You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.


I don't know what it's like in the rest of the employment universe but it's certainly a truism in office based jobs that the minute somebody leaves or retires they get slagged off. Partly this is down to the team ethic that believes 'if you are not with us your against us', and partly it's because everybody thinks they can do their job and anybody else's better than the previous incumbent.

So a true story.

We have a new client who is producing a timber based product that is unique, like all good ideas it's blindingly simple and the company was only formed in December but already has orders for more than £3.5 million, in fact it's growing at a stupidly fast rate. This client moved into premises last week and got talking to his new neighbour.

"Have you got an accountant yet," asks the neighbour.
"I've got a great accountant," replies new client, "they couldn't be more helpful, tax, VAT, IT - all the help and advice I need."
"That's great, sounds much better than the bloke I'm with, old guy, absolutely useless."
"Why not try mine then," suggests new client.
"What's the firms name?"
"xxxxxxx."
"That's my accountant as well," replies neighbour.
"Really?"

Ah, good old Bob, retired six weeks and the clients are slagging him off. I did suggest this morning that his old office, which remains untouched since the day he left, reminds me of Sir Christopher Wren's quote, "if you want to see my monument look around you." Files have been scattered to the four walls as if taken there by centrifugal force.