Tell Me - Ashe Barker Page 0,6
seemed especially averse to Mondays and Fridays, but had still managed to convince the tribunal that he’d been badly treated. At least Tony’s firm hadn’t been ordered to reinstate the idle slug, so he supposed he should be thankful for that.
“Is there any point in appealing?” He glanced across the desk at Isabel who was leafing through the pile of papers.
She shook her head slowly. “Unlikely. These matters are more concerned with process than justice. The tribunal isn’t saying you shouldn’t have fired Jeremy Malone, just that you, sorry, the previous CEO, should have made a better job of it. The warnings weren't recorded properly, Malone didn't have representation when he was interviewed by HR, he wasn’t made aware of the necessary standards he had to achieve in order to retain his position. Like I said, process.”
“Standards! Just turning up for work and doing a decent job would have done the trick.”
His PA shrugged. “There’s nothing in here to suggest Mr Malone wasn’t good at his job. He just wasn’t here enough to show us that.”
Tony tunnelled his fingers through his hair, unable to contain his exasperation. “Christ, I know you’re right about the process stuff. We all know how these things work. That’s why it’s so bloody annoying. Twenty five grand, for fuck’s sake.”
“Yeah. We got the tribunal on a bad day. Might be worth appealing the level of the award, if not the decision…”
“Get our lawyers on it. Meanwhile, I intend to make sure this crap doesn't happen again. You can start by sending the head of HR in to see me. What did you say his name was?”
“Eric Henderson. Been here for five years. Solid enough chap but not really an HR specialist. He’s an IT man, but he got human resources tagged on to his department in a cost-saving exercise last year.”
“Right. Good result. Twenty five thousand pounds worth of cost saving. Bloody fucking hell.”
Isabel stacked the documents into a neat pile and stood. “Quite. I’ll ask Henderson to come up, but in fairness I don’t think you can really blame him. He was dumped on too.”
“I’ll be the judge of that. And if Henderson’s not the right man for the job we’re going to need someone who is.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. I know someone who might suit. Shall I arrange a meeting?”
It was on the tip of Tony’s tongue to thank her, and agree to interview whoever she put in front of him. Isabel was good like that, she anticipated his needs and sorted things without needing to be told. But on this occasion, he had an idea of his own he wanted to play with.
“Thanks, but not yet. There’s another solution I think I might try first.”
“I see. And what’s that then?”
“Just an idea. Someone I need to talk to first though.”
“Well, don’t take too long about it. We need to get this mess under control before we find ourselves with another expensive mistake to deal with. Right. I’ll get on to Eric Henderson then. Are you free to see him now?”
“It’s as good a time as any. No point putting it off.”
Even as Tony muttered the words at his PA’s retreating back he knew she was right, as usual. This company was a mess, which had a lot to do with why he’d been able to acquire it so cheaply. It was clear he had some work to do knocking it into shape, but he didn’t mind that. He thrived on the challenge. First order of business would be to surround himself with people who he could trust and who were good at their jobs. Isabel was a given. Henderson might turn out to be a square peg in a round hole but he’d soon determine that. Tony himself was a strategist, a gifted corporate visionary and leader, good with people but absolutely no use at all with systems and detail. And that was where his problems seemed to lie.
He sighed. Isabel was right, he was going to need some help here, someone who could get to grips with Henderson’s shambles of a department. And he had a feeling he knew the very person. He just needed to convince his old friend.
*****
“You want to what?” Stephen Kershaw lowered his steel grey eyebrows at Tony and glowered at him from under them.
Tony wasn’t impressed. He sipped his coffee and met his godfather’s stern gaze. “I want to borrow Mrs Richmond.”
“She’s not a bloody library book. And I’m not lending you my right hand