Testing Circle Limited
 
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With the IT job market steadily improving, tech employees are feeling more engaged with their jobs and more loyal to their organizations. However, companies ought not to confuse that commitment with unyielding devotion. More than half of IT employees are ready and willing to entertain better job offers as they arise, more so than employees from any other sector. Organizations would be well-served loosening the IT salary purse-strings and finding other ways to keep their IT staff satisfied” -- Ted Samson for InfoWorld

So...are you satisfied in your job?  Are you ‘eyeing greener pastures’?  I am keen to find out what makes people stay and what makes them go, and what’s enough to keep someone happy.  I think the four main factors in employee retention are:
  • Job satisfaction
  • The people
  • The location
  • The money
Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction has nothing to do with money - it’s about the feeling you get when you’re on your way into work to continue a project, or have that meeting you’ve been waiting for; or finally getting that release out.  My Dad always said to me to find something that you really love doing, then figure out a way to get paid for it...you’re in a great position if that’s where your career is right now; but remember it’s up to you to make the most out of your job because no one else is going to do it for you!

The People
Even though everyone you work with doesn’t need to be your best friend, in my opinion it’s still important to get on with them and make the effort - yes you’re in work to work and not socialise, but company culture plays a big part in your happiness.  So maybe once a week go out to lunch with someone new, or sit with someone to try and understand what they do in the business...sure you might seem strange at first, but people will appreciate the effort eventually ;)

The Location
You need to be happy with where you work - if you live in Liverpool and you’re trying to commute to Devon every day then obviously that would put a strain on the best of people.  There are things you can do to try and improve things - Kindles, iPads or the good old-fashioned book are some good choices.  If you drive to work, maybe try and carpool with someone else in the office as it will reduce the number of times you’re behind the wheel.

The Money
Everyone’s favourite topic.  To be honest, money should be the last in the list of things that makes you happy about your job...as I’ve said several times before; money might be able to buy you choices which make you happy BUT all the money in the world won’t make your job any better.

If you *have* decided that the job you're in just isn't working, then give us a call...you never know where it's going to lead :)

#Thoughtoftheday
You are the only one who can affect your state of mind; if you’re not happy then make a change (whether that’s a new job completely, or just something different in your current position)


 
 
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The regulator Ofcom says the measures are needed to stop so-called "bill shock".  It says its research shows that 1.4 million customers with mobile phone contracts have been hit by surprisingly large bills in the past six months.  “Ofcom believes mobile providers can do more to help customers control the amount they spend on their mobile phones," the regulator said.  "Ofcom has written to the mobile providers calling on them to do more to develop and promote 'opt-in' measures, such as tariffs that allow consumers to set their own financial caps or receive alerts about usage."  The move was welcomed by the consumers' association Which?.” -- BBC

FINALLY!!  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve opened my bill at the end of the month and thought that my network provider has misplaced a decimal point!  So sign me up to whoever is going to offer this service!

As a counter argument; I do understand that Telco companies need to make their money from somewhere (because it’s not like they make enough I guess?!) so if we all capped our bills then that little bit extra *cough - £200 a month* would disappear.  I am trying to stretch my imagination a little further but to be perfectly honest, I’m drawing blanks.

Ofcom...my new best friends :)


 

Pingit!

20/02/2012

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I don’t think I have been this excited about an app since Angry Birds... #justkidding (except not really.)  Barclays’ new ‘Pingit’ app is creating a storm already; and it was only just released.  The basics of the app, are that you can transfer money instantly to your friends and family; for example - if you’re all out at a restaurant and it comes to paying the bill, one person can pay upfront and the others can use ‘Pingit’ to transfer the money straight to their account.  You can transfer up to £300 a day, and even though at the moment it’s only for Barclays account holders, within a few weeks it will be rolled out to all accounts.  Oh, and did I forget to mention...the app is free.

Of course I have shared this information around our offices and the immediate question arose; ‘how on earth is my money secure?!’  Good question.  I wish I knew the answer...but if I did, then I’d be some super IT powerhouse, and not a Marketing Manager.  I can however say that I’m fairly certain that with information as delicate as bank details, Barclays *must* have run all the necessary tests to ensure complete security.  There is a ‘failsafe’ in place, explained by Sean Gilchrist (head of Digital Banking at Barclays) who “claims the new app features “industry standard encryption”, and can automatically be wiped from a phone if a user tells the bank they have lost their device.  Users must also use a new, five-digit PIN code to access the app, which Barclays claims was developed with the help of its own and mobile banking security experts” -- Telegraph

Well I for one am willing to trust Barclays and jump on the Pingit bandwagon.  If for no other reason than I get to use the word ‘Pingit’ as a verb.