Gee, I've now been head of HR for 2 1/2 yrs, and our company is just going through a 2nd major restructuring. It's hard work. People naturally don't like change. We have been lucky enough on both occasions not to have to make anyone redundant, but we still have to make changes that will have an effect on most employees.

Why are they cold fish?
--> Because when we have to make tough decisions, it's best to put all emotions aside. By looking at the facts, it's easier to find possible solutions.

Why are they unhelpful, unapproachable, unreliable?
--> Because on the odd occasion we DO get asked questions, people usually don't like our answers.

If I tried to make everyone happy, I would not get anywhere.

Sorry, I'm probably not very helpful, but I'm at the opposite end to you, and it's REAL HARD WORK here 

nickless

I just received 4 books through ebay:

Agatha Christie: The blue train (Poirot)
Earl Derr Bigggers: Derriere ce rideau (Charlie Chan)
Andre Gide: Les caves du Vatican
Alexandre Dumas: Robin des Bois

And now I can't wait for the day to end, so I can sit on the sofa, relax and read.........

nickless

Don't give them ideas, DiamondLady

I must say it doesn't really bother me much... I can live with it - if it's not for too long....

nickless

Poor dettu, I can sympathise.

And with the extra responsibility of looking after your child on your own at the moment, you're probably too worn out in the evenings to have some quality time to yourself.

It'll get better! Take a few deep breaths, perhaps you could get some lavender oil and put a few drops on a tissue on your desk? That's quite calming and soothing.

I also find that drinking 1 litre of camomile tea per day helps. It's the perfect antistress drink.

nickless

I always use green. It's simply my colour in the office. The pens I'm using are photocopiable and faxable, so there's no problem.

Apart from original letters, I also sign everything in green. Letters in blue ink though.

nickless

Confront him? NEVER. I'm too much of a coward to do that!

Oh, how I wished they hadn't given me that marketing job in the first place! I've usually been happy here (apart from the odd day), but this year has been dreadful, and I can't face being here any more. By lunchtime, I usually think "I'll take a sick day tomorrow", but then never do it anyway. Wouldn't be fair to the colleagues.

Perhaps I should just take the whole marketing stuff, and hand it back to him.

nickless

When Junior came back from the trade fair, I had put a couple of sample reply letters on his desk, to be sent as a follow-up to those potential customers who had visited our stand.

I had also given him 3 adverts which could be printed on an A5 folded card and sent out as a mailshot.We've subscribed to a huge database, and are slowly working our way through it. At the beginning of the year, Junior had told me he was planning to use this database to send out a mailshot early this year.

I've just found all 5 items in the bin.

He hasn't even talked to me about any of them.

If he doesn't talk to me, and I don't know what he wants, how can I do a good job???

I'm gutted.

nickless

No, sorry, Celine. I can't help. I'm at the other end of the country.

Perhaps you could try www.reed.co.uk, www.adecco.co.uk, www.manpower.co.uk, www.hays.com. They are very well-known national (and international) recruitment agencies and might be able to help.

nickless

Celine

I meant outside of London; away from the capital...

The diplomas of the London and Paris chambers of commerce were for an integrated course within my secretary diploma and gave me extra qualifications in business English/French, so that if I ever decided to move to England/France, I could show some "proper" qualifications that the English and French would acknowledge and understand. It's been quite a while since I sat the exams (14 years ); I can't quite remember details.

My current job requires me to be fluent in English and German; with a little French and Spanish thrown in from time to time.

nickless

Yes, that's how I feel quite often: "welcome to the playground". You should think we're all grown-ups and can work together and talk like adults...

Junior is away for 3 days now, which will give me time to work on a marketing campaign I've been thinking about for a while. I've got the wording, just need to throw something together so that people will take the time to read and reply.

nickless

Hello Celine

You seem to have a similar diploma to mine. In addition to the trilingual personal secretary diploma (German, English, French), I also got certificates from the London and the Paris Chambers of Commerce.

Whilst I appreciate London has a lot to offer, would you also consider working outside the City?

nickless

Good luck, Tif! I hope you'll get the job

nickless

I get your points.

Junior and I have been working alongside for the last 8 years, acknowledging each other's presence, but not more. We didn't have to, really, unless his dad was away for a few days. Then he would occasionally come to me for advice and guidance as far as MD's depts were concerned; or I had to consult with him and obtain signatures.

Junior did employ an outside marketing company last October. With hindsight, they must have had the same problems as I am experiencing because they gave up in December, and told us they would't work for us any longer.

Well, I'll persevere...

nickless

MD has overall control about everything that's going on here (3 departments + 1 sister company).

Junior is MD's son, and is running 1 of the 3 departments. He will ultimately take over the whole business.

My role is to assist MD in 2 of 3 depts, sister co and all private affairs, but so far I've stayed clear of 3rd dept, i.e. junior's dept. Additional role now is to do the marketing for the 3rd dept. MD basically also tries to keep out of junior's dept.

Has this made it any clearer?

nickless

Doing nothing and going with the flow is not really an option because it’s not what I want, and I wouldn’t be happy with it. That’s why I’ve posted the problem in here because I know there are lots of nice colleagues out there who will help and support me.

Confront him – I’d love to. He’s not my direct boss; I’ve so far been working solely for the MD (his dad), and we are a great team. Junior though seems to have problems to trust other people and communicate. Even his PA does not know when he’s in or out, when he has a meeting, or what is scheduled to take place when. He doesn’t want to keep a diary because he can remember all the details in his head, and simply doesn’t want anyone else to know. He has always been working on the principle ‘only a job I’ve done myself is a job well done’. *big sigh*

Working with senior boss is fine (apart from the usual minor hiccups which simply happen from time to time). He’s the best boss I’ve had so far. We seem to be able to read each other’s minds, are genuinely comfortable working together, and I’ve got the authority to make (financial/staff/organisational) decisions which hugely exceed any marketing decisions I’ve made this year. Junior boss is different. He’s very difficult and authoritarian, shouts and swears and bangs doors all the time. You dare and ask him a question, and he either explodes and shouts and screams, or he ignores you and leaves the office - happens to everyone, not just me. So far I’ve managed to stay out of his way, and I wasn’t happy last year when the two bosses asked me to take on the marketing role, i.e. working direct with junior boss. But I felt I wasn’t in a position to turn them down either.

@ Gee: I think having a PA is a status symbol for him. Honestly. So he can say "my PA has messed it up" rather than "I missed the deadline because I couldn't make a decision". I'm glad I'm not his PA. Neither of us would last long...

nickless