Welcome....soon to be EX employees

[brokenbrolly]

UPDATE: No Account needed to reply to threads or to start new theads, just hit the reply to add to a thread, or new thread to starts a new one.
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Hello all.

Someone called for a message board and as I won't cough up any cash (and leave a trail via credit cards) I've set this up on a free board. The one pain is that you have to put up with the advertising. If someone wants to set up an advertising free board let me know and I will close this down. I'll start a couple of threads to get us all going but feel free to start new theads as you see fit. You will have to sign on to post (I think, haven't checked) and so I suggest you get free googlemail accounts rather than use your real email accounts (just in case).

[unfairshabbybrolly]

Well done broken brolly for setting this up. I hope we get the discussion going and something organised.

[Broken Brolly]

Yes I hope we can start some debate. We've had quite a few views on the page so far but people seem reluctant to post.
I've started off a POLL so see how far we get with that. In fact thinking about it I think we need another one about the Union!

Off to arrange that now......a very simple yes or no poll.

All L&G IT visitors please at least stop by the 'Union' poll

Thanks
BB

[DOoMed]

Well done 'Brolly, let's hope visitors read AND comment. Would be good to get some volume of opinion here.

[Contractor]

Hi i was doing some research on L & G for a Job Contract currently up for grabs and came across this site....

The contract is for helpdesk 6 months.

I normally take on contracts which will roll on at least for 2 years do rekon there is any chance of this?

this contract is for L&G in cardiff.Would anyone recommend accepting a contract for L&G?

Thanks

[Broken Brolly]

Hi Contractor,

I can't tell you one way or the other at this point, we don't even know for sure if the Cardiff Helpdesk is included in the outsource deal or not.
One thing I can tell you is that if you take the contract you will be (because you are helpdesk) at the front end of an embittered IT department and have an increasingly frustrated business section to the other side of you. I'm not saying don't take the contract but have a look around and see what may be better for you in the long term. I suspect L&G may be a dead end.
Best of luck to you, whatever your decision! We all need a bit of luck now.

BB

[stickyabrolly]

Goodbye to all LandG collegues. I am off to pastures new.
I have given the company 9 years and am not about to sit here and take it in the ass one more time.
So adios to you all and I wish you the best of luck with whichever company you end up with. Be prepared to bend over and pick up the soap, and this time it is going to be a BIG bar of soap!

[Dont put Accountant in Charge]

Hello All,

I have something positive to say....

The skills and exposure that you all will have gained in one the few remaining in-source IT departments will stand you in really good stead. As someone who left not too long ago i was very surprised how much i knew against my collegues in my new company. Not only the range of technologies but also the operating processes. Take as much documentation as you can now and leave.

I also have a very good understanding of what does not work !
(being the only company in the world to host AWD on Unix for example and then wondering why supplier support was a bit ropey)

All IT departments face pretty similar issues - ie trying to deliver against poor business requirements and a forever changing business environment. The experience you have gained at L&G , whether you are concious of it or not, dealing with this shit every day will set you apart from your collegues.

Trust Jobserve and your own ability - there are alot of monkeys out there!

[blowninsideout]

This is very true. Knowing most of the L&G's IT team as well as i do, i can confirm that the skills you all have will be appreciated far more elsewhere.
Ability on the outside can be very poor. Most of the L&G IT workers are very good.
It is, of course, the senior and middle managers at the L&G that fall short most of the time.

[ExContractor]

Adding to the positive side here folks. I've worked for L&G on a few occasions, and I would definitely echo the sentiment that you have a lot of good people. IMHO your problems are down to excessive process controls, balkanisation of functions and (of course) poor management; not lack of skill or professionalism at the coal face.

What I would say is that for most of you a move sideways into a similar large, in-house IT department is not practical, simply because there are so few of those left these days. But if you are confident in your skills, then there is a world of smaller companies, consultancies and individual contracting where you can swap security (I'm sure that rings hollow right now) for significantly higher pay. You may even end up better off in an outsourced department, pension rights notwithstanding.

Best of luck to you all

[Generally Legal]

Well there have been some busy people out there, poems and now a logo. Thanks for doing that. I just put it at the top at the moment.

Everyone, please let me know if it causes any issues for you and need to be resized or tweaked.

[fadedbrolly]

Purrfect logo. I love it. This site is really a comfort for me, at least I am not alone! and I like the optimists most. Even though I am a bit scared ( what is the market value of knowing all about FPF and the crazy L&G systems?) I am a tiny bit looking forward to be freed from L&G, I have spent far too many years there. And to think that once upon a time I was proud to work for L&G .