Hazia’s Reflections

Another heavy duty week at work passed by, I guess that’s obvious at the rate that I’m updating my blog. A minimum of 7 entries a week has turned into only 1 or 2. LOL!

My morning routine starts at 7am. While having breakfast by the river near my workplace, I would catch up on reading or editing my stories. The right brain kick-off is useful I think, considering how hard my left brain would have to work the whole day. The view is also refreshing and calming. I try to have lunch alone too so I could read. Besides, I think I’ve socialised enough to make myself approachable. I’m also tired of making effort on menial conversation during my break.

The truth is that I’m trying hard not to make work the focus of my life, not again. But it seems impossible with the important mission that I’ve been entrusted with, plus direct access to the power that be. Head hunters have also been calling with jobs opportunities, one stating clearly that I am underpaid for my position. Well, part of the major change that will come with the new decision maker is staff salary revision, very soon too. Anyway, I didn’t take this job for the money, it’s a good chance to upgrade my skills in corporate PR. And despite the politics, I’m comfortable with the environment, that is very rare in my 10 years of working.

Stinker…

Overall staff turnover is high, especially for executive posts. My reliable staff did her handover on Thursday. The Snorer finally resigned, thank God! That was a day after his probabation ended, I didn’t even get to share my appraisal with him. A ‘leakage’ in the HR department told him that I wasn’t keeping him and he decided to leave so he would not have it in his record that he was fired. My reliable staff innocently came and asked me all this. Now I know who cannot be trusted.

My MD did an exit interview with him and immediately called the HR secretary for a series of questions, I guess he also wanted another opinion on me. Snorer stated reason of leaving as not-being-confirmed. My boss told me that he stated ‘change PR manager’in his form under ’suggestion’. Bulls! That only made him look silly. His stinking performance has started 5 months before I came on board. I’ve only been around for a month. That has nothing to do with me. He still stinks, the worst performing employee I’ve encountered in my entire working life. Completely useless. I gave him a hard time before signing his release form, making him do a proper handover.

My boss said I’ve never scolded the Snorer, it was only him and the HR manager. So, it has nothing to do with me. Snorer dared not complained about him to the MD. His definition of ’scolding’ was apparently different from mine. I learned that once, at the peak of anger, he yelled at Snorer in the middle of the large office, forcing him to go home there and then. Snorer put this pathetic look on (muka kesian) and didn’t move. My boss kicked his leg, he totally blew his top. Yeah, that was his definition of scolding.

Spinning…

I think I’ve growed and matured a lot in the last 1 month. Facing serious HR issues and making tough HR decisions is a higher level of management altogether.

On another note, I nearly fired our advertising agency yesterday. Having come from the other side, my expectation is much higher. After a month, they haven’t done any research and gotten to know our company better. They were still functioning like order takers, rather than giving advice. I cancelled our weekly advertisements in 3 newspapers tomorrow & gave them a week to buck up. Must we use Bumiputra suppliers only? Sigh!

It is tough trying to lead in a major change (which is the MD’s pet project) while at the same time, taking charge of the PR department main roles and putting my fingerprints where possible. Bear in mind, we are also really short of manpower, I need to recruit 4 more staffs. I wanted things to be different, to show value with my appointment & send a strong message - quality control, not queen control. LOL! I’m not using process & procedures to enforce my authority like the norm in this type of organisations. I’ll make use of credibility instead.