Monday, August 07, 2006

A bombshell

At work, we have become very comfortable with our comfort zones, belonging to the same teams for years now, having the same boss, some changes in workstations due to upsizing or downsizing. No one had ever thought that someday, our boat will be rocked and it's not just being rocked but our department with 80 or so people will be uprooted from our comfort zones to be transferred to another location. It's unthinkable to think that our work base is being transferred from this beautiful CBD site by the Riverside Centre, on the picturesque site of the 34th to some suburb, 30 minute from the city, level 3 or even level 2 on a 4-level boring building! Que horrores!

We have welcomed changes in programs, work allocations, systems, went through the necessary trainings, became adept with the current software but this news of us moving to the suburb made some of us indignant, disgusted and upset. Just imagine the impact it will have on a worker that lives in the far-southside or even the Gold Coast! An additional time to travelling and this means that there will be lesser time spent with the family - whether hubby/wifey/kids.

This will be our new office address when we finally move here on the 16th of October. S0, it's been a week since the announcement, the people have calmed down a bit. Meetings with the union had been held, proposals had been forwarded, possible transport routes had been discussed. In effect after so much angst, it seems that we have now accepted the business proposal to consolidate related departments and work closer together (what? when everything is done by the computer network, we can work anywhere in Australia - even at home)

Quietly, I am very happy with the change as I live closer to the new office. It will be a bus then train then bus ride still, actually I will have to do one extra bus ride but the time will be lesser by at least 45 min. It is in one of the older suburbs but look, just next door is the biggest Westfield shopping centre in Qld....so- it's really OK by me. Besides for a while I've been mulling on a transfer to this suburb as I liked the surroundings, the office set up (plants abound in the hallway) and just for the change. So I am actually welcoming it. Yehey!!!! The Lord is just good to me. I will volunteer to be one of the advance parties to check the site out. Will keep you posted.