Christmas - Elf and Safety Issues

No this is not a statement from a fringe group who are avoiding the frayed nerves and expense associated with Christmas Shopping, cooking, boisterous children and upset tummies. Christmas is a time where a million and one things must happen and be in place (more or less) by the time presents are unwrapped on Christmas day.

To be honest most of us manage it. We enjoy (or tolerate) the influx of friends and family and for once we seem capable of multi tasking i.e. having a drink, fixing the tree, carving the turkey. Using Christmas as a metaphor, why can’t we do all these things in the workplace? Why can’t we encourage diversity, set objectives, plan and execute strategies?

A subtle clue might be in where the focus lies. As individuals, who do we focus on at work, who do we focus on at home (especially at Christmas)? Now think about where the most dramatic results are achieved!

So far we have considered taking Christmas to work, but what if it were to be the other way around? Here are just a few of the issues that might surface:

• Tall object with pine needles – removed for health and safety reasons
• Three Wise Men – disbanded because of contravention of equal opportunities policy
• Baby in a stable – social services involved, baby now in care, animal rights protesters angry because of displaced donkeys
• Larger house needed – health and safety dictate that there is not enough floor space per human/animal/present
• Christmas dinner cancelled – no proper workstation assessment carried out on dining table and various rickety items of furniture that we use
• No presents – Santa has not been on a manual handling course
• CRB checks on family mean that our relatives must stay away
• ISO assessors are getting annoyed because we want to have Christmas without first writing a Christmas procedure and having it approved

The list could be endless. There is a serious point to be made though. Yes we do need some frameworks to work within, and for someone to look out for the less fortunate and disadvantaged, but too many rules and too many people saying NO is stifling.

So its time to decide whether in 2011 you wish to embrace a more creative and productive way of working or wither away under a pile of rules and red tape. Remember, if Christmas really was like work, it would be cancelled. Long live Christmas!