks ago, I joined a new company as an HR Generalist. Here, there is no HR department, and I am responsible for formalizing everything. I had planned out certain tasks to work on, but unfortunately, I am not authorized to do so. My boss has instructed me to not take any actions without his supervision or commands. I agreed and have been waiting for his instructions. It has been two weeks, and I have not been given any substantial HR work. I dislike being idle, but I feel helpless in this situation. Despite many requests to my boss for work aligned with my job role, I have not received any response. During the interview, they assured me that I would have the authority to suggest and implement changes, but the current scenario is entirely different.

My concern now is what steps I should take. Should I consider switching to another opportunity, or should I continue here, even though I am being well compensated? I would appreciate your opinions.

Thanks,
Sk
HR Generalist

Just wait and take some help in this regard from other members of the office, who can then speak to your boss. Good luck.

Somewhat similar case with me too. Even I am offered a good salary, and unfortunately, the work which I am doing can also be done by appointing a guy one-third of my salary. I am waiting for another opportunity; I will switch to some other company or will start my own business. There is no point in wasting time and talent.

Try to speak to move around and meet other colleagues in your department. Try to get details of the work they handle and what improvements they would like to see in the organization. Prepare a report on your observations and ideas that you would like to implement. Then, take time with your boss to show him the report and get his input as well; he will likely start delegating some work to you.

I would suggest going to speak to your boss when he is in a good mood. Provide your suggestions and be prepared with a list of items you wish to change or recommend. Don't make any hasty decisions such as leaving this job, as it is risky to change jobs in this scenario. Moreover, elsewhere, you may not be paid as well as you are here. Be patient, try to convince and sell your ideas to your boss, and remain optimistic. Good luck.

This is what I learned from my boss...

There are two types of bosses:
1) The one who wants you to call an "APPLE" - "Apple"
2) The one who wants you to call a "GRAPE" - "Apple"

Decide what type of boss he is and react accordingly. If he is of the 1st type, he will ask you to do something the moment he can think of something himself. Bosses are by nature very "apprehensive." Most of them (Type 2) do not want you to be in the limelight.

The second type of boss will wait for instructions from his boss who will be waiting for instructions from his boss and so on...
So enjoy all you can until there is nothing to do, because once the work starts, you will not have time to post questions on CiteHR.

Regards,
Jitendra Patil

P.S. Tell me, how do you quantify the term "Handsome Salary"? I have been waiting for a "Handsome Salary" for quite some time now. :)

Hi,

I can understand your problem, but 2 weeks is too short to make a firm decision in this situation. Of course, those 2 weeks are sufficient to grasp your company's scenario.

Consider if your company is involved in any programs that offer potential growth opportunities in the near future within the HR domain. If not, they might assign lower-level tasks to you just to keep you occupied. This would be a waste of your talent and time.

Additionally, if you are banking on gaining experience at your current job, it's essential to note that experience is not just about time; it's about knowledge. Demanding a minimum of 6 months' experience for interview questions could be excessive.

Therefore, analyze your company's current processes and make a swift decision.

All the best.

Sumaira,

Definitely, your boss is not a fool. He might have planned or predicted a few tasks for you. That's why they have hired you. Otherwise, would you appoint and pay a maid in your house without anything? At the same time, are you expecting your maid to put in 100% effort from the very first day?

It's just two weeks. Wait. Switching over to a new company will help you develop the "Butterfly Executive" within you.

Finally, you're the master of your mind.

May be your boss is testing your ability. Become familiar with all your employees. Minimum it will take 3 to 6 months to understand fully about the organization. Wait for the good opportunity. Your boss is not a fool to make you sit idle. Prepare a report from your side which is good for the organization. The same boss could ask what have you been doing for all these days.

Hi,

I was also thinking of posting the same kind of question. Can anyone please help me understand the daily activities that an HR professional can carry out? How can we keep ourselves engaged throughout the day?

Sitting idle shows a lack of initiative, especially from an HR Generalist. Even if someone doesn't assign work to HR, there is still plenty of work that HR can proactively engage in without waiting for instructions. Have you prepared your company's employee database? Have you created payroll formats, reviewed previous files, and familiarized yourself with company policies by speaking to employees? There is always work to be done for those willing to do it; otherwise, there will be none. If you are unable to find tasks, it may be better to play FreeCell or Solitaire until the day's work is complete.

Sumaira,

When you said that you asked your boss several times, but did not get any response, was this "asking" in an email or was it in a face-to-face meeting? If you did not yet meet your boss face-to-face and ask him/her for work, you may want to do that.

Secondly, as per your opening note, it has only been two weeks since you joined. Don't think you have nothing to do. You have plenty to do in your office if you know where to look. Yes, if you are thinking you have nothing to "contribute," then you may be correct.

Instead of sitting idle and getting frustrated, utilize your free time in learning anything and everything you can about your company's HR policies and practices. Remember, for you to change or propose changes to the company's policies, you must be well-versed in them. You must have a thorough knowledge about the existing practices and also know their positive and negative impacts on the company and its employees. Use your free time to do the groundwork by yourself. Learn and think. When you are ready, you can have a very different and meaningful conversation with your boss.

All the best.
-Som G

Hey baginesh, you can involve yourself in employee engagement and employee relations (solving people's problems, talking to them). Also, prepare for training sessions on topics that the company or employees need. Keep updating yourself with recent trends in HR. Learn about different departments in your organization and their processes. Additionally, answer questions on citehr, read various articles, etc. I hope you will be engaged for the day if you try all this.

Thank you so much for your valuable suggestions. In this organization, I feel that I have very little growth in terms of HR knowledge and experience. While I am here, I'll try to make some efforts, but on the other hand, I am looking for another job. They are giving me very low-grade tasks which keep me busy.

It is so-called a private organization, but it is run by the State Bank's Governor (can't disclose its name). Basically, they conduct trainings or recruitment tests on a very high scale, and the strength is around 50.

Hello there,

If you are not allowed to do anything at the moment, keep documenting your plans and creativity along with a feasible implementation chart. Keep documenting and find out the challenges that you might face during implementation so that you are ready whenever the channel opens. Also, in the meanwhile, maintain a healthy communication channel to understand what is stopping your boss from implementing your ideas. Ask for open feedback rather than closed-end answers.

And above all, no one would like to receive a great plan from a newly recruited employee when there are seniors in the system. I believe your first aim should be to gain acceptability if you have a long-term plan with the organization, and perhaps they are not prepared for change. Look around, talk, and read people before you actually move forward to make changes; I am sure it would help. This can also assist in modifying your plans and your approach to bring about change.

But keep yourself engaged in brainstorming as you need to keep your options open.

Dear Sumaira Khan,

What Prince Grover has mentioned is appreciative. You should have a business plan and a methodology of the process carried out in your organization. You should put a plan of action that is supposed to be carried out in your organization.

Start by preparing an employee handbook first. If you have any changes, make sure to implement them accordingly.

Basically, begin with an HR Handbook. This will help you to align with your department's plan of action.

Thank you.

Hi,

Based on your query, it seems that your company is new to the concept of an HR department. Your organization may be in a growth stage, and they have likely brought you on board to streamline the human resources and organizational structure. However, your boss may be unsure about delegating work to you without losing control over decision-making.

Instead of waiting for tasks to be assigned to you, it would be beneficial for you to take initiative. Focus on developing key areas where you can contribute, such as record updating, time management, implementing new policies, fostering discipline among employees, organizing employee engagement programs, and any other areas where you can make a meaningful impact, regardless of how small it may seem.

By demonstrating your initiative and capabilities in these areas, you can build your boss's confidence in your abilities, allowing you to excel in your role. If you need any assistance or further guidance, feel free to reach out to me.

Kind regards, [Your Name]

Dear Sumaira,

I understand your concerns. Being young and energetic, you are bursting with enthusiasm. However, at the same time, you must realize that we are more morally responsible to the company than any other employee. Since it has been two weeks and you have not done any quality work, the best thing for you would be to wait for the right time of the day - maybe during lunch hour or at the end of the office hour. You could casually catch up with your boss and share some of your observations about the workplace. Explain how some subtle and small changes can have a major impact on the company. Also, inform him that you have been observing how things work around the office. Then, pitch him for an HR roadmap presentation which would outline all the changes that you propose. Try to schedule the presentation on one of the weekends as weekends are less hectic. Make the best use of your time and your presentation skills. The most important thing is to visualize and project how the proposed changes will positively impact the organization. This should be your plan of action for this week.

Regards,
Bhushan

Hi,

Start working on whatever you want to create or change. When the time is ripe, it will come in handy for implementation.

Be honest, young, and energetic. Find observations of organizational culture and climate. Study it for a month. Meantime, give your daily report briefing on areas where changes are required to improve organizational health. Whether your boss accepts it or not, that is different. Put forth your views and innovative improvement activities. Remind him about the nature of the job you are doing. Get his feedback about organizational growth and its employees. Involve yourself as a team member of your organization. Guide others in drafting, formatting, decision-making. Say hello and good morning every day. Meet your boss daily and discuss important actions to be taken on a particular day through a proper checklist. And before you leave, say thank you and good luck.

After all, you have a nice boss.

Dear Sumairan,

Hi, can you please guide me on how to opt for an HR Generalist profile job? I have 4 years of experience in recruitment but am quite unsatisfied with my current job. What are the key things I should keep in mind before attending a job interview for a Generalist profile? Additionally, I have completed 3 years in my current organization, but I recently signed a bond with them on a simple paper, not on any legal letterhead. Can I leave and join a new organization?

Ritu

Dear Ritu,

As far as my knowledge goes, an HR Generalist handles almost every task in HR. They are responsible for recruitment, appraisals, managing attendance records, along with the day-to-day events that occur regularly. As the name suggests, a 'Generalist' is indeed a versatile professional in the field of HR.

Thank you.

Hi,

Could somebody please tell me what the imperative work/responsibilities are as an HR executive/generalist? I want to determine if I am engaged in essential work or simply wasting my time.