通过试用期－Passed the Probation

在职场N多年，相信一句话：人在做，天在看。前几日同上一家公司的旧同事联系，才知道以前采购部的三个人都已先后离职：卢卡仍然没找到工作，继续在家带孩子。琳达在我和卢卡辞职月余后也找到了一份工作，听说是在一家小公司里任职，拿了钱后也抽身离开。公司仍然在苛延残喘。大家都知道要关门，但什么时候关要等总公司的决定。

很庆幸在那样的时候能拿到这份工作的Offer，半年后，经过三个360度的评估，终于顺利转正。

有趣的是去年推荐我到上家公司的中介，仍然对我念念不忘。两个月前仍然找到我，说要介绍我去一家公司。我向他说明了现状，婉言谢绝其好意。在职场多年，我一向如此，就算中介找到我，即使职位不是很理想，我也会同他们保持联系。更不要说是以前推荐成功的中介，保持联系，让他们记住你，知道你的价值，这样将来有机会他们仍然会来找你。

更好笑的是上个月竟然有一家中介打电话给我问我愿意不愿意回Trowbridge的一家化妆品公司做Senior Buyer。薪水自是比我现在要高。就我所知，Trowbridge那巴掌大点儿的地方，化妆品公司只有一家，就是我做的第一家。电话打给中介，几句话聊下来，果不其然是原来那家公司，被我当场谢绝。

朋友很不理解问我：你为什么不回去呢？毕竟你自己的房子在那边啊。怎么连试都不试呢？连机会都不给自己呢？中国人有句话：好马不吃回头草。朋友继续说：可这种事情也不一定是依这种规则的。我说：我宁愿在这里跟着现在的老板拿现在的薪水，我不愿回去跟以前的老板拿更高的薪水。以前那老板什么样的为人我是知道的。（见前文：职场八卦）我在他眼里根本没有任何价值，裁员风一刮就第一个把我裁了。这样的人有什么必要再回去与之共事？相反我现在的主管、老板对我都超好。有很多东西是不可以用金钱来衡量的。人，总是要往前看，往前走，过去的只是一段经历。俱往矣！

进公司的这六个月里，“万事开头难”，最难过的是头两周。之所以难过是因为当初带我的那个法国同事本身只在这个职位做了8个月，他自己的业务水平有限，而且这是他来英国的第一份工作，那法式的英语说的我彻底听晕了。再加上他急着要离开这个部门，所以对这份工作根本不再care，弄得我俩每天象是鸡同鸭讲。

记得以前在“六年级”的博客上看她写，每次离职都会把工作交接到最好，即使新工作开始也会回去把旧工作做好。19岁的时候，我第一次离职，记得去上班的最后一天，老爸教导我说：不要因为这是你工作的最后一天就可以不再认真，你要象你工作的第一天一样去认真对待。20年过去了，我换了N多工作，但老爸的话仍然在耳畔。即便是被裁员的时候，最后一天只要在岗，我就认真做好每一天的工作。

这法国同事离开我部门之后，我正式独立工作，情形反倒好了很多。因为以前他在，周围同事总觉得是他的责任来带我，很多事情也不同我说，他这一走，其他同事倒很帮我。所以一个月内对业务处理基本上手。

但公司全球运作，管理和组织架构都要比我以前接触过的任何一家公司要复杂的多。好处是每天都有新东西可以学习。我主管是一个非常公平的人，话不多（很多同事说他内向），不过我同他相处很好。他没什么废话，你做对了，他会表扬你，鼓励你。刚开始的时候同供应商谈判，都是他带着我，每个条款他都给我逐词修改。

公司里一个新项目跟带时间要一年多，我接手后很多东西是一堆烂摊子，我主管帮了我很多。而且他为人公正，波兰的生产计划员有时对我要求过份，他会立马维护我。而且他做事超认真负责，即使去休假，凌晨一、两点钟一样会收到他的电邮。

他同我以前的老板米克真是不可同日而语。可以说这家公司的主管和老板让我对英国人的做事方式有了很大的改观。等将来有时间再专门写写我的老板。

公司外面是一个大公园，天气好的时候，我会下班后在这里散散步。

远远的可以看到公司的办公楼。

这张照片是在公司里拍的。当时被公司选中做模特去拍招聘广告，用于公司的全球招聘宣传册里。我想公司选我可能是因为有个中国人的面孔吧。呵呵~~后面的那个125，是今年公司成立125周年。

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Office

The pictures of my previous company shocked many blog friends. Buckets were everywhere in the open plan for the rain dripping from the ceiling. In winter time, I had to put all my coats on, sometimes even my hat and scarf on as I was sitting in front of the door. And the bucket was just behind my seat. The chair I used was short of one arm. Fortunately everything changed after I joined this big company, my current working office
is very modern with air-conditioners.

Everybody has laptop. The screen above the desk is just an extra screen for the laptop. It is convenient for this working style as we have meetings and conference calls everyday. We carry laptops all over the building. Some of my colleagues travel all the time.

There is a shower room on each floor. Some colleagues may come from Gym directly in the morning or swim during the lunch time. It is very convenient to have a shower in the company.

Canteen

The menu is sent to us a week in advance. Food is various with different countries themes – Italian, Indian, Asian, etc. Sandwiches, salad, café and dessert are served all the time. Hot foods are not provided 24 hours, but most of the time if you feel hungry and go to the canteen, you can always find something to eat. Many colleagues even have breakfast there. Sometimes when the weather is good, the canteen will arrange the BBQ outside the canteen, along the bank. There is a river outside the building.

After I started working here, I cook less and less not because of I am getting lazy, just too much to do every day. Instead of cooking every day, I cook once or twice a week. Most of the time I just eat in the canteen, particularly when T is on a business trip.

Friday afternoon there is always a trolley service. The canteen staff pushes the trolley with various biscuits, cakes, scones, etc to open plan. We can increase weight easily without notice. 🙂

Colleagues

Before I joined this company, I had never cared whether I work for a big company or a small company. I always think a good direct boss/supervisor is far more important than the company. But I have changed my mind after I have been working here. Colleagues here are much more diverse with different nationalities and backgrounds. Also we have to deal with other colleagues in different countries all the time. My colleagues here are quite different to any companies I worked before. Many of them have been to different countries. I can always find some topics to discuss with them. They are much more open-minded, friendly as there is no financial pressure from the company, employees are more pleasant rather than fighting for survival.

Both my boss and supervisor have been working here more than 3-4 years. They know  what they are doing. They are always there to offer help and assistance. Some of my team members are complaining that they are too patronizing. Is it not good? I think if your boss
cares about you, it is better than they ignore you. 🙂 I quite enjoy working with my boss/supervisor. When I heard my supervisor is going to be promoted to another department next year, I was upset for a while. It is good for him, but a new supervisor knows nothing and may not be helpful. Particularly the structure of this company makes communication between my supervisor and I crucial. If there is not sufficient communication and information flow, it could create a lot of problems for my work.

Work

When I was 19, I finished my first temporary job and moved to another place for a  temporary job. My father told me this is your last day of this job. Make sure you do it as your normal day. Don’t think because this is your last day then you can work carelessly. I remember that day I was still the last person to leave the office, cleaned the room and covered the computer properly. Since then, I have changed my jobs many times, but even when I had been laid off, the day when I was on the job I always ensured I do my job  properly.

The day when I left SS, I should have left the company at 12.00, but because there were still emails came in, I was busy finishing all my work until almost 14.00. When another colleague approached me and asked me to do something else and Anita shouted at me: Leave it, just go.

When I read “Grade Six” ’s blog several weeks ago– she wrote that every time when she changes her job, she always ensures that the old job was passed over smoothly and properly. I always admire and respect the people who are conscientious on their jobs.

The first two weeks when I joined this company was very tough for me as there was too much information crammed into my brain – the structure, strategy, system and are so complicated. In the meantime, the guy who trained me did not care anymore because he was going to be transferred to another department. After he left the position, I was still
correcting his work for almost a month. Even now I still pick up the wrong costs from his projects. A wrong decision to choose a wrong supplier left many problems to face at the moment.

Outside of the Building

There is a big park outside the company building. When the weather is good, I quite enjoy walking back home as long as no need to carry the laptop. 😉 Two weeks ago, Sunday afternoon I started running in the park – I feel embarrassed to say I am jogging there. Since I left high school I have never jogged again. Running was my weakest activity
when I was a high school student. I only run around when I am playing table tennis or tennis. I stopped all these activities almost three years after being pregnant, hope I can get back to normal again soon.

You can see the company building from distance.