Dangerous Phrase
Posted: Mon 7 March, 2005 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: General, Work-related |4 Comments »We’ve had a ‘new’ guy start in the team today – by which I mean he used to work for the company, moved away, but has now come back. Fair enough, that’s his choice. However, the introduction of him to the team contained a phrase that has left me thinking a lot about the attitude of the company…
This is xxx, who’s seen the error of his ways and come back to us.
I think it’s that complacent condescending attitude of “we knew he’d be back” that really rankles with me…
The idea of going back to a previous workplace was utterly alien to me until I started working at my current workplace.
A month after I started my first role in the organisation a girl in the department left to go to do a job more closely related to her degree.
About nine months in, someone who had worked in the team 2 years previously (left to go travelling for a year) came back.
Six months further on, one of the more senior members of staff left to go work nearer her home so she could spend more time looking after her son.
When I moved from role 1 (about 20 months in) to role 2 in the organisation, girl 1 applied for, and got, my old job.
2 months ago, ex-senior colleague came back to work part-time, somewhat ironically reporting to the person who got her old job.
Another girl who worked in that team left at the end of January. I wonder how long it will be before she’s back.
When I handed in my notice at the NAO (staff numbers <1000) I was told by a kind person, "Oh well, if it doesn't work out, you can always come back..." Admittedly, three people had in the past year, and indeed, my friend subsequently got a temp job with them when she moved from Geneva to Glasgow to marry and look for a proper job.
But I thought it a frightening manifestation of the 'big bad scary world out there' mentality.
It’s probably the kind of turn of phase that would be okay to speak outloud, as you can ensure people know you’re joking by the way you say it. But it just doesn’t work in email form, does it?
Wait and see if he’s a complete cunt…
If he is you may have grudgingly agree. 🙂