Cull

The Gorse Fox's spies tell him that Starfleet is about to begin another cull. This is euphemistically referred to as a "period of Employee Consultation". What this actually means is that the numbers are significant enough that they cannot do the usual trick of slipping them in under the radar.

So what has gone wrong?

Well the Gorse Fox would think it is pretty clear. It has spent so much time being driven by a (now unachievable) share-price target that it has taken its focus away from those things that actually have an effect on the share price; i.e. customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction.

Indeed, as far as customer satisfaction is concerned, the problem lies with the lack of differentiation. Why would someone choose Starfleet over Klingon Partner Management Group, Huffing Pathetically, or any other services company. Starfleet tends to be more expensive - but they were at least brutally honest (which is why they lose some deals - where customer would rather hear what they want to hear, rather than the true facts surrounding their demands). However, in the corportae purchases of the past 10 years they have seriously watered down the ethos of the company, and many of those in high places were "imports" who may not have the same levels of rigour or conscience as the company once displayed.

As far as employees (cannon fodder) are concerned there is not one iota of respect from the company. They are expected to work anywhere in Western Europe, they must travel in their own time, they are contracted to work 37 hours a week, but measured on billing 44 hours or more. Many, if not most, work significantly more than the 48 hour EU directive allows, but are expected to have signed a waiver. On top of this they are expected to have done lots of "give-back" which is Starfleet-speak for free work. Meanwhile the accountant-defined distribution curve for the annual performance round penalises people by forcing them into an artificial ranking that determines exactly how top performers and unsatisfactory performers there must be (irrespective of whether they are).

The Gorse Fox is so glad he retired this year. It is a dreadful shame to see this corporate cancer eating away at the company to which he dedicated 30 years. He feels so sorry for those he has left behind on the Corporate battlefield.