There's been a few madcap ideas bandying around our office recently, and today saw quite a gem.
After years of doing very little to help the foreign exchange students and workers who come to work for us at certain times of the year, our Board have now decided that we need to do a lot more.
I agree wholeheartedly with this, and have indeed argued this for quite some time.
However, one suggestion currently doing the rounds is a 'buddy system', whereby we profile everyone in the company, and partner our foreign colleagues with their nearest match.
That person would then be responsible for 'social integration', with an allowance from the company.
It all seems a touch contrived to me.
However, more worrying were the looks I was getting from my boss whilst this was being discussed, which suggest I am seen a person who would be called upon somewhat regularly to do this.
I'm all for new friends, but if my boss knew everything that goes on in my life over the weekend I doubt he would want to let any new colleagues anywhere near me.
Indeed, I'm not sure he'd particularly want to let me in the office on a Monday morning.
Still, if that's what they want, that is what they will get.
I just hope there are no recriminations for anything going wrong.
If Rafael the Spanish accountant wakes up in a dingy on the North Sea wearing nothing but a smile, I don't expect it to count against me in my appraisal...
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