Somedays examples crop up that say it all about 'me against the world', specially with some of the people I work with. Hopping mad and just had to light a fire in here.

Work meeting today and a formal consultation/discussion on possible future bonus systems. One colleague told of someone who works for an employer who rewards 'good attendance' with whopping amounts of cash. Amazing how the eyes of almost everyone, specially the younger ones, lit up and agreed. I saw from just 2 of the faces of a few others they were sharing my feelings.

'Isn't that also punishing people for being ill' I said in my contrite little way. Oh what a storm it leashed. Me against the bxxxxx world again with no one else coming out in support. Ended up with me just blurting out that I found the whole idea immoral. Oh the looks I get from Management which say 'poor misguided dinosaur'.

Thing is I know incentives and bonuses are a complicated issue. Instinctively I do not like them. But I am prepared to accept they matter to some worse off (or greedier)than me. But to base a system on health is out of order in my book. Of course everyone thinks of the few shirkers who can take advantage. But would you ban the car because of the minority of bad drivers. Our policy is strict and fierce enough. The last thing somebody needs if they are genuinely ill is hassle and being told they will be paid less.

Another example which just causes me to again ask just on what bxxxxx inhumane planet do these people live. Thing is legally it would most probably be indirect discrimination on the grounds of age. I know more and more major employers are doing it and I am looking forward to the day one of them is humiliated in court.

Summing up it just again leaves me asking what is the nest foul ludicrous policy change will the idiots I work with smile and nod through. Got it - 'Lunchtime Flexi Births' - why should women be given all that time off just to have a baby. Sounds stupid but if it was left to some I know it is around the corner.

Thank you for the venting of lots of steam

summer

I really can't start Summer,

but I would like to

and I would like to take to every person 

who has ever thought darkly of someone 

who is so ill that they struggle daily

and are judged harshly

when they don't come to work.

I despise the arrogant who sit in judgement of others health

Ignorance and lack of empathy is no defence

Where is the civil society in this ?

Everyone is guilty until proven innocent -

especially by peers

Oh Brave new World

Summer your 'Lunch Time Flexi Births' made me smile but sadly I guess it is too close to home to be funny.  There's a series of ads on TV at the moment where so called bright sparks vie with each other to come up with the latest idea for improving business.  Anything even vaguely sensible is laughed at and only wacky ideas count, the dafter the better.  Sound familiar?   In the mad rush to improve business, where did people get to matter so little.

I used to work for a British University that has recently decided that it needs to be business facing.  What happened to student facing to say nothing of recognising the needs and strengths of the staff.  Funnily enough it has just come out close to the bottom of the student satisfaction table. 

I really believe that in time organisations will come to recognise that people are the most important resource they have I just worry about how many individuals have to be damaged first.   The thing that shocks me most is that often it is the HR departments that should be speaking up for staff that fail to do so and seem to be happy to pursue inhumane policies. (Sorry to any Wallers that work in HR!)

Meercat