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Your Voice - Hot Topic
The vital issues that matter to you in the PA world. Join the discussion - have your say!
Can you trust your work colleagues?
How do you know who you're working with? Can you trust your co-workers? A shocking statistic in the press recently reported that 80% of corporate fraud is committed by employees – what they chillingly call The Enemy Within. So it’s rather pointless for firms to be investing shed loads of money to protect against internet hacking, and such like, when the biggest threat they face is sitting in their own offices!
Have you ever seen any dishonest dealings at work? Is there anyone you suspect of fiddling the company books? Fraudsters are not always easy to spot – in one famous case involving a well-known Scottish bank, the crook had been awarded Manager of the Year for three years in a row!
Has anyone ever asked you to do something you knew was wrong? What did you do?
And how well do you vet new staff, and temps, when they come to work with you? Does it ever occur to you that they might not be as scrupulous about sensitive and confidential information as you are?
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Good question! We don't vet our temps at all, cos it's always urgent to get someone in no matter who, and we've had some right rum ones in recently! I hate to say it, but you really don't know who you're working with. I try to make sure they don't get access to confidential stuff until we know them a bit more, but it's not always easy. I work in HR so in our domain is all the personal details of all the staff - with identity theft such a big issue, you do wonder if that's one way that personal info gets leaked. Sorry to be a downer on temps - I know I'll get shouted at! I did once catch one temp printing out some payroll information, and when I asked her what she was doing she went very red! She had no reason to be doing that! (We didn't get her back!!)
Comments added by: Elise J-B
I've never seen anything dishonest, but in my last company I was interviewed about a colleague who was suspected of stealing money from petty cash and handbags etc., It was a horrible situation as I really liked her and although I didn't think she was the culprit, I didn't know for sure. After the interview I felt really uncomfortable being around her, even though the thief turned out to be someone else. She left soon after, and I would have done the same. Can you imagine how awful it must have been for her to have the finger of suspicion pointed at her. As for me, I just felt horrible, really guilty about the whole situation and the way the company handled it.
Comments added by: Jayne
I once had to run quite a long project and it involved me in a lot of travel, just within the UK, on trains and planes, and a few overnight stays. At the end of the project I had to put in my expenses form, which I filled out meticulously. To my amazement, the office manager sent my expenses form back and told me I had to do them again. Turns out, I hadn't been charging enough and if I put through a form like that - with the real costs of everything - it would really wind up all the sales staff, etc, who like to make a bit on their expenses! I was horrified.
Comments added by: RR
Where do you draw the line? Is it a crime, I mean like really a crime, to take a pen home with you? If I photocopy my friend's party invites on the department copier is that stealing? The amount of hours I do at that place I think it's fair perks, myself.
Comments added by: Chantal
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Did You Hear?
What would be on your list of top traits in a boss?
We heard from a recent report that there are three top characteristics that staff
appreciate in a great boss.
These are:
No 1 Being truthful
No 2 Having a good sense of humour
No 3 Trusting individuals to do the job without interfering.
Previous Topic:
A report just out says that after ageism the next kind of discrimination will be "lookism"!
In other words, any comments in the workplace about over-weight people, "dumb blondes" or "gingas", short people, tall people, or skinny people, those with buck teeth or big ears, could lead to law suits!
All other previous topics:
These are:
No 1 Being truthful
No 2 Having a good sense of humour
No 3 Trusting individuals to do the job without interfering.
Previous Topic:
A report just out says that after ageism the next kind of discrimination will be "lookism"!
In other words, any comments in the workplace about over-weight people, "dumb blondes" or "gingas", short people, tall people, or skinny people, those with buck teeth or big ears, could lead to law suits!
All other previous topics:
Hot topic
Can you trust your work colleagues?
How do you know who you're working with? Can you trust your co-workers? A shocking statistic in the press recently reported that 80% of corporate fraud is committed by employees – what they chillingly call The Enemy Within.
Previous Topic:
How green are you?
Our recent poll showed some fascinating results and we'd like to know more. Over half of you said you have an active green policy in place - but what's covered by your green policy? Does it deal with travel, buying green products, and recycling?
How do you know who you're working with? Can you trust your co-workers? A shocking statistic in the press recently reported that 80% of corporate fraud is committed by employees – what they chillingly call The Enemy Within.
Previous Topic:
How green are you?
Our recent poll showed some fascinating results and we'd like to know more. Over half of you said you have an active green policy in place - but what's covered by your green policy? Does it deal with travel, buying green products, and recycling?
Outraged PA
I’m tired of hearing secretaries saying they could do their boss’s job!
This has got beyond a joke! I've just read another interview with a secretary who boasts that she could do her boss's job! I'm so tired of this!
Very few support staff could do their manager's job, day in, day out. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met one!
Previous Topic:
Will he just go away and leave me alone!
OK, I’ve nearly had it now. I am furious! I’ve been looking forward to these two weeks for the whole year. That blessed time when the boss goes on holiday and I’m able to revel in the peace and quiet of an office all to myself.
All other previous topics:
This has got beyond a joke! I've just read another interview with a secretary who boasts that she could do her boss's job! I'm so tired of this!
Very few support staff could do their manager's job, day in, day out. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met one!
Previous Topic:
Will he just go away and leave me alone!
OK, I’ve nearly had it now. I am furious! I’ve been looking forward to these two weeks for the whole year. That blessed time when the boss goes on holiday and I’m able to revel in the peace and quiet of an office all to myself.
All other previous topics:
Help
Will I regret this for ever?
I’m really worried! Can anyone give me any advice? I have become a great fan of social networking sites in the last couple of years, and outside of work I spend quite a while chatting to mates and swapping photos, etc.
Previous Help Topic:
I’m out of my depth here!
Oh dear! I'm stuck! My boss has asked me to make sure all her business travel in future is as environmentally friendly as possible, and she also wants to know what her carbon footprint is.
All other previous topics:
I’m really worried! Can anyone give me any advice? I have become a great fan of social networking sites in the last couple of years, and outside of work I spend quite a while chatting to mates and swapping photos, etc.
Previous Help Topic:
I’m out of my depth here!
Oh dear! I'm stuck! My boss has asked me to make sure all her business travel in future is as environmentally friendly as possible, and she also wants to know what her carbon footprint is.
All other previous topics: