Just checking my calendar - I seem to have missed a couple of months (it is April 1, isn't it?)
:-) Cheers Brian ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Brian Walters Western Sydney Australia Quoting Stan Halpin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > I am sure this has been around a few times but don't remember if it > > made it onto PDML or not... > > Stan > ----------- > > £7m cost of telling staff how to keep desks tidy > By Paul Stokes > Last Updated: 3:03am GMT 05/01/2007 > > Civil servants are being trained how to keep their desks tidy as > part > of a > £7 million Government project described by one union as "madness". > > Staff at one HM Revenue and Customs complex have had strips of > black > tape > fixed to their desks to mark where items should be placed. > > The pilot study at the offices at Longbenton, Newcastle upon Tyne, > is > designed to improve efficiency by clearing clutter and keep > computer > keyboards, telephones and stationery in their optimum positions. > > It is included in a programme entitled Lean, introduced by > consultants > Unipart to improve the performance of public sector workers more > used to > dealing with red tape. > > HMRC would not disclose how much Unipart was being paid for its > service > but > the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) yesterday claimed > that > the > dictum to desk-users was part of a £7.4 million national project. > > One Longbenton worker said: "Telling people where they should place > > their > telephone is demeaning and demoralising. > > "It's absurd that all this public money is being spent on this when > > staff > are quite capable of deciding for themselves how their desks should > be > organised." > > The union has had reports of staff in one office being asked if a > banana was > "active or inactive", meaning it had to be cleared from a desk > unless > it was > going to be eaten immediately. > > Kevin McHugh, the PCS branch secretary, said some staff at > Longbenton > share > the same desk, and have to rearrange their workspace, regardless of > the > tape. > > He said. "This office has been open for 60 years and people have > managed to > find their pens and staplers without consultants helping them in > that > time. > > "They are trying to turn people into robots but the whole thing > falls > down > because in certain areas we have hot-desking where different shifts > > come in > and use the same desks. > > "If the person coming in after you has slightly shorter arms, then > the > markers will be in the wrong place. > > "Marking the desk tends to get members upset sometimes when they've > got > personal photographs on their desks and they have to move them > around." > > A HMRC spokesman explained it was "only right" that staff sharing > desk > space > be given advice and support on how to make the most efficient use > of the > space. > > She said: "It will also help to make sure everyone has what they > need > to do > their job effectively and in turn support working relationships. > Staff > can > still move the things on their desk to positions that suit them > best. > > "Lean is all about how we can work more efficiently to deliver an > even > better service to our customers." > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Multiple Business Insurance Quotes Compare multiple quotes for the best rates on business insurance. http://tags.bluebottle.com/fc/MhtYWUibrAfDBsVGtcvspmPfM3uqZnntvHcmc/ -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
