How do you cope with cyclic work loads? 1

[MadMango]

I don't think I've ever had a professional job where the work load stayed consistent and steady on a weekly or monthly basis. There has always been that "quiet before the storm", where you might have a few days to a week to clear the clutter from your desk (and brain) and take a breather before then next project/program starts. I'm usually pretty good at filling this dwell time with productive tasks, but lately I find myself very unmotivated. I recently finished up a program that took more than 15 months to bring to fruition. There were several others assisting in the program, but I had the lion's share of work. Now the molds and castings have all been approved, validation testing is completed, and production has started to run small lots for training and ironing out of processes. No major bumps so far, and most are snug in their respective rugs.

Over the past several months I have been going around to co-workers asking if they need assistance, I'm even willing to dip my toes into the ECR/ECO pool. I'm mostly met with, "Thanks, but I've got things covered." I've gone to my supervisor to ask what's next, and am told that everyone knows how encompassing the project was that I just finished, and they're waiting to load me up again. I've told them that I am ready for more work, and things are very slow for me now. I've indicated that I thrive on fast tempo and workplace chaos, and that is mostly met with snickers and guffaws.

Now I find myself in a position that I've never been in before, with my supervisor asking me if this or that project sounds interesting and cool enough for me to do, or should it go to someone else? I say I'm bored, and I'll do anything, just "feed me Seymour". They reply that next week a new project is starting and it's all mine. Next week has come and gone several times time now. Should I be worried? I've asked this directly, and am told not to worry. Should I just consider this a very generous lull period between projects, and enjoy the lax atmosphere? I've told my supervisor that I am starting to feel guilty. He's apologized for my boredom, and continues to say "next week".



"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."


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[MintJulep]

These things happen when you're waiting for a customer notice to proceed.

Funding being lined up, fine print of contracts being negotiated, whatever. Out of your control.

I've been waiting on the start of the next big project for two years.

In the mean time there is a steady flow of odds and ends.

 

[SLTA]

Do some research on a new idea you've been thinking about but haven't had time to look into.

Create some training modules for the younger and/or less-experienced engineers.

Go nuts with professional development hours - online courses, of course pertaining to what you do, if there is such a thing for mech.

Look back over older projects and see if you would have changed anything, with hindsight.

And blast. Now I'll be singing Little Shop of Horrors all day.

 

[beej67]

Work harder, then take more time off.

Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[tygerdawg]

Had to laugh. You must work in a pleasant place.

I've indicated that I thrive on fast tempo and workplace chaos, and that is mostly met with snickers and guffaws.

Maybe you need a hobby. Or maybe you'll soon need a cardiologist. Just kidding.

This is the manager's conundrum. What to do with the wired-up players during timeout? I've always thought that the employee's best response in that situation was to gently ask & keep asking if there is anything else to do. But don't over-do it. There usually is not any new work, but you need to appear eager ("Put me in, Coach!"). But you also cannot be idle, either. Sharpen your tools when it's raining, make hay when the sun shines. Study, review, polish, train, practice, learn, whatever.

During my stint as a tugboat deckhand offshore in the Gulf, it was like that description of combat: long periods of boredom punctuated by short episodes of extreme activity. The captain kept us busy using toothbrushes to scrub out corners. After I got those corners clean, I found plenty to keep me busy and out of his sight.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Are you nuts?? Take a breather......

The work will come and it will probably be an avalanche!!

Or if doesn't - you will get fired!!!

 

[ctopher]

I have been there at two companies.
Take the time off, learn something new. Maybe meet some coworkers in other departments, get better known in the company.
You may get hit with two projects at once and you will wish you had the breather.

Chris
SolidWorks 11
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[MacGyverS2000]

MM,

I'm in a (somewhat) similar situation right now... I want work of type 'A' (and it's what I was hired to do), but they keep sending that work out of house and handing me stuff of type 'B'. Very frustrating, and it doesn't exactly motivate me. The type 'A' projects never quite seem to get started, and the ones that do get shipped elsewhere...

I can't offer any suggestions as I haven't figured out what to do with my own!

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[zdas04]

When I'm between projects I usually start looking for an opportunity to write a paper for a journal or a conference. Sometimes the last project has some unique component that my client will let me advertise.

Even when I worked for a big company, I could often get permission to contribute material to a professional society. It really can be a great way to stay busy during the lull.

David

 

[spongebob007]

In a fair world, you should be able to cut your hours back to 20 hours a week and still get paid for 40 in order to make up for all those weeks on end where you worked 60 hours and only got paid for 40.

Been at this game for nearly 20 years and I can't see a single advantage to the employee for being salaried.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

No benefit to salaried employees? If I wasn't, they'd squeeze me for my 40 hours on the busy times and have no issues with paying me for only 5 hours a week during the slow weeks. That would be a real loss for the employee.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[spongebob007]

How does not being compensated for overtime benefit the employee? It's "free" labor for the employer. I could see the benefits if working overtime was recognized and rewareded as going above an beyond, but when it is simply expected and you are penalized for not doing it, it seem like abusive management to me.

As far as the slow times go, I hate them more than the busy times. If I only have 5 hours worth of work to do, 40 hours seems like an eternity.

 

[bigTomHanks]

The overtime issue has always been a source of frustration for me. The rank and file get paid fairly for THEIR time while the salary sheep get used and abused most of the time. How can the laws protect one class of individuals from being used and abused while overlooking another. Things need to change. If managers want to work on salary and bonus then fine. Everyone else should be paid a set rate for their time and have legal protections to guarantee the pay rate.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

sponge,

If we were salaried, most of us would not be allowed to work over 40 (i.e., no overtime)... so we'd lose out on the weeks there's only 5 hours of work to do. And you can bet if they won't let you work over 40, they're going to squeeze every drop of sweat out of you in that time frame.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[MadMango]

Ctopher, I've taken a stroll around our ever expanding offices, found a whole wing of people that I never knew existed! They were all finance folks. My path into the building is up a flight of stairs at the front-exterior of the building, down a short hall, and slip into my desk. I usually don't see anyone for a good hour after I get in. While doing my walk about yesterday, I even noticed that a bunch of halls have been painted random colors.

Tygerdawg, I actually do work in a pleasant environment. Everyone is friendly and professional (when we have to be). Free coffee, diet sodas, etc. We can't wear shorts, but can wear flip-flops/sandals (Central Florida) as long as we don't have to go out on the production floor. Weekly, if not daily Nerf dart wars, and anyone that walks onto our Development floor is a fair target. We all work hard, and are rewarded by being given a lot of freedoms.

I just want something productive to do. As I said, I am familiar with a few days of down time, maybe longer, but this has been going on since Thanksgiving! I've already created slide presentations (for training that will never happen), organized our departments file structures on the network, and now I am getting bored and losing my motivation to do something constructive. When I do get throw some scrap, I churn it out and wait for more. When I am busy, 5pm comes a whole lot faster.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."


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[ramnares]

I'm glad that someone else has brought this up. I'm always worried that I may be on the cutting block whenever there is some downtime. It may just be irrational thought on my part since all the projects I've been on have been successful (good quality, on time and for the most part on budget).

However, unlike some who have been with a company for years, I'm a relatively new hire (just over a year). The company has been willing to pay for a second graduate degree (I paid for the first) and send me to training but it's still a bit unnerving to have little or nothing to do sometimes.

 

[KENAT]

Hmm, I don't think I've ever had nothing at all to do. I'd almost like to know what that feels like except for the lay-off concern. Do you want one of my projects, preferably the one that barks?

So no help here sorry, do you have any product ideas? I've got several on my far far back burner (in fact probably on the camping stove out in the back yard) that I occasionally dabble with in the evenings but I always have plenty to do while in the office.

Heck, I've got the opposite problem, I'm having trouble knowing where to start/prioritizing. (Talking of which I should be working not on here;-))

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[HDS]

As others have said take this time for your own project. Start a new product line. Do some R&D. Learn a new piece of software. Please yourself until they have something to give you. Worst case look for cost reductions or quality improvements.

 

[supercub]

Cube hopping, reading up on specs and other onine stuff, call friends, make improvements.

 

[moon161]

I get laid off (or, as a contractor, my assignment is concluded), has happened to me w/ both contract & perm jobs. With the big exception of the big suck in feb 09, I generally end up with better pay & work not long after. It also beats sitting around & looking busy for more than a week or 2. I'm just completing a big trade up this weekend.

I've worked with people who were their own business, working in contract QA, compliance & design. One was even at the same place over 10 years, preferred his contract terms to the job offer he received. I never counted these ronin, if you will, among the burned out or miserable at the places I've worked at. They were comfortable with their ability to get work if the needed to and said what they though as not much could be held over their heads.