Guru Blog

Browse by Tags

• art
• bingo
• bonus
• Daily Mail
• dick
• electrician
• employee relations
• employees
• entertainment
• equality
• health & safety
• health and safety
• HR
• human resources
• jobs
• language
• nong
• pay
• political correctness
• pudding
• regional
• spotted
• strategy
• sudbury
• tameside
• taxpayers' alliance
• walks
• women
• workforce

• Sparks fly over six-figure electrician

  That's it! Guru is giving up HR, retraining as a sparky and going to work for Birmingham City Council. Last week it emerged an electrician had managed to earn £124,000 a year in pay and bonuses. Documents released by the council as part of a legal case also revealed 58 other workers - including binmen, gardeners and gravediggers - were paid bonuses... Posted Jan 13 2010, 08:20 AM by Guru Filed under: council, pay, bonus, electrician

• Eyes down for a game of PC bingo

  Is 2010 going to be a good year for lawyers? The PC brigade would certainly have us believe so. Disciple Anatole has been in touch to draw Guru's attention to a story about Sudbury Town Council. Bingo callers in the town have been told not to use the phrases "two fat ladies 88" and "legs 11" in case the council is sued by someone... Posted Jan 04 2010, 02:08 PM by Guru Filed under: entertainment, council, bingo, sudbury

• Who is Nong and why is he in Blackburn?

  We all know most meetings are dead boring, so why not liven them up by inviting a weird midget statue to yours? That's just what these folk did. Check out this curious photo gallery, courtesy of Local Government Chronicle, picturing said statue on his journey around the oddly-named Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Nong (for twas his name)... Posted Sep 14 2009, 03:13 PM by Guru Filed under: council, regional, art, nong

• Spotted Dick banned from council canteen

  Just the merest hint of political correctness gone too far can reduce Guru to apoplexy. So just imagine his feelings at the news that Flintshire County Council has renamed an iconic British pudding, rather than upset its astonishingly easily offended staff. Yes, when it comes to Flintshire Council's staff canteen menu, Spotted Dick is no more. Staff... Posted Sep 09 2009, 12:01 PM by Guru Filed under: council, employee relations, pudding, spotted, dick

• Daily Mail council non-jobs article is non-story

  Guru's favourite read, the Daily Mail, ran what must be one of it's perfect stories earlier this week. All the story needed was for immigrants to be responsible for causing cancer then it had struck tabloid gold. As it was, the article was about council 'non-jobs', which the paper and its friend the Taxpayers Alliance (who both basically... Posted Apr 24 2009, 12:01 PM by Guru Filed under: jobs, council, Daily Mail, taxpayers' alliance

• Tameside Council nails strategic HR

  Good to see the HR team at Tameside Council in Greater Manchester really adding value. Guru received a press release about the council encouraging its staff to get some fresh air at lunchtimes with the launch of 'Urbanwalks'. The six walks start from the council's offices with each employee receiving a leaflet containing maps along with... Posted Feb 02 2009, 07:51 AM by Guru Filed under: HR, health & safety, council, employee relations, employees, health and safety, tameside, strategy, walks

• Crazy council's 'sex' madness

  Guru loves a bit of political correctness gone mad (PCGM), especially when it involves allegations of sexism and offensive phrases. Winner of this week's PCGM award is the buffoon at Chichester District Council who decided to publish a politically... Posted Aug 28 2008, 09:13 AM by Guru Filed under: equality, human resources, council, women, workforce, political correctness, employee relations, language