If you've finished work in your responsibility areas, you have no new ideas for investigation or proposals for change, you have gotten no new ideas for what nee

If you've finished work in your responsibility areas, you have no new ideas for investigation or proposals for change, you have gotten no new ideas for what needs done from other coworkers (complaints, buggy processes/tools, upgrades, refactors, etc.), then it's on you to ask your boss if there's something new to do for you. Bosses LOVE adding to your plate, but only if you ask for it and can take it. Otherwise, it could be detrimental for both. Anyhow, modern leadership just doesn't care and is restricted to not interfere by boss' boss and guidelines. So they're basically useless for other than the strictly mundane. Connect with other bosses, owners and even techies, in order to get proper work. It can be different from place to place, but you're mainly describing modern work culture as it is.