That's probably why I can't be a boss...

Story 1: It's lunch time.. walk to pantry, heat my packed lunch (thanks hun!) up in microwave, and enjoy my lunch while reading free newspaper which is provided by the company (my client's company) in the kitchen.. One of the high point of my working day! I couldn't do it anymore today.. The idea of having free newspaper has been canned. No obvious reason why, but people are getting upset about this. (Cost cutting of $2.5 doesn't seem like a smart thing to do, does it?)
Story 2: End of the year, it's time to party.. some companies throw end-of-year parties, some gives bonus or gifts to their employees.. What's the worst gifts you've ever got? A few weeks ago Stuff asked its readers this question. Two of the hilarious ones:

I remember one year when the company had had a good year and the directors gave themselves a great big pay out and the rest of the staff received two wine glasses with the company logo on it. Miserable.

At a company I worked for in Wellington in the mid-1990s we had a Christmas work lunch that was pot luck, and every year we would get a company diary for the following year (which we needed for work anyway). One year, with a great flourish, the ancient head of the company handed out an envelope along with the customary diary. Was it a gift voucher? Was it some sort of lucky prize draw? Nope, it was a piece of paper entitled "Are you living the life you deserve?". It asked all of us to really look at how we were spending our lives and decide whether it was really how we wanted it to be. Needless to say, once the Christmas break was over an avalanche of resignation letters hit the boss's desk... funny that!

I believe small things count in workplace. There's no scientific proof that a piece of newspaper or corporate gifts can make the employees happier, but I know that it can only make their employees less happy. It's the feeling of being disrespected by someone you put your blood sweat and tears for more than 8 hours day in day out.

I wonder why the big guys in the office just don't get the idea. In the name of cost cutting: no more free coffee and tea, no internet , change catering providers to cheaper one, no more stationaries, you name it, and this does happen to those multi national companies, with billions of $ of profits. I guess it's easier to do these than handling real problems in the company.

Well, enough ranting. I guess I just have to have my lunch in front of my PC tomorrow...