April 28, 2008
At last a government department has managed to get its workers excited about its employer brand.
Staff at the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) apparently displayed a far more vigorous reaction than was expected when showed their new mouse mats, proudly carrying the department's new logo.
Intended to 'signify a bold commitment to the body’s aim of improving value for money by driving up standards and capability in procurement', it looked more like a bloke having a w*nk.
Click here to see the £14,000 logo at its best. Looking remarkably like somone has merely written the department's initials out in bold type and gone down the pub with the remaining £13,999, it actually has hidden depths. When written on its side to fit on an employee's pen, it reveals what staff truly feel about their mission.
Of course the OGC is not the first government quango to come up with a laughably smutty logo in recent months. The much-hyped 2012 Olympic Games graphic looks rather like cartoon heroine Lisa Simpson blowing some lucky man's saxophone. Perhaps that's one of the endurance events being introduced for the London Games.
Still, if its about getting employees to show an interest, then Guru supposes it is money well spent. And maybe there's an employee engagement lesson there for all HR professionals.
