New job - what are my chances?

I’m wondering whether your employer can insist that you do this. I’d be taking HR advice. Why be forced out of a job that you’re good at and like?

There are lots of useful little articles on Google about how to appear busy and hard working (when you are not) and how to get away with doing as little as possible in work (while having the reputation of being a hard worker).

Thinking about all the partners who get off with doing little around the house because they make such a hash of it and dont respond to being nagged.

When I was a 16 year old library assistant one of the least popular tasks was being sent off to another branch on "relief" because someone was absent sick and hand not turned up. This was a very large library system with 30 od branches spread over the city. You had just about got into work when you had to get your coat on and troll off again. I always volunteered and my boss told his boss that I was a "very willing girl" and a "good team player". This reputation led to my getting opportunities for advancement later on.

This was the 1960s so no mobile phones and few people had private cars. So I was on the bus. While I was in transit no one knew what I was doing so I used the time to go to the bank (no cash machines then) do my shopping or just sit and have a coffee. Only once did the person in charge at my destination remark about the amount of time I had taken. I told her "Sorry I dont know this part of the city and the bus driver put me off at X (aboyt a mile away) so I had to walk from there" "Oh, you poor thing!"

Its amazing what you can get off with in a workplace with a bit of invention and imagination.

If your existing job has changed, leave a do something different, either using existing skills or something new, at 63 part time is very convenient for me.

Are you in the position where you really WANT to work or is it rather that you are coasting along until you can draw your state pension?

If the latter then I would go for the "quiet quitting" technique - not skiving but starting to sloooooowwwww down a bit so that less gets done.

Or maybe you will not be quite as competent at this undesirable work as you were to begin with. Problems with eyesight, headaches etc.

The boss may well decide to farm it out elsewhere.

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Ps, I reduced my hours a while ago and my job fitted perfectly into it with extra hours worked when needed which I was happy to do. Now I find I am doing unpaid overtime due to the extra workload as people at my grade do not get paid overtime.

I have never felt bad about going into work after a weekend but now dread it.

Good to hear! Btw I am not working today hence my time on Gransnet. I find this site very useful :-)

I got a new job at 63 and another 18 months later. I have not found my area of work to be ageist at all and am still working part time at 69

Thanks for the advice to date. Maybe I should just try to hang on a bit longer. I have really enjoyed my job up to now and know I have been lucky - it’s just this new stuff is not my thing at all and very boring! I will try to talk with my boss but as I was a “success”” at this extra work he may not listen… also I am on a long notice period so may have issues getting a new job in a certain timeframe. Not sure I have enough courage just to resign without hedging my bets!

It depends on your sector and work you do

Market is generally ageist and harder to find opportunities the older you get

I tendered for my current work at 66, started my previous job at 65, was offered another job in between (didn’t take it,, maybe a mistake), and the one before that at 62, so I don’t see why not.

However, unless you want to leave, talk to HR and your union - or ACAS if you have neither - about whether an employer can just change a contract.

Maybe have a word with your Manager (or HR if there is one) to see if it would be possible to revert to your old duties on a part time basis?