Category: Article
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Come and see the Ombud: what’s the risk?
Come and see the Ombud: what’s the risk? Julien* was recruited three years ago on a limited-duration contract, and he hopes to apply for an indefinite contract post next year. However, he’s in the midst of a dispute with his supervisor. He’s thought about contacting the Ombud to talk about it, but he’s hesitant and
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A year already!
A year already! It’s now been a year since I took on the role of Ombud at CERN and I’d like to thank all those who’ve come to see me for the trust they’ve placed in me. I hope I’ve been able to help them. My last article summarised activities in 2017 and I’d now
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Ombuds Annual Report
Ombuds Annual Report I recently presented the 2017 Ombuds Report to the CERN Management, and then to TREF, and I would like to outline the main points for you here. This report covers the work of my predecessor, Sudeshna Datta Cockerill, during the first ten months of the year, as well as the period from
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Digging deeper to find the real reasons behind a conflict
Digging deeper to find the real reasons behind a conflict Jane* is a discreet administrative assistant who has worked for the same group leader for more than ten years. She has an administrative secretarial background, knows all the ins and outs of CERN administration very well, and has built up a strong network within the
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Wherever you are, don’t forget that you represent CERN
Wherever you are, don’t forget that you represent CERN Wednesday, 4 July: it’s summer, the days are long, it’s warm and sunny. Marc, Kevin, Miguel, Nicolas and Thomas1, five colleagues from CERN, decide to go to the Bains des Pâquis in Geneva to relax after work. They head into town on the tram, getting off
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Respect: a renewable resource
Respect: a renewable resource It is a truth universally acknowledged that respectful behaviour has beneficial effects within organisations; in practice, however, it’s sometimes difficult to make it the norm. All members of the personnel, whatever their hierarchical level or status, expect to be treated with respect in all aspects of life, and particularly when it
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Abrasive managers: inevitability or opportunity?
Abrasive managers: inevitability or opportunity? “The best times are when Bjorn* is absent. Only then do we get a break from having to walk on eggshells all the time.” Bjorn is what we call an abrasive manager. Whenever his predecessor Isabella* thought that her team wasn’t at the top of its game, she analysed the
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The door to the truth
The door to the truth An ancient book in the CERN library captivated two scientists. It told of a place at the end of the world, where the sky touched the earth and they would find the answer to all their questions. They decided to take a sabbatical to go in search of it, swearing
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“Women negotiate poorly, lack self-confidence and are risk-averse.” Really?
“Women negotiate poorly, lack self-confidence and are risk-averse.” Really? This stereotype is often trotted out to explain the lack of equality between men and women in the world of business, but recent research completely disproves it. The differences between the sexes are actually far better explained as the result of a set of practices and
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Fair’s fair – now what?
Fair’s fair – now what? It’s the beginning of May and all CERN staff members have now received the results of their performance appraisals. Martina1 comes to see me, rather put out: “My boss has landed me with a “fair2”. I’ve had it now!” Martina’s especially disappointed because she thought she’d done a good job