British civil servants are very sceptical about their annual reports. So far, the form has changed its appearance every year for the past five years and is now an e-form (electronic form). Every time we look at the new forms we lose a little more faith in the system.
The form is a combined annual report and bonus application.
The pay is not brilliant, so we usually rely on the pay bonus for a little fillip in our pay packet. Of course, the system being what it is the bonus application goes in at the beginning of the year and the pay rise (and bonus) doesn't show up in our pay until August.
So - how did I do? Bearing in mind that the finished report is 'private', I can tell you that I did ok, better than I thought in fact. It would appear my boss is happy with my work and the effort I put in through the year.
But he did raise one issue that had me scratching my head - he mentioned I have been 'fractious' lately.......hmm.......fractious?
Ah, that would be when I curse the crappy IT system as it collapses yet again dragging all my work with it. Or when I jump up and down because our contractors can't carry out a simple task. Or it could be that I have been dreading moving into the aforementioned refurbished offices (rightly, it appears - headache, Day 3) and have been a little temperamental on the subject. It could be that I have been watching my elderly family cat get frail and dread having her put to sleep. It could be the insomnia, the depression or the increasing weight - despite changing my diet.
OK Boss, I have been fractious, and loud. It's been a tough few months in my head and it spilled out now and then.
I promise to try harder.
cq
4 comments:
Fractious? Hmm... I think you had every right to be such.
xo
LBC
Were I your boss, I think I would be careful of the adjectives I use to describe someone whose hobby involves shooting videos of someone getting hanged. Under the circumstances, I would think you could be just as fractious as you wanted. That said, I think I must now figure out a way to use the word "fractious" more often. With my crew of coworkers, it shouldn't be hard.
Sometimes it does help to have someone point it out as - with all the justification in the world - it can become a habit (just call me Mrs Grouch). I'm all for being cross if it gets results. If it doesn't why stress oneself? It can be quite a challenge acting sweetness and light when you want to scream and shout.
You're an actress - you can do it.
Michele say hi!
I also moved offices recently and have similar tales to tell of new docking stations for laptops which were then removed again, a PC mouse that had a miond of its own, the phone didnt have a wire between the earpiece and the dially bit. My stuff disappeared and then got locked in a cupboard with no key. You get the idea.
I try to adopt my 'airport' tranquility when such things happen.
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