There is a strange atmosphere at work at the moment. It feels like the calm before the storm; we are really in limbo now. Virtually all work is on hold and people are finding it hard to fill the days usefully. I talk to my senior team about how we might handle the integration and work with the RBS head of procurement and colleagues. He is coming down next Tuesday, and bringing his integration team on Wednesday.
We have two resignations today. Liakim is a real shame but not totally unexpected. He is in his mid-twenties and joined two years ago as a "temp" from Manpower to help get our filing systems in order. He had a business studies degree but hadn’t much work experience, was very quiet, but smiled constantly and was a pleasure to have around. We liked him, kept him on, and started getting him involved in systems work and then our early work on the Purchasing Intranet site. We have sent him on various training courses, and now he is our "Webmaster" and does a great job.
He seems to have a real aptitude for it, and is going off to work for an Internet design company for another £10K. I'm sure if he does well he could double his salary in the next couple of years, which he would never do with NW. I tell him to remember me when he's a dot.com millionaire, and I'm not joking. Although it is a shame to lose him it is good to have helped someone on the great ladder of life.....
Another key IT procurement manager is leaving to go to join another ex-NatWester, who has just moved from Barclays to run purchasing at Reuters. This departure is a bit of a surprise, as I feel we pay this individual quite well given his ability and experience - he is near the top of the G3 management scale. I guess it's a sign of the buoyancy of the market and is a bit worrying; I wonder how many others are looking.