Cogito ergo scribo

After one week of absence from office, i thought that i'd return to an office that is more or less done up.

Boy, am i wrong.

Yes, the reduction in space was completed, with the "walls" restored and the other side of the floor returned to the landlord.

However, with the reduced space, all the boxes and half-done renovation only made the office messy and cramp. For regional IT, all the desks are only temporary, and the partitions are not completed either. HR didn't even bother to inform us about this, and fortunately i was observant enough to notice the difference in sizes between the desks and the partitions. That was when i asked the HR lady and was only then being informed that the desk would be changed to a smaller one later, which means that i need not unpack since our workstations are not ready at all.

If i haven't noticed it and simply unpacked, i'd have to pack again when they want to change the desks and do up the partitions. See, this is exactly how they operate -- not for me to tell but for you to ask. It's just one small example of why i am so pissed at them.

And to make things worse, the entire office is smelled of paint. With aircon and enclosed area, the odour is somewhat unbearable. My best bet is that we would have to put up with the smell for at least a week.

Lastly, i totally hate my new seat. Previously i was nicely hidden away in a corner, with my back to the window. Now, the new seat is very open, with one side right at the walkway where people will just pass by whenever they wanna get to the main entrance.

Amidst all these chaos, the HR is organising a Christmas gathering with gifts exchange on Thursday (because all the big shots of APAC will be back to the regional office on that day). In the email, they also said that it will be the chance for everyone to review this move and how to make the new office better.

Actually, i had in fact already expressed my disgruntlement to big boss about how disorganised, inexperienced and selfish HR has been for the office move. Then while i was in UK with him, he told me to take the Christmas party as a chance to voice it out. He said to me, "if you do not want to feedback, then do not complain".

Very well then, you bet i will. So my reply to boss was, "yes, for sure i'll bring the issues up, but you should know that some people will just take it personally." That was precisely what i meant by me brewing a thunderstorm.

You see, that HR woman is the type who is snobbish, thinks she is high-and-mighty, talks down and looks down on people, while at the same time always wanna suck up to the top with all means and shows. She hates and holds grudges against people who oppose her. So, imagine for me to criticise the work of her department in front of everyone, especially when the big shots whose arse she has been kissing so hard are all around, i should really brace myself for a thunderstorm.

Of course, she probably won't show her unhappiness there and then, but i'll sure be blacklisted. But then, everyone has been whining and complaining about how badly managed the office move is, so just as what my big boss said, voice it out rather than mere complaining.

It has always been like this. There have been many incidents in my life, whether back in school or at my workplace, that everyone just complained to each other in private and did not dare to voice it out. Then i was the one who stood up and told as it was, and of course i got the backlash in the end.

This time, i plan to do the same again. Frankly, i couldn't care less about this job anymore, or what they think of me. Troublemaker or whatever, they can term me the way they like it. I am paid to contribute my skill and knowledge, but that doesn't mean that i gotta take whatever shit they throw to us, nor should i accept any of the nonsense from the top people.

After all, we are all human who would still fall sick and who would all die one day. A real leader is someone who, after stripped away all the title and wealth, can still gain respect from other people. Sadly to say, none of the Directors in the APAC office actually have that. They are all just people with a title, that's all.

Labels: rant, work