by Kristen M. Anderson

Created on: March 06, 2009   Last Updated: October 17, 2009

The word "work" typically implies being busy. However, some jobs are simply not managed well or aren't structured to keep people busy. Excessive downtime can be an awkward dilemma to manage, particularly if an employee suspects that his or her job is on the proverbial chopping block.

Employees who don't have enough tasks to keep them busy must apply ingenuity, creativity, and tact to secure their job in an uncertain job market. Under-worked employees have several options to address downtime:

1. Ask their supervisor for additional responsibilities

2. Create/find new tasks to stay busy

3. "Stretch out" existing tasks, working slower to ensure that tasks take up more time (this is the least effective strategy)

4. Look for a new position within the company

5. Apply for a job in a different company

Employees need to exercise diplomacy in how they address this issue with their supervisor, and should be ready to present a list of additional tasks that they could take on. Obviously, it's much more effective if the supervisor thinks, "This person is showing a lot of initiative to take on new responsibilities" than "This person is not contributing to the firm. Do we actually need this position?"

If an employee's job description is less structured (e.g., their main responsibility is to bring new business into the firm), they should consider rolling new tasks into their job function to stay busy. For example, if you are a marketing manager and leads are slow, consider creating a brochure or writing an article to sell your company's expertise. These kinds of "pull" marketing techniques show your value to the firm. No one need know that you had excessive downtime a few weeks ago.

Employees need to constantly show their boss that they are indispensable. A colleague of mine used to literally walk around the office asking people for work. While this may not be the most unobtrusive way to stay busy, she was typically the first person people went to with assignments.

Another way to stay busy is to serve on a committee within the company. While many companies will pay for employees' time to serve on committees, employers are often hard pressed to find people who are interested in doing this.

In today's workforce, many employees are overworked, not under-worked. Even during slower times, employees need to stay busy to contribute to the bottom line and to ensure their ongoing job satisfaction.

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