the Monday Musings column from that consultant bloke

For much of my working life before getting involved in Facilities Management the fire drill was the province of HR, or Personnel as we used to call them and at more than one location there was a delight in picking a wet day for the practice. Because they always had the drills in the same weeks every year, and always in the gap between morning tea break and lunch, the old sweats could usually work out when the drill would be from the weather forecast. Someone based near HR would be watching for the tell-tale signs of activity. As soon as HR were seen to be assembling with clip boards, macs and brollies the word would go around and people would be ready for the bell; after all, the quicker they were out the quicker they could be back in again, but whilst some very good evacuation times (as I would later come to know) were being recorded HR would always moan drainishly about everyone having apparently stopped to put their coats on before leaving the building; somehow it never occurred to them that we were ready and waiting for the bell. Read more…