A funny old week

I don't know about you but this week seems to have lasted forever but at the same time has flown by.

How can that be?

As an aside, does anyone else think that 2014 is flying past rather too quickly, what with the clocks going forward Sunday morning and it being April on Tuesday?

After the speed that 2012 flew by I said to Renee, 'We just have to slow down 2013.'

She just looked at me as though I was some kind of idiot.  'Are you some kind of idiot?' Asked she. 'It's October!'

This week started on Monday morning (predictably) with a early alarm call - up at 4.00am to get down to Northampton as part of the team delivering the final module of a management development programme.

The other facilitator was going to be there at 8.00am and I was going to get there for 9.30... 5 hours is about right for the trip down from Edinburgh.

Hmmm... not on Monday it wasn't.  The Thelwell Viaduct was stationary for an hour and I was bustin' for a wee the whole time.

Here's another aside and you may want to skip this paragraph if you are in any way easily offended.

How much liquid is there in an average wee?  I've never measured it or even really thought about it, to be honest.  I did on Monday morning though, because the Costa Coffee takeaway cup was almost pressed into action.  In fact, it was so close I was even considering the logistics of it all...

Anyway, I eventually made it to Northampton at 10.30am.  The course went off without a hitch and it was back up the road on Tuesday night.  Here's a thing: the journey was exactly the same in reverse.  An hour stationary, on the M1 this time.

I have to say I'm not a massive football follower but I've started listening to football commentary of Radio 5 Live.  On Tuesday it was Manchester United vs Manchester City and I was just thinking to myself that I rarely hear a goal on the radio when City scored - 43 seconds in to the game!

Wednesday it was farewell drinks with Margaret at the White Lady here in Corstorphine.  I left after a couple of pints and walked Barney home.  Renee got home... later.  But still, I have to say, made it to BNI on Thursday morning.

Thursday evening was our first networking event here in the shop... everything seemed to go well and we had three brilliant presentations from @joworrall, Alan Johnston and @Grow_potential.  Here's Alan Johnston practising his Power Pose...

Brilliant.

All good stuff.

So, it's Friday.

I had 4 meetings lined up today (including an interview with a potential new member of staff) all of which got cancelled.

The new member of staff sent me an email which said, (something like) 'I'm not coming 'cos I've got an interview for a job I really want.'

I mean, I ask you...

To wrap the week up it's off to friends in Livi tonight.  I really hope it's not a late one!

So what I mean; it's been helluvva week and my parents are up next week... and Renee and I have to go to Birmingham and we have a new member of staff starting and we're getting work done on the shop...

The Gibson Hotel, Dublin

Do you know what?

There's so much to write about this week, I don't know where to start... so I'll start where I am right now.

That's the Gibson Hotel, in Dublin, just next to the Irish O2... where Beyonce is playing for the next two nights.  Quiet my stay ain't.

Anyway, The Gibson is a great hotel; it's modern but quirky and I love that.  For example, there a very lifelike model of a sheep in reception (which is on the 3rd floor) looking down at the floor and reading a newspaper.

Last time I stayed here was back in September 2013.  There's a really good restaurant called the Coda Eatery and the company I work for are kind enough to put me on a dinner, B and B package.

The issue is that the nice restaurant doesn't open on a Monday night and, if you're on the dinner package, you're left with something called the HemiDemiSemiQuaver Bar... and I'm not kidding.

The HSDQ Bar only Thai food which is okay except every dish has prawns or noodles in it and I don't like prawns or noodles.  So I asked if I could order something from the Room Service menu and have it delivered to the bar.

This was met with a flat no so I had to slink off to my room and eat on my own like a sad git.

At the end of my stay I was given a feedback form and I mentioned the incident on the form.  A couple of days later I got a call from the General Manager asking for more details.  He agreed with me that to deliver Room Service to the bar wasn't a big issue and he apologised.  'Next you stay with us', says he, 'let me know and I'll sort you out a couple of drinks.'

Okay, fair play... situation closed in my mind.

So I'm back at The Gibson and had forgotten the problem I had and I certainly didn't make myself known to claim my free drinks.  But as I checked in the receptionist really surprised me: 'Welcome back, Mr Lambert.  I know you had a bit of a problem last time you were here so please accept a complimentary upgrade and some drinks vouchers.'

Aha... this is more like it, thinks I.  Brilliant service recovery, fantastic systems, expertly delivered.

So, I have a suite a 4 vouchers for drinks.

I ventured down tot he bar on Monday night for my dinner... after all, if they've listened to my feedback surely they would have done something about Room Service being delivered HSDQ.

'Can I order something from Room Service?'

'No, sorry you can't.'

More drinks for me at my next stay?

Maternity Leave and The Law

Now I have to say we're pretty hot on the ol' HR Law but I was so shocked by a recent discovery that I had to get it checked out by several highly reputable sources.

This particular aspect of HR law covers maternity leave.  Personally I think Maternity Leave is a brilliant thing and we have a number of people working part time for us; returning to work after starting a family.  

However, they weren't working for us when they were pregnant so my knowledge and experience of Maternity Leave isn't that extensive...

Let me explain the situation.

We had a lady (predictably) working with us who was having a baby.  Come the appropriate moment she went off on Statutory Maternity Leave.  We continued to pay her but claimed back via National Insurance.

So, six months passed and we asked our member of staff about her intentions and she said she wanted to extend her Maternity Leave to the full year.

Okay, not ideal, but not much we could do about it.

The year was almost up so we got in touch again about coming back... now here's where I entered uncharted territory for me.

The lady asked to come back part time... fine.  But the part time hours didn't match our business needs.  The request to come back part time is officially known as a request for Flexible Working.  Because it didn't match business needs we were fully entitled to reject the request, which we did.

Of course, this being the law in general and HR law in particular there were standard letters and processes to be followed which we did to the letter.

The upshot of all this was that our lady handed in her notice... all amicable and everyone was happy.  Or, if not happy, then at least accepting!

Here comes the bit I had to get checked out and although I believe the advice I was given implicitly, I just don't believe it.

Deep breath and I'll say it quickly so I don't wind myself up.

All the time our lady was on Maternity Leave she was accruing holidays at the same rate as though she was still working for us.

She had a year off so was entitled to 28 days paid leave... and we had to pay it.  More than £2k.

The cynical part of me wonders whether this lady knew this and was playing us all along for a nice £2,000 bonus.  The philosophical part simple says, 'well, them's the rules.'  The realistic part of me thinks it's just not fair and this must be a loophole and the hopeful part of me thinks that the advice I've received from three independent sources can't possibly right.

Can it?

If anyone can tell me that the advice is wrong and actually I can claim that holiday pay back, please get in touch!