March 28, 2007
Fellow business blogger Flip Chart Fairy Tales reports on a recent event at which Asda's people director David Smith argued that HR needs to remove poor performing staff - a process he refers to as "removing the red" - and hire on attitude rather than skill.
Guru had his own spies at this 'seminar', and can reveal that it was actually a swanky lunch at celebrity hang-out The Ivy , hosted by HR and payroll service provider Ceridian.
Personnel Today takes the story further, with Smith's revelations that no senior Asda execs are permitted any trappings of power in order to keep them humble - no oak-panelled office, no premium parking space, no first-class travel...
Guru thrives on perks, and doesn't get out of bed for anything less than peeled grapes, supermodel PAs and a kitten-fur trimmed La-z-Boy recliner, so Yours Truly is immediately ruling himself out of the running for any future non-executive directorship opportunities at Asda House. It's your loss, Smith!
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