We got the result of our Investors in People assessment last week, and found out that we had met the required standard in all areas - excellent news. Our management development programme was particularly commended. This is a tailor made set of sessions which we are cascading down the department so that everyone has the skills required of a manager, is aware of the role of a manager, and what to expect from the staff who are being managed. So far all of our section heads and most of our next level of managers have received several days training, and we will continue the programme until it has touched everyone in the department.
On Friday it was the annual CiCS BBQ - the social event of the year held in the prestigious surroundings of our car park! As usual, food was cooked (not too much of it burnt), beer was consumed and for a change, the sun shone for most of the time. Pictures available here for those who want a look, and thanks are due as always to those who did the shopping, prepared the food, put up the gazebos (even though I heard complaints that it was too difficult because the instructions were not in the technical wiki so no-one could figure out how to do it), and cleared away afterwards.
Some people couldn't drink as much beer as the others, as they were preparing to begin a major upgrade of our filestorage system. I felt a little guilty when I saw them trooping off down the car park to begin work in one of our data centres, and even more so when I discovered that they'd worked really late - some of them until 4am - and then come in early Saturday morning to start again. Thanks to all of you guys, and to the ones monitoring and working on systems from home over the weekend - it's much appreciated. I'm not sure where the University would be if we didn't have dedicated people in all areas of the department willing to go above and beyond the call of duty so often.
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