Do you get any "extras" from work at Christmas

[Westdene Seagull]

Well I can beat you all ...... my Christmas gift from my employer has just been handed to me ..... notice of redundancy ..... Merry f*cking Christmas !!!!

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

bonus annual leave from the 20th to the 6th and a free meal out this friday....fortunately I enjoy the company of my colleagues

 

[upthealbion1970]

I get extras all year round

 

[Insel affe]

Well I can beat you all ...... my Christmas gift from my employer has just been handed to me ..... notice of redundancy ..... Merry f*cking Christmas !!!!

Sorry fella, hope you get some good news soon.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Well I can beat you all ...... my Christmas gift from my employer has just been handed to me ..... notice of redundancy ..... Merry f*cking Christmas !!!!

I am very sorry

Hope you get something sorted soon...

 

[Notters]

We're pretty much always hiring, and will definitely hire a truly exceptional candidate even if we don't have a specific vacancy at the time. Truly exceptional people will get themselves busy anyway.

Typical new employee: Minimum: 2:1 (from a decent uni) in a science/maths/engineering discipline with 3 years post qual experience (unless you're a new graduate joining the trainee scheme). 60% have a Master's; 33% a PhD. Some travel involved - 25% -ish - to US and Asia to work with clients. If you're technically very strong that's enough. If you can marry that with an extrovert personality (very rare), you'll have a complete ball.

Plus: admin/marketing/finance/HR etc.

Locations: 4 in the UK, 3 in the US, Singapore, Tokyo, HK, Sydney.

Sounds interesting, but what do you do exactly?

 

[Goldstone1976]

Sounds interesting, but what do you do exactly?

Post #44

"This one is a technical science/engineering consultancy providing full product development (from a blank piece of paper through to product in the market) to the medical, automotive and consumer markets."

 

[perth seagull]

I don't receive any bonuses, gifts or even vouchers towards a Christmas party. No time off or close down over Christmas either. Instead, every year the top brass cook some breakfast for the staff. Bacon, sausages, eggs, etc. Oh, that really makes up for it all.

 

[Greavsey]

This is precisely why I do it. Both reasons you cite are important. I want to create a workplace where management and staff respect the other, which, if successful, leads, imo, to a more productive, and therefore, more profitable business. A more profitable business allows me to reward the staff who created that profit more (through bonuses), provide job security (because I don't have to lay people off), recruit more people (I believe businesses have a moral obligation to employ as many people as possible providing profitability is maintained) and contribute to local charities.

If that all sounds wishy washy, I can assure you that I'm not in any way. I just have a profound belief that the people who run businesses can contribute massively to society through managing in a humane and respectful way. I have taken tough decisions in the past and would do so again, but if I can avoid it everyone's a winner. The job of management is to manage - it's not rocket science, though I do sometimes think that it's over-complicated by some managers and commentators.

It does need to be mutual, however. Staff need to play their part every bit as much as managers. We put a huge amount of effort into our recruitment processes, which are challenging, but fun (for the right people). As a consequence, voluntary staff turnover last year (2012) was well under 1%, which contributes to a more knowledgeable work force, a strong culture and less cost having to fix mistakes.

This is a fantastic and refreshing attitude to take and clearly miles away from the Dickensian approach operated by many companies. I work for a global blue chip organisation who used to have this approach prior to the 2008 crash, but since nearly going under at that point, there has been a major change of direction for the worse. But, now the share price is at record levels, to the detrement of the employee base.

 

[wardy wonder land]

...........At work, you will devote 100% of your attention and effort to making the business succeed...........

can i still read & post on NSC during the working day (like the director)

where is the Automotive section based ? Essex, midlands, US ?

 

[happypig]

The job of management is to manage - it's not rocket science, though I do sometimes think that it's over-complicated by some managers and commentators.

Unfortunately far too many managers see their promotion as an improvement in their status rather than simply a change of role; there is an attitude of "I'm a manager therefore I'm better than the people I manage".

 

[Goldstone1976]

can i still read & post on NSC during the working day (like the director)

where is the Automotive section based ? Essex, midlands, US ?

The rules for me are the same for me as for everyone else. They have to be, otherwise the culture will fail quickly and spectacularly.

Each location does work for all three markets, with limited exceptions. Automotive is particularly well represented in the UK (for F1 and performance vehicle work) and in one location in the US and Tokyo for the mass market.

 

[brighton_girl87]

The rules for me are the same for me as for everyone else. They have to be, otherwise the culture will fail quickly and spectacularly.

Each location does work for all three markets, with limited exceptions. Automotive is particularly well represented in the UK (for F1 and performance vehicle work) and in one location in the US and Tokyo for the mass market.

Are you able to tell us the name of your company? I'm very curious now!

 

[Goldstone1976]

This is a fantastic and refreshing attitude to take and clearly miles away from the Dickensian approach operated by many companies. I work for a global blue chip organisation who used to have this approach prior to the 2008 crash, but since nearly going under at that point, there has been a major change of direction for the worse. But, now the share price is at record levels, to the detrement of the employee base.

Yes, it's a major problem if the market crashes. Cost becomes a key driver to maintaining a company at all for some businesses. I believe that it is however essential to maintain the employee benefits if one hopes to retain goodwill through the downturn and, critically, to retain your staff when the good times come again. When we faced harder times, recruitment was slowed down, bonuses were cut (they've always been linked directly to profits, so if profit reduces so do bonuses - though the reverse is also true, of course) and, once, senior management took a pay cut for 9 months, which we restored when revenues picked up again.

Share price growth is something that should be shared by staff. We have three different schemes to allow employees to get shares, one of which is an option scheme which is open to all.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Unfortunately far too many managers see their promotion as an improvement in their status rather than simply a change of role; there is an attitude of "I'm a manager therefore I'm better than the people I manage".

Quite. It is only a change in role. The step into the first managerial role is difficult for many people; suddenly they are responsible and accountable for the performance of their team, most of whom were their peers until the day they were promoted.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Are you able to tell us the name of your company? I'm very curious now!

I thought that I might get asked this. I'd rather not go public with the name on here. There are some posters on NSC (not necessarily on this thread) who seem to revel in being cynical and malicious. I have no desire to expose the company to that. There are enough clues in the posts I've made though to be able to find it out, if anyone is that interested.

 

[brighton_girl87]

I thought that I might get asked this. I'd rather not go public with the name on here. There are some posters on NSC (not necessarily on this thread) who seem to revel in being being cynical and malicious. I have no desire to expose the company to that. There are enough clues in the posts I've made though to be able to find it out, if anyone is that interested.

Thought as much, fair enough.

 

[Porkydale]

I don't understand your question. If you're referring to the Staff Board seat, someone has been elected by the staff and appointed by me every year the scheme has been running. If you're referring to why no one has chosen to join a union (afaik), no, I don't know why. The only way I could find out would be to ask every employee, which would be a ridiculous waste of time. Further, it would be an invasion of privacy and the employee doesn't have to tell me anyway.

Does that answer the question? If not, feel free to try again!

My mistake , i missread your post , Apologies

 

[Goldstone1976]

My mistake , i missread your post , Apologies

NP

 

[tinycowboy]

Well I can beat you all ...... my Christmas gift from my employer has just been handed to me ..... notice of redundancy ..... Merry f*cking Christmas !!!!

Terrible news at any time of year, especially bad at Christmas. Hope you find something soon.