Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Health and safetyHR practicePersonnel TodayWellbeingThe HR profession

Racy talk leads Guru down a road of pain

by Personnel Today 2 Jan 2007
by Personnel Today 2 Jan 2007

Everyone’s done something they regret at a Christmas party, and Guru is no exception. Dancing (badly), singing karaoke (badly), telling inappropriate jokes (badly), criticising the boss within her earshot (badly), and snogging the girl from accounts (rather well, actually).

But this year, your favourite back-page columnist made a truly monumental mistake at a festive shindig, and is already paying for its dire consequences.

The event: The Employers’ Law magazine advertisers’ Christmas party.

The venue: The Absolut Ice Bar, Heddon Street, London.

The drinks of choice: Something with vodka and cinnamon.

Let’s just say that Guru was getting into the spirit of the occasion, and entertaining the guests with his unparalleled wit and raconteurship. You should have seen it. All these young, beautiful, smart lady lawyers were hanging on Guru’s every word. He felt like the “razzle dazzle Billy Flinn” from the musical Chicago

But then it all went badly wrong. A femme fatale by the name of Sam Gegg from legal company Osborne Clarke confided in Guru that she was going to do something quite weird, unnatural and perverse and invited him to join her. Guru’s guard slipped, and in a flash he agreed – and now there’s no way out.

That’s right – Guru has been signed up for the Reading Half Marathon on 25 March.

Actually it’s not as bad as it at first seems (though it’s still pretty bad for someone whose last sporting endeavour was an egg and spoon race). Guru will be part of one of two Personnel Today teams (a boys team and a girls team) taking part in the Osborne Clarke Challenge – a corporate relay for teams of four people running alongside the half marathon proper. So if Guru’s maths is right, that’s 3.275 miles each.

According to Ms Gegg, it’s “designed to enable regional companies to promote a healthy workforce at the same time entrants can raise money for charity and build team spirit and camaraderie among colleagues and other businesses”.

So, I’m afraid it’s hands-in-your-pockets time. Personal and corporate sponsorships are welcome, and any organisation that pledges £25 or more to either or both teams will have their logo printed on the athletic attire of our runners. The bigger the pledge, the bigger and more prominent the logo.

Guru will also ‘big-up’ all sponsors in this very column and publish a photograph of the team in their before and after states, resplendent in their fully-logo’d kit.

All proceeds will go to Guru’s favourite charity, The Children’s Trust (www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk).

Guru has set up a sponsorship page at www.justgiving.com.

Right – Guru’s off to continue his rigorous training programme with a deep tissue massage. Let’s just hope that old war wound (from the aforementioned girl in accounts) doesn’t play up in the dreaded weeks to come.

Sadly, and all too predictably, Guru’s chronic injury has indeed already flared up, and he has had to rule himself out of the race. But don’t let that stop you from supporting and sponsoring his colleagues. Remember – www.justgiving.com/personneltoday, or drop him an e-mail with the details of your pledge.

Tell us

Has anything raised a smile in your office recently? Then share it with the rest of us… [email protected]

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

 

Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

previous post
Get networking in the New Year at the HR Directors Business Summit
next post
Skills are a major challenge and opportunity

You may also like

Businesses warned against reducing recruitment in favour of...

15 Jul 2025

Two-thirds drink to cope with work stress and...

14 Jul 2025

Decline in workplace deaths: falls from height remain...

3 Jul 2025

Aircrew with cancer pursuing MoD for compensation –...

2 Jul 2025

Welfare cuts would ‘undermine workforce inclusion and business...

27 Jun 2025

Richard Tice: ‘pathetic’ to put HR manager in...

26 Jun 2025

Movers and shakers in HR: Asda, BBC, FSB,...

26 Jun 2025

HR underprepared for likely increase in M&A activity

24 Jun 2025

With HR absence rising, is your people team...

24 Jun 2025

One in four young workers rate mental health...

17 Jun 2025

  • Empower and engage for the future: A revolution in talent development (webinar) WEBINAR | As organisations strive...Read more
  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today