In Spection ...

when I was in Sainsburys and they knew there was going to be a "visit" (they always knew, even the suprise ones as the last visited store would ring up all those in the area incase they were next) anyway, they'd get in everyone they could to do overtime, however quiet it was, so there could be loads of people sitting at empty checkouts just INCASE there was a possibility of a queue etc. The thing was, there was only so much overtime each store was allowed. So if the visit was on Monday morning and that's where all your overtime went, you had none left for Saturday morning when it was actually needed. Also, I assume that when Mr Big saw all the empty checkouts he thought the stores must be overstaffed and would adjust budget accordingly - you'll know all this anyway :0) At Woolworths there is an inspector who doesn't seem to care about anything except that everything on the warehouse shelves is exactly level with the edge of the shelf: he even closes his eyes and runs his finger along and if it bumps into anything he pulls it off the shelf onto the floor. One visit when the manager ws on holiday he came and pulled nearly everything off onto the floor and was stamping and waving his arms about too :0)

A few friendly words of advice fishy. 1. Do not refer to the inspector as dearie, duckie, or sh*tforbrains. 2. When an inspector makes an inane suggestion ( as they will ) pretend to make a note of it, and nod vigorously. Do not peer over your glasses and say "they warned us that you were a worthless tosser" 3. Do not dust the inspector. 4. When your boss blames you ( as they will ) for some infraction of the rules, apologise immediately and ask if there is an appropriate training course to help you improve. Do not shout "Lying twat" as you deck him/her with an empty gin bottle. 5. Make a big show of taking at least 3 large files home every night, while muttering "I'll just have to postpone the CATscan again" within inspectors earshot. 6. Show that you are a team player by offering to provide a hot buffet lunch for the whole office. If challenged by colleagues about this apparent toadying, say "Well, I was doing some batch cooking for the orphanage anyway, so a few extra quails eggs aren't any bother". 7. Retain your honesty and integrity at all times. [%sig%]

It's weird that isn't it? I think that what inspection people expect is for everybody to be doing the absolutely best best best ever that they have ever done while they are there, rather than what they usually do. But, it's a bad idea to change everything....it undermines the working practice of everyone there and is confusing. It also gives the feeling of an inpection meaning everyone is 'in trouble'. Perhaps it's best to realise that the inspectors know this is exactly what happens when they turn up. Um... That wasn't much help was it?

i've been "inspected" a few times (insert shocked smilie here) and it's the same everywhere, suddenly people do things the way they are supposed to according the the procedures and that....the reception area is chocka full of appropriate leaflets (and operation theatre clean, rather than it's normal appearance) people wear name tags - uselful when you can never remember the dullard's name..... so the inspection does not get a true picture of the chaos that actually reigns - unannounced inspections, they are much more fun - or the sneaks who do the "mystery shopper" phone calls - which you tend to get when you're really hung over and grunt a greeting, and then clear your throat really loudly.....

I work for a county council; they've recently had an inspection. To prepare for it, they kicked a team out of their office, painted the room a lovely shade of pale lavender-blue, and got everything on the shelves organised in a neat and tidy fashion. The inspection was a roaring success, btw, and the council won a merit in Investors in People. I don't think preparing for inspections is necessarily a bad thing; people tend to become lazy and complacent in their jobs/work and having a clean-up can be positive, make things work more efficiently/the way they're supposed to, etc. The problem with many organisations (including this one) is that they tend to jump on the bandwagon for the latest 'improvement' schemes, and instead of giving the scheme a few years to gel and begin working correctly (it -is- a culture change, after all, and takes time), they figure, "oh, it's not working, let's try this instead", which throws the whole org. into disarray, again.