tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post8398888670004099719..comments2024-03-27T15:59:11.066+00:00Comments on Prometheus in Aspic: Hooptedoodle #191 - Ephraim's PhotographMSFoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470241067504971068noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-7970119365841779852015-09-13T11:07:29.169+01:002015-09-13T11:07:29.169+01:00Outrageous. How dare they tell you that you can...Outrageous. How dare they tell you that you can't tell the truth? Over (or is it down?) here the onus is on the ex-employee to request a reference directly from their ex-manager. If they have the gall to ask for one after being appalling, the done thing is to refuse. The lack of references is all anyone needs to know, really.Steve Curryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06440638652987274722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-78976791091235518372015-09-12T20:46:36.347+01:002015-09-12T20:46:36.347+01:00I once had absolutely my worst-ever member of staf...I once had absolutely my worst-ever member of staff leave (Fat Pauline - a nightmare). In the midst of all the euphoria, I was shocked to find that when I wrote a reference for any future employers of hers, I was forbidden by HR to write anything meaningful about what I thought of her or what my experience of her had been - it had been stitched up that I was only allowed to state whether her attendance record was satisfactory, if her shoes were clean - stuff like that. However, I did rather better than that - I wrote in the comments "If anyone wishes to discuss details of Miss A's performance during her time here, please feel free to ring me on 0131-xxx-yyyy at any time". There is still room for honesty, if you play your cards right. I did get a phone call...MSFoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14470241067504971068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-11836917908470884502015-09-12T20:38:55.065+01:002015-09-12T20:38:55.065+01:00I recall the growth of a paper qualification cultu...I recall the growth of a paper qualification culture in HR - their people would only speak to other people who came off the same production line, in case any commonsense crept in.MSFoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14470241067504971068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-77057224337497336752015-09-12T20:37:14.379+01:002015-09-12T20:37:14.379+01:00Maybe the managers were too busy (or dumb) to unde...Maybe the managers were too busy (or dumb) to understand how the building was going to be? Anniversary of 9/11 passed with no fuss here, as far as I am aware - I even forgot what day it was. In 2001, I was in Siena at the time of the WTC hits.MSFoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14470241067504971068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-6532882840385830092015-09-12T18:06:16.464+01:002015-09-12T18:06:16.464+01:00Do you reckon that directive (or similar ones) sti...Do you reckon that directive (or similar ones) still apply? It always struck me as patronising and even insulting for corporations to have to come up with fake ethnic mixtures for acceptable photos - does this not actually make the discrimination and the true situation more offensive?<br /><br />Heaven forfend that the archives should reflect the truth - that must have been a tricky situation?MSFoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14470241067504971068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-90693662529379226542015-09-12T01:31:37.875+01:002015-09-12T01:31:37.875+01:00Oh yes, HR people are still coming up with theorie...Oh yes, HR people are still coming up with theories and generally trying to insert themselves between managers and their people. Of course they are still innocent of any science, they haven't even studied the effects of their past theories. Hot desking is still used, and various "capability frameworks", recruitment standards, standardised PDs and other monstrosities proliferate.<br />What amuses me most is the looks of puppy-like confusion that cross their faces when wondering aloud why they can't seem to improve staff retention rates, and the hurt look they get when anyone suggests it might be their own fault.Steve Curryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06440638652987274722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-2183506865957544812015-09-11T23:43:59.381+01:002015-09-11T23:43:59.381+01:00Silly question. Yes, of course, HR is still plyin...Silly question. Yes, of course, HR is still plying these waters attempting to keep themselves relevant.Jonathan Freitaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07862373894196924886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-21156823441607254152015-09-11T23:20:33.224+01:002015-09-11T23:20:33.224+01:00Yes, they are out there, but they have gone into p...Yes, they are out there, but they have gone into political back rooms.<br /><br />We were very progressive in the 80's when we moved into a big glass tower on the waterfront. All management offices were clustered around the center while the employees desks were around the outside so they could enjoy the view. Yes, it took 10 years and many thousands of dollars before all the managers managed to move into new outside corner offices.<br /><br />Mind you 14 years ago today our dept still had a good view of the harbour and the airspace above it. Being keenly aware that the US embassy was 2 floors above us, our joker couldn't resist pointing out the window with a gasp and a yelp of "is that a plane heading straight at us?" Most of us laughed after a quick involuntary look.Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04053555991679802013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111053985478999734.post-54590944198805739522015-09-11T22:22:07.825+01:002015-09-11T22:22:07.825+01:00This reminds me of my time working the Barclays Gr...This reminds me of my time working the Barclays Group (during it's 'Big Bank') years. We had a (real) directive about the use of pictures - they had to be from an approved picture library of happy, smiling, racially mixed customers.<br /><br />As my job was in the Group Archives working on the history of Barclays District, Colonial and Overseas this caused problems.Diplomatisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04154642903216207181noreply@blogger.com