Conference 7.286::digital

    	As with most perks, they should be set up such that the longer you
    stay with the company, the better the perks get (sort of like accruing
    vacation time), and to really be effective, these perks would be things
    that you could *only* get at DEC.

	For example, many computer companies allow employees to take home
    computer equipment (my wife works at Stratus, and they get their own
    extra phone line and have been promised a NeXT personal computer).
    Some groups at DEC apparently do allow workstations to go home, but
    these cases are few and far between.  Typically, the only equipment
    you see going home are terminals, modems, and older [obsolete] DEC PCs
    (such as the Pro 350 I currently have at home).

    	Anyway, most any computer company allows its employees to take
    home workstations (or at least industry [defacto] standard PC's), so
    allowing DEC's valued employees a workstation would simply be a catch-up
    manuver to attempt to keep abreast with competitors.  What DEC would
    then need would be to offer those same valued employees something that
    they couldn't likely get anywhere else.

    	So, what does DEC have that most other company's don't?  You guessed
    it, a fantastic networking technology!  If DEC could just figure out a
    way to bring the high speed network to the employee's home, it would
    not only tempt the hard-core hackers to stay at DEC, but it would also
    draw talented employees from other companies to DEC as well!  Fortunately,
    much of the ground work for such an idea has already been laid by Dave
    Doucette in his "Computer Village" idea (see notes 944.40, 944.43, 944.46,
    etc., or send mail to CADSE::DDOUCETTE for more details).

    	This is but one such idea to tempt talented individuals to stay at
    DEC.  How about others?

    				    -davo

    I have a very simple technique I employ as a manager. When someone
    does something good I tell them and/or thank them for doing it. I
    know it's somewhat simplistic but it sure works for me when someone
    tells me once in a awhile, "hey, that was a great idea" or "you
    really did good on that one". It also works with peers. If you catch
    someone doing good work, tell them.
    
    -Terry {the best perks in life are free}

    How about paying for performance, like we used to... instead of only
    offering lip-service to the idea.
    
    Honestly, I like the equipment-at-home idea.. one of my former DM's
    (when sales support was still in EIS) once made the comment that
    'formal training was well and good, but people in Data Processing
    [the software side of computers] are, or should be compulsive learners, 
    therefore we should give them terminals at home and make all of our
    products available on local machines for people who want to learn on
    their own time'
    
    Well, he did so - and has since gotten fed up with the company and left
    (years ago).  Workstations and networking to some homes is just an
    expansion of this idea.  Also, having a WS at home gets the family
    involved (gives the kids a head-start on computing, when the schools
    are just now trying to get PC labs).
    

re Note 1274.1 by BIGJOE::DMCLURE:

>     	So, what does DEC have that most other company's don't?  You guessed
>     it, a fantastic networking technology!  If DEC could just figure out a
>     way to bring the high speed network to the employee's home, it would
>     not only tempt the hard-core hackers to stay at DEC, but it would also
>     draw talented employees from other companies to DEC as well!  

        This is an important point.  Whether for work, learning , or
        "play", the computer environment that each of us uses in the
        office includes not only the desktop device, but also a good
        number of other resources on the network.  For most of us, a
        disconnected desktop device at home, no matter how
        sophisticated, is an impoverished environment.

        Bob

    Any of you folks aware of Jack Smith's recent crackdown on IEG gear???
    
    The situation's gonna get tighter, not better.  There has gotta be
    some less expensive choices.  Like how about a six month sabattical
    after 5 years (paid of course).  Or how about a year after 10 years.
    Now that would interest me!

    Re. (.2)

>   I have a very simple technique I employ as a manager. When someone
>   does something good I tell them and/or thank them for doing it. 

    Sometimes it is the little things that have the most impact.  I'd
    like to see a lot more people use Terry's approach.

    On the other hand, it seems to me that some of the things that bug
    people the most, could be fixed without great expense.  My experience
    has been that most professionals want to be productive, and things
    that prevent them from being productive are sources of much frustration.
    It might be having an office in a bad location, not having the right
    hardware or software to do their job, having to deal with another group 
    that puts their requests at a low priority, not being able to get docu-
    mentation when needed, not having the right office furniture, having to
    work in an office that's too hot or too cold, or too many meetings!
    Digital needs more managers who will listen to their employees, who
    will go to bat for them, and will try to go the extra mile to make
    life for their people a little more comfortable and make it possible
    for them to be a little more productive.

    I suggest that people who know that their work is genuinely appreciated,
    are going to stay with Digital a lot longer than average!

    FWIW,
    Chuck

>>   I have a very simple technique I employ as a manager. When someone
>>   does something good I tell them and/or thank them for doing it. 
>
>    Sometimes it is the little things that have the most impact.  I'd
>    like to see a lot more people use Terry's approach.

        I second the motion!

>    On the  other  hand,  it seems to me that some of the things that bug
>    people the most, could be fixed without great expense.  My experience
>    has been that most  professionals  want  to be productive, and things
>    that  prevent  them  from  being   productive  are  sources  of  much
>    frustration...

        Significant contributors, regardless of  position,  are motivated
        when they perceive that their  work "makes a difference" --- when
        they see that they are not just a number, but can actually have a
        real, measurable impact on the business.  The greater the talent,
        the greater the requirement that this be so.  This is why we have
        seen  many  of  our  talented employess migrate  towards  smaller
        companies   over  the  years,  sometimes  even  _starting_  these
        companies.
        
        This perception alone  is  _not_  enough.   They must _know_ that
        they  will  receive  recognition  for  delivering.      Forms  of
        recognition  in  my  book include the opportunity  to  make  even
        _greater_  contributions --- greater exposure to "juicy" problems
        --- as  well  as  traditional  forms  of compensation.  The worst
        thing  in the world  is  for  talented  employees  to  see  their
        significant contributions pass _without_ receiving recognition. 

>    It might be having an  office in a bad location, not having the right
>    hardware or software to do their  job,  having  to  deal with another
>    group that puts their requests at a  low  priority, not being able to
>    get documentation when needed, not having the right office furniture,
>    having to work in an office that's too hot  or  too cold, or too many
>    meetings!    Digital  needs  more  managers who will listen to  their
>    employees, who will go to bat for them, and will try  to go the extra
>    mile to make life for their people a little more comfortable and make
>    it possible for them to be a little more productive.

        I  agree  that  the  "little things add up", but I think that the
        emphasis  should  be  on  the  manager  as  a  "facilitator."  My
        supervisor have helped me see that we have a partnership --- I do
        the conceptualization, I create the development plans, but I work
        _with_them_ to figure out how we'll make  it  happen.  I identify
        tools and resources that are required, and I  work _with_them_ to
        gain access.  There are some things that _only_ a CC manager  can
        do, but there are a _lot_ of things an engineer can do that  many
        engineers think are Management's responsiblity. 
        
        Helping and supporting creative individuals as they strive to "do
        the right thing" is one HUGE step  that _each_one_ of us can take
        towards  retaining and inspiring quality employees.  It  must  be
        part  of  the  working  environment --- one must know  that  both
        Management  _and_  one's  peers    support  support  significant,
        creative contributions.
        
        Have a GREAT one!
        
        John
 

	Here are three good reasons for suggesting Digital Equipment be
    installed in the home as a perk:

	1.  First of all, there is a personal computer revolution going
    on made up of primarily of people who have access to high-quality
    computing resources in their homes.  DEC has yet to really cash in
    on this "personal computer" revolution because we have never really
    specialized in computers which are very "personal".  By learning ways
    of bringing our high-speed networks to homes, our network-based products
    suddenly become extremely personal.  The notion of bringing high-speed
    networking capabilities to the home is a new trend in personal computing
    that is just beginning - we should make sure we don't have to play
    catch-up this time.

	2.  Secondly, my uncle works for American Airlines, and as such,
    he gets a certain amount of free flying time every year for himself
    and his immediate family as a perk.  I imagine travel agents also get
    free vacations, and hotel workers free stays at that hotel as perks also.
    Digital Equipment Corporation, on the other hand, is not a travel agency,
    nor is it an airline, nor does it own hotels or vacation resorts (although
    you might think we did based on the sorts of perks Digital hands out
    each year).  Digital Equipment Corporation would do better to give away
    surplus products that it itself produces as perks.  Since Digital is in
    the business of producing computer equipment, then Digital should also
    give away computer equipment (or at least access to computer equipment)
    as perks.  There is no better way to sell a given line of products than
    to promote the use of those products among ones employees; think of it
    as a form of advertising.

	3.  There is an infinite pool of potential ideas, designs, programs,
    and other such digital dreams just waiting to be tapped in our employee
    base, but few of Digital's employees earn enough money to be able to
    afford computing with Digital Equipment as a hobby.  Not only would
    employees be able to produce more with better computer equipment at
    home, but they would also become much more adept and comfortable with
    using computers in the first place if they were able to curl up to a
    keyboard in their own home as well.  The sooner we recognize the amount
    of software (as well as hardware) that is designed and produced in the
    study by the proverbial "midnight hacker", the sooner we might realize
    the potential that can come from getting good computer equipment and
    high-speed network links into the homes of employees.

				    -davo

    re: -.1
    
    Dave, I heartily agree. I've been told by Apple employees that they are
    'required' to have 2 Apple computers at home for many of the reasons
    you have mentioned. Given the stress and time required to do our daily
    work many of us need resources at home where we can learn and push our
    understanding of what is possible.
    
    I'd suggest that it doesn't have to be DEC gear, as long as it can
    connect to the network. I've learned a great deal playing with 'new'
    technology (hypertext, multimedia, etc.) on a lowly Mac plus. I find
    that these help push my knowledge of what is possible, as well as help
    me communicate better at work. I've also found that being able to
    connect to the systems at work creates a very powerful combination.
    
    I second the proposal that DEC make it very easy for people to have
    computers and network access from home!!
    
    Tim
    

    Well, I've been away from this conference too long.  I forget where I put
    it, but I had three ideas, related to engineers, and in particular to
    engineers returning from the GEEP:

        1. UTILIZE them.
	2. RESPECT them.
	3. REWARD them.

    One of the reasons my current job is enjoyable is because my supervisor
    goes way out of his way to ask me for my ideas, tell me that he values
    my input, and verbally compliment my work.  Since I am a bit of a crusty
    young toad (not quite an old toad yet), I don't take compliments well, so
    he has adapted by passing on compliments from others.

    Hmm.. Maybe we can coalesce the three ideas into one:  give them good
    supervisors/managers...

re -.1:
    
    >Well, I've been away from this conference too long.  I forget where I put
    >it, but I had three ideas, related to engineers, and in particular to 
    >engineers returning from the GEEP: 
     
    Could we perhaps broaden this a little...  some of us out here in the
    field didn't get our graduate degrees on GEEP (even though in some
    cases we applied).  Instead, I invested 3 years of my OWN time to
    pursue studies at night and on weekends (for a Masters in Software not
    an MBA).  And incurred the significant expense of having Digital
    consider the training taxable to boot.  
    
>       1. UTILIZE them.
>	2. RESPECT them.
>	3. REWARD them.

    I would also like to add one to your list - RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING:
    
        0.  RECOGNIZE that they finished.
    

	This could well be the most significant, best-titled topic in
	the conference right now.

	As I see it, the era of Open Systems spells a tighter, more
	competitive market in the 1990s. That means that big, fat
	companies like Digital are going to have to deliver much
	better ROI (return on investment) - or, in more generic terms,
	use their resources much better.

	There are a number of ways this can be done. IMHO, the current
	stress on trimming obvious expenditures (bottled water,
	manufacturing plants, Wall St Journals, consultants with 15 years'
	experience) is much too superficial. As many others have pointed
	out, if you shave with a machete, you just might cut an artery.

	Number one, for me, is FOCUS. We must identify what Digital does
	really well, and focus on doing that. This implies sloughing off
	whole lumps of the business which we don't do particularly well.
	As a software/consultancy specialist, I am prone to wonder if
	"manufacturing computers" might not be one of those lumps. Even
	if it is most of the business at present.

	Now Digital has always been a "product oriented" company. We
	tend to start by saying "wouldn't it be neat if...?" ("...we
	built a 32-bit computer", "...we had a relational database", etc)
	Rather than "let's find out what the customers want", or "let's
	find out what the market would like"). Also, we seem to be fairly
	bad at saying "what skills do we actually have, and what could we
	best do to exploit those skills?"

	At least, I think we are bad at it, because as far as I can see
	senior and even middle management does not even know what quality
	employees we have. I keep on hearing that "our people are our
	greatest resource", yet there are hardly any inventories or lists
	of what people we have, which of them are good at what, etc. Instead,
	this sort of thing is done ad hoc by Notes inquiries, informal
	networks, etc.

	Who are the top 10 UNIX experts in the region? How many people
	know about databases and how to use PCs? Who has project experiences,
	understands performance evaluation, and knows Ada? Who are our best
	six public speakers? Who produces the best presentations?

	It would make sense, wouldn't it, to find who is the presentation
	king, and get him (or her) to run up some standard presentations -
	and maintain them? It probably won't happen at the moment, because
	any such work would be "moonlighting" and would impact his *official*
	work. How many useful tools and materials do you know of that
	started out as unofficial, unfunded "hacks"? (Well, Notes for a
	start).

	Maybe we need rather fewer people, rather better paid, better
	supported with tools and equipment, and far better appreciated,
	understood and borne in mind by management. We could begin to
	accomplish this if managers took two simple steps to change their
	way of working:

	(1) Spend far less time in unproductive meetings trying to reach
	    consensus; this could be accomplished by some senior managers
	    taking responsibility for making decisions.

	(2) Use some of the time thus released to "manage by walking about"
	    and SEE how our people are working. Which ones are doing far
	    more than required. Which ones are passengers or self-seeking.
	    Where there are bottlenecks which could strangle the successful	
	    application of our resources to our business. Remove those
	    bottlenecks, whether they are bad managers, lack of equipment,
	    lack of car phones, lack of storage space or secretarial
	    support, intrusive telephones, not enough exposure to
	    customers, or whatever.

	/Tom

	

From < Note 1274.11 >

>>>    Instead, I invested 3 years of my OWN time to
>>>    pursue studies at night and on weekends (for a Masters in Software not
>>>    an MBA).  And incurred the significant expense of having Digital
>>>    consider the training taxable to boot.  
    
Don't blame Digital for the additional taxes. Digital has to follow U.S. tax
law, which considers benefits like this taxable income.

Vicki Meagher

>Don't blame Digital for the additional taxes. Digital has to follow U.S. tax
>law, which considers benefits like this taxable income.
    
    Well, its a tangent from the point I was attempting to make, but... 
    I'm not sure your statement is valid.   Yes, Digital has to "follow
    U.S. tax law", BUT that tax law appears VERY open to interpretation by
    a company. 
    
    It appears that Digital made the decision that a software specialist
    obtaining a graduate degree in Software that is immediately applicable
    to the specialist's job, and most definitely does NOT provide training
    for a job change to an unrelated job is career related and therefore
    taxable.  However, at the same time company X has a person with a
    psychology undergraduate degree, working in PERSONNEL, that obtains a
    graduate degree in Organizational Studies (note the  relationship
    between these three things is nebulous at BEST?) and FINDS THE GRADUATE
    SCHOOL TO BE "HIGHLY JOB RELATED" and therefore NOT taxable...  
    
    Now what was that about "tax" law?

	Getting back to the original goal here of retaining quality people,
    obviously, we could always offer bonuses (my wife works at Stratus and
    recently recieved a $200 bonus for a "night out on the town" which we
    used to purchase two three-day passes to Disneyworld last spring), but
    bonuses cost money, and obviously Digital is a little short in that
    department right now.

	Handing out money is easy for a company that can afford to do so.
    There are some things that can't always be bought though: pride for example.
    There are things other than money which can instill pride in a person.
    I know this sounds corny, but how many people were ever a boy or girl
    scout?  Do you recall ever spending alot of time and effort earning a
    badge for anything?  What about those in the military?  Do any of those
    badges mean anything to people?  Of course they mean something to the
    people who work hard to earn them.  Here's a case where a little two
    dollar badge might be worth more than a $200 "night out on the town"
    (if people were to place some value in that badge).

	Diplomas are based on the same principle - how much does it cost to
    print a diploma?  In ESDP they hand out engraved wooden plaques every
    year for things (I think diplomas would be much much cheaper).  The
    problem with these sorts of awards however, is that people are usually
    too modest to ever display such a thing voluntarily.  Hell, I just spent
    four years beating my head in at night school to earn a Harvard diploma
    in Software Engineering, but after listening to some of the people in
    this notesfile, I'm too embarrassed to display the damn thing in my office
    like I thought I might do someday.  The point being that unless there is
    something to force you to display such an award, then it might instead
    end up buried under a pile of paperwork (like my diploma), or collecting
    dust on a shelf, etc.

	On the other hand, badges work for people in scouting and/or the
    military because they are a part of a uniform which everyone is forced
    to wear, and since wearing the badge is not voluntary, then there is no
    longer any room for such false modesty.  One is expected to display such
    a badge, and as such, it is easier for people to experience the pride
    associated with that badge.

	So, how does all of this effect us as Digital employees?  How can
    we instill pride in our workforce inexpensively?   What about our klunky
    old Digital badges?  Think about your Digital badge for a minute: how many
    years has it been since you had it issued to you?  Now count how many
    people actually display the things at work like we are all supposed to do?
    Hardly anyone I know unless they are maybe visiting an unfamiliar site
    and/or they want people to know their name or something.  You can hardly
    blame people for this, after all, no company in this industry ever has a
    badge that's worth wearing, and that's why nobody ever wears their badges!

	On the other hand, if people had a reason to show off their badge
    (and perhaps if they were modernized a bit and made to be worn easier -
    instead of klunking around), then I would bet that people might feel a
    little bit better about displaying them.  Couple this with a special new
    Digital recognition program which could be put into place to "upgrade"
    an employee's badge in return for putting in that extra effort at work.
    There could be different types of badge upgrades for different types of
    awards (Bronze, Silver, or Gold colored, etc.).  There might even be a
    special "Corporate" badge upgrade for those who do things that benefit
    the whole corporation (as opposed to being cost center based - as are
    most awards).  It could be done fairly cheaply (compared to other existing
    award recognition programs), and could even solve the problem of people
    not displaying their badges at work.

				   -davo

    Brilliant idea! Send that to Jack asap!

Re .15,.16:

"
 Employee Photo Identification Badge Policy           Effective: 26-AUG-85  
                                                      Section: 8.01         
  Practice

 Requirements

 Each employee will be issued one standard photo identification
 badge unless otherwise defined by local law, customs or safety
 standards.  The badge may not be defaced in any manner, e.g., logos,
 pictures, or drawings.
"

By '85 some groups had distributed small decorations to glue on badges. One
example is the sailboat logo that LCG employees received in Marlboro.  Several
sites (e.g. Hudson Mass's semiconductor facility) issued their badges with
distinctive card stock containing the plant's logo.  I think HL1 had a display
case with examples from a wide variety of sites.

It is likely that the above policy was enacted in '85 in full knowledge of the
fact that sites and groups were distinguishing their badges.  What has changed
about the corporation since 1985 which will make it more desirous of building
morale by trading off of rock-solid uniformity of badges?  (The stock price?)
				/AHM

re: .16,

	Thanks, but as Alan pointed out in reply #1274.17, the idea will
    first need a little polish in order to fall under corporate guidelines
    (as well as to satisfy the stated goal).  As such, an "upgraded" digital
    badge would ideally need to satisfy a list of requirements such as:

	1.  The digital badge must be attractive and must be designed to
	    be easily worn/displayed on a wide variety of clothing without
	    "klunking" around and making a nuisance of itself, or otherwise
	    people will never bother to wear/display them.

	2.  The primary purpose of the digital badge must still be for
	    security/identification purposes complete with a photo id
	    and badge number prominantly displayed (perhaps the digital
	    badge could even be magnetically encoded to replace the "NCS"
	    card currently also carried by many people).

	3.  In an effort to instill pride in the workforce, a given portion
	    of the digital badge (perhaps the bottom extending downwards)
	    could also be designated for [standardized] award recognition
	    add-ons of some sort (this is where the creative ideas are needed
	    to elaborate on how this might work).  An alternative to award
	    recognition add-ons would be to reissue a new digital badge for
	    each award, but this could prove to be more costly if new photos
	    and possibly even magnetic card info (if this were to ever be
	    added as well) would need to be recreated each time (not to
	    mention the logistics involved in reissuing badges for each and
	    every award given).

	    So, how might such a badge be designed?  What sort of shape
	would meet the above requirements?  What other requirements might
	be needed?  What if a badge were treated like a license plate?
	After all, you only get a new plate once in a blue moon, but you
	get a new sticker for it each year.  Perhaps each badge could have
	room for two such stickers: one for Local group awards, and one for
	Corporate awards (this is consistent with the "big bag, little bag"
	idea I once learned in a quality course taught by our own Russ Doane).

				     -davo

    I bet if Jack Smith liked the idea, he has sufficient clout to get the
    badge policy changed....;-)

re Note 1274.17 by TLE::AMARTIN:

>  The badge may not be defaced in any manner, e.g., logos,
>  pictures, or drawings.

        You mean like those silly embroidered stick-ons that look
        like a broken pair of glasses?

        (Which, ironically I realized later, meant "six sigma".)

        Bob

    re .15                     
    
    You're joking of course?  Any pride or otherwise that I might
    feel in my work or my employer has nothing whatsover to do with 
    the design of my badge.  I tend to value a few other things
    a little more highly, like the quality of software (I'm a software
    engineer) that the company's producing, and the environment
    in which I work.
    
    In fact, I couldn't give a <expletive deleted> what the 
    badge looks like, 'cept I prefer one without my photo
    on it, thank you very much.

	 "I don` need no steenkin` bodge!" 

	  		




	  ;-)	  				



	  

re: .21,

	You apparently missed the main point behind the badge proposal,
    which was to provide a new *and inexpensive* type of award recognition
    program based on a new employee badge which would be equipped with two
    [empty] boxes along the bottom which could later be filled with both
    a "Corporate", as well as a "Group" award sticker.  Such a program
    would cost next to nothing, yet it would provide managers, as well as
    peers a means of rewarding their fellow employees for above-and-beyond
    efforts, and would also hopefully ingender a new sense of pride in
    the workplace, as well as a motivation to achieve.

	Instead, you apparently picked-up on one of the two side effects of
    the program: the "badge upgrade" (which would be neccesary to facilitate
    the award stickers and which is needed anyway since most badges are
    pretty worn out these days).  The other side effect being that such
    a program might tend to increase the amount of badges being worn/
    displayed during work (and therefore improve security).

				   -davo

p.s.	I've been working out the details of exactly how the award program
    might work, and I will enter another, slightly more refined version of
    the proposal at a later date.  In the meantime, I would hope that all
    of you quality folks out there keep the faith and stay with DEC!  ;^)

    The problem with "inexpensive" reward proposals is that even they can
    be a waste of money if they are not administered appropriately.
    
    We used to have a quarterly award program (administered by the Area,
    selection made by Districts and Units) which included the following
    items:
    
    	1.  An off-site group lunch for the winners
    	2.  A small plaque
    	3.  A keyring
    	4.  A pin
    	5.  Your name and a write-up placed in a little newsletter which
    	    was distributed to the Area.
    
    The program was reasonably effective at first -- people felt they were
    being recognized for good work.  Unfortunately, this didn't last long. 
    By the time the program was discontinued, many people had developed an
    attitude of "I guess this month was MY TURN to win".  Many people
    selected felt that they did nothing to deserve the award that month,
    and found that the write-up cited successes of two quarters ago.
    
    Recognition programs are valuable if and only if they are administered
    properly.  Be it a sticker on a badge or a trip to Hawaii, an award is
    worthless if it is not administered correctly.
    
    Just an observation.
    
    -- Russ

    I think DaveO's idea is excellent.  I've seen similar things at Digital
    and elsewhere.  People add the little sticky things to their badges;
    that's evidence enough for me that they appreciate them.
    
    Returning to the subject of rewarding GEEP and other graduates:  It's
    only logical that if an employee earns a degree in a work-related
    subject, that employee is going to do a better job in the long term. 
    It doesn't mean the employee should get an immediate raise, but over
    time the work should improve and expand.  Therefore, job plans and
    salary plans should be adjusted accordingly.
    
    You might not be getting the immediate feedback you expect, but you
    certainly should be getting it two or three years later.  If not, I
    think something is broken.  If employees who earn degrees are not more
    valuable than those who don't, then why are we paying for the degrees?

    I am not trying to knock the reward proposals but, I am a overall "2"
    performer for the last 14 years, Saved Digital Millions in contract
    dollars, Level 39 Manager, 20 Year Vet from the USAF, less than 6
    months to retirement age of 55, and now on the Management Selected TFSO
    list.  I will be unemployed on Dec 14, 1990.
    
    I have Key chains, 85 letters of commendation from Senior Digital
    Managers, and awards hanging on the wall.  Bottom Line for all of the
    above outstanding performance is I will be unemployed on Dec 14, 1990.
    At Age 55 what I really want is my JOB.... and not a bunch of tokens.
    
    Does it sound like I am upset. You are right.  When I leave the
    building next Tuesday will I look back at all "2's" and above.  Hell
    No.  And then I read in the Notes file about people complaining that
    they didn't get a chance at TFSO.  They can have my slot, I enjoy
    working for Digital.
    
    Regards
    
    
    Frustrated
    
    

	The more I think about it, the more I must remind myself that
    even though the badge sticker idea would ideally end up being far less
    expensive than the typical "boondoggle" reward program, in its present
    state, it would still unfortunately need to be categorized as being
    a "cost-generating" measure (as opposed to a cost-saving measure).  As
    such, I doubt whether such a proposal would recieve too much attention
    from the executive committee (in the immediate future anyway).

	This leads me to wonder whether we couldn't proceed with a "free"
    version of the program in the meantime which might merely consist of
    collecting the various atta-boys and atta-girls (attajobs) which might
    then be used in such a sticker program at a later date.  What if people
    were to enter their respective atta-boys and atta-girls into a dedicated
    notesfile somewhere, and then at the end of the year next year, we could
    then see if enough extra money existed to actually print-up the resulting
    "attaward" stickers (and possibly also undergo an actual badge upgrade
    as well if need be)?

	Oh well, what the hell, I'll start a notesfile and post some rules
    on how to enter your "attajob" notes, and then we'll worry about what
    to do about awards later (if nothing else, the mere ability to post an
    "attajob" in a notesfile somewhere might help boost a little moral).

    	Press KP7 to add BIGJOE::ATTAJOB to your notebook...

				    -davo

p.s.	One positive side effect of using a public notesfile to store such
	atta-boys/atta-girls (attajobs) would be that people might not feel
	quite so free to take credit for the work of others (since each
	"attajob" would be posted in a public forum).

    re .26

    Excuse me, but I think there is something seriously wrong (for Digital)
    in this picture.

    I know that the organizational pendulum has been decidedly swinging in
    the "anti-central" direction. But aren't we starting to throw out babies
    with the bath water?

    Bob's right. All the trinkets in the world don't mean a thing if Digital
    "isn't there" for an employee when the rubber hits the road, when the
    employee's always "been there" for Digital. What was Pat Sweeney's note
    from a few weeks ago? A "Crisis in Face-to-Face Communications?"
    Down-sizing, right-sizing (a euphamism if I ever saw one), buy-outs
    (suitably acronymed) , "where do I volunteer for a buy-out?"...


    The crisis is that we've become impersonal. And when that happens,
    politics -- with its self-protection and self-aggrandizement -- is
    all that's left.


    I just hope that when this "right-sizing" is over that there are enough
    people left from when Digital was a "personal" and "personable" place to
    work to pull us up out of the ashes. Bob, my sincerest wishes that come
    Monday, December 17th, you'll still be at Digital. It certainly doesn't
    look like ALF is a good location to be these days.


    Best regards,
    Peters

    Thanks Peters, I hope so too.
    
    
    Regards
    
    
    Bob
    
    

re: .26,

	Sounds like you're exactly the sort of employee we really need
    to retain around here.  The problem with all those awards on your
    wall is that only someone who steps into your office will ever see
    them.  The problem with all those letters of recommendation is that
    only you (and your filing cabinet) have access to them.

	What you need is a place where you can display all of those
    achievements where the whole corporation can see them; a place which
    is on-line and easily accessible.  What you need is to display those
    achievements in the BIGJOE::ATTAJOB notesfile!  Quick!  Do not delay!
    Press KP7, open the notesfile, write a basenote for yourself, and
    start entering those letters as ATTAJOBs!

				    -davo

p.s.	Who knows, maybe someone will recognize those talents in time to
	offer you another job within Digital.  It's worth a try eh?

    Thanks for the tip.  
    
    
    Regards
    
    
    Bob
    
    

Instead of certificates and trinkets, why not follow the suggestion
of the head of Bell Labs, who rewards folk with books and candy bars
(including 10 lb chocolate bars for extra-special rewards).

Martin.

>who rewards folk with books and candy bars

	Good idea.  Can I have a one-year subscription to
	the DEC Tech Journal instead of a book, though?

    Candy bars!  A quick way to do in your diabetic, hypoglycemic, and
    sugar sensitive employees.  Ouch.
    
    

    The DTJ has far fewer calories....:-)

   re .36
   
   And is far too chewy around the binding...
   
   re .34/35
   
   Yeah, and if we gave people flowers someone would say we were being unfair
   to those with pollen allergies, and so on and so forth....
   
   q
   

    Others may differ, but the certificates and awards on my office wall
    feel much healthier to me ;-)
    
    (I know it's the thought that counts.)