Non-quiche for people working in HR, what do you all reckon?

[flowerybeanbag]

Anyone fancy bit of a whinge support group?

Flowery - another part time role has come up. Wonders will never cease. Its in a manufacturing environment, which isn't something I've ever really contemplated, but hey, beggars can't be choosers!

PJ - fab! Think of it as an opportunity to broaden your knowledge and skill-set..

Or an opportunity to argue with shop stewards...

The job ad refers to IR!

Wooooo! Get those boxing gloves out then eh?

Has anyone on here worked in a manufacturing environment? Tell me its not as bad as I am imagining...

I am and it is good. Not Unionised though. Will tell you more later as I am working atm!

callmeovercautious - brilliant - thanks

Yes, I've worked in a manufacturing environment. It comes with it's own challenges, but I happily go back to it without any regrets.

Hi guys

Flowery love the website looks great

I'm currently a training manager which I love, love, love . Before that was a HR Business Partner, HR Manager, HR Officer and HR Admin...

Just read the new draft ACAS Code - is it different to the current code...

I've come here to whinge....we are being restructured....again!

Oh no! Why?

And ReamHar - I have worked in Manufacturing for 3 years now (well 1 years Mat leave!). I love it. Everything changes yet everything stays the same iykwim? There are lots of challenges everyday that make you think on your feet but after a while you find it is usually something that has come up before. The only thing is the red tape. If it is food like mine then there are Audits by allsorts of places. The customers, ethical trading, Retail Consortium. Then you have the Christmas rush, and Easter. Then the lulls in trade when you have to cut staffing numbers. It can be tough and you need to be completely unemotional at times. But I do find it rewarding as the people are really honest and down to earth. You don't tend to get too much one upmanship on the shop floor. HTH!

What ACAS code of practice? I am being thick again

PinkJenny - I am a bit like you in being wary about manufacturing - absolutely no reason or sense behind my feelings though! I take it you are looking for a new job then?

Flowery - good news about the writing opportunity

Llaregub - what is happening then?

Why? Well, it has been all of 2 years since our last restructuring, so obviously we are due another.

[reminder: remain chirpy and positive at all times]

Me, a cynic? Never!

Cynicism aside, we are splitting into 3. We'll have an shared service centrre for admin, HR advisory centre and Ulrich's famous business partners.

Hi all,

What a great idea - I'm in Medical HR in the NHS.

I begrudgingly continue to renew my CIPD membership, but never tend to use the website, but love the job pages every fortnight!

Message withdrawn

There are loads of us! What are a group of HR bods called?

Ooh whilst we are having a whinge, it is possible that I am not going to be replaced whilst I am on mat leave in a few months. A much more senior person within the department is due at the same time as me and the decision has been made not to replace her and just to share the work out so I have a feeling that that might be the 'party line' now. I feel awful as we are under-staffed anyway and one of the 3 HR Advisors is proving to be incapable of doing the job and coping with her current workload - which would leave my other colleague picking everything up which surely isn't fair???

What do you all think? Has anyone else come across this before? In my experience, maternity leave has always been covered.

Message withdrawn

Probably! Or a conspiracy?

Damn - I wrote a very witty reply to you all and it just died with my laptop battery

Hi all new posters and welcome - I am now too annoyed with my naff work laptop so will talk to you tomorrow.

Grrrrrrr!

llareggub - how about a swarm?

ceebee74 - is there any restructuring going on? Is it possible that they think you are all coasting? Sorry to be blunt! I am sure you are not but if the senior HR person did not give you a good profile they may be planning a downsize.

Do not worry about what you can't control, if you are off, you are off. Nothing you can do. The others left will need to stir it up a bit though and make sure they get their voices accross so they get some temp help.

Callme - thanks for responding. There is no restructure going on as we went through that 12 months ago. We cover a large geographical area so we have a corporate HR team (where the pg senior manager is) and then local operational HR teams - from that date, my local HR team has been understaffed (me and one of my colleagues went part-time and they have never replaced the lost hours) - our manager has been trying to do something about it for 12 months now but just keeps hitting dead-ends with the budget etc so we have pretty much resigned ourselves to this is how it is and always will be and getting on with the increased workload - so I think the senior managers have pretty much used up all the 'goodwill' in our team so this may just push my 2 colleagues over the edge iyswim - one is going to be retiring soon and the other, as I have said, unfortuantely cannot cope with the job and is probably near resigning.

I know there is nothing I can do about it and if I am off I am off but I have worked with my colleagues for a long time and it is awful seeing them potentially in this position.

Sorry to go on but it is good to 'talk' about it!

Can I join in too? Am an HR advisor in the private sector, have only been working in HR for about 2 years and currently (supposed to be) doing my CIPD qualification. Have just gone on maternity leave though with grand plans of fitting in some study at some point

Flowery thought your website looked great, worked ok for me using IE 7.

Are gatecrashers allowed? I am just finishing my MSc in HR at the LSE which apparantly fast-tracks me into some top-notch CIPD level (though buggered if I know how their levels fit together. Or what advantages they bring). I post to quite a few of these threads where I can, and am fairly passionate about employment matters esp flexi working and women wanting careers. BUT I am not in HR and have no plans to switch over (am in Banking, seniorish level). Would love to work full time in HR but cannot really afford to cross over this late in my career as would have to climb slippery slope again. My only real HR exp comes from managing people over the years and, ahem, from negiotiating compromise agreements for myself 3 times now (and I've only had 4 jobs!). Agreements came at various stages in grievance process, shall we say?

Would love to join group though as am always dealing with issues, usually from other side of the fence....