Park And Reflect

Park And Reflect
Originally uploaded by The original SimonB

Since I restarted this blogging malarky I've tried not to write about work too much. Not through any fear of people finding out, reprisals or whatever but simply because I think I did too much of that first time around and no-ne else is interested. You can read the archives if you really like.

But today I have to get stuff off my chest because I am not a happy bunny.

I've moved around within my team/department over the last 12 years and every time have had to bite my tongue about what the people who come after me have done to and with the legacy I left behind.

So, for example, highly praised timetable books have been dropped, maps are no longer geographically accurate, connecting routes don't meet up any more, newlsetters have been dropped, awards have not been re-won. It is hard to see things I put time and effort into disappear, especially when they have been well received in the real world and people still contact me rather than my successors in the hope of getting a straight answer.

Now we have a new Government slashing our budgets, and a major casualty is one of the three Park & Ride sites I did my best to build, run and develop. For a county committed to going green I can only see this as a short-sighted blow. Where other departments get "invest to save" money we just seem to lose out. I am sure a bit of decent marketing and genuine customer focus could do wonders, bring in more punters and cut the costs in the medium term, but it seems that is not an option.

But what annoys me most is reading about it in the local paper before being told internally. That really is not on.

If our bosses want us to stick with them through these troubled times then communications have to be sorted out and staff have to know before Joe public.

Too late for them to change their minds now, but I hope that future cuts and changes will be reflected on a bit more and those of us who actually care about getting things done can be kept a bit more in the loop.

Mixed feelings on news from the past

Just had a text from MrsB - one of our former managers from the Argos days has died, and another ex-employee I didn't know has killed himself. Not got any details, and we haven't been in contact with the manager in question for 10 years or so. But, not sure how I feel or ought to be feeling about it.

On the one hand he was actually quite an inspiring manager for me, helped me out with applications and encouraged me to go for promotions, gave me more responsibility than I should have had in store. But on the other he definitely scuppered MrsB's chances of a promotion in favour of another, was against our relationship (claiming it would never work, yet here we are 14 years of married life later) and, in theory the extra responsibilities I had could be seen as others dumping stuff on me they should have been doing themselves.

I don't know whether there is a family for my thoughts to be with or anything like that, but all told feel a little bit odd just now.