A wee holiday...

So time has passed, like sand through the hourglass...and in the intervening years,  I was working at a brilliant innovative and interesting place, advising a highly respected and well-known businessman with his messaging and branding...

I loved every minute of it and especially working with such an inspiring and honest person.

Sadly, that fab place was bought by a less fab place and the culture changed. That inspiring businessman sold the bulk of his shares and despite staying at the helm was no longer the major shareholder, and thus was no longer a loud voice in the future of the fab place.

Despite the internal communications about remaining  our own identity, the fab place rapidly became the sad place, reflective of the purchaser's corporate culture.  More and more people from the "mothership" came to work with us, bringing with them their culture of bureaucracy and red tape, and their "can't do" attitudes. The once entrepreneurial feeling became one of fear and silos, and being afraid to stand out from the crowd.

There was scepticism among the ranks, but naturally the HR person could not, or would not,  see the symptoms as it counts against her personal KPIs...better to pretend the world was hunky dory and try to resolve the issues with random "HR stunts", like a Caramello Koala plonked on your desk.

Heaven knows a 50 cent chocolate always comforts me when job security is low.

As I pride myself on honesty and my role requires an understanding of the general attitude and mood of the workplace, I really did not see an issue in raising there may be morale issues. I did this privately and professionally and in the context of my role.

In truth, many HR people are more concerned about hitting their own KPIs than addressing any genuine issues that arise...a chocolate on the desk, given with a reptilian smile that radiates all the warmth of a cold toilet seat on a winter's morning, is far more cost effective than addressing any real issues.

I say this, but can name about a number of exceptional HR people. Just so you don't think I hate all HR people. The good ones are awesome. The bad ones suck the life out of a company.

So in time, my role was turned into a more junior role and less expensive role...but I do think perhaps my not drinking the Kool-aid had something to do with it.