Satisfaction

“I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'cause i try and i try and i try and i try
I can't get no, i can't get no”

There are plenty of little satisfying moments in life, such as breaking the seal on a fresh jar of coffee, relaxing in a comfy chair, waking up snug in a warm bed whilst the rest of the room is cold, walking in freshly laid snow (as most of us in the UK have had the pleasure of doing this very week), and many other little satisfying moments in life.

What isn’t so satisfying is when you are faced with a problem that you know can be easily solved, yet you are completely stumped as to what the next step should be. Let me give you an example; I use a smart phone for work and I have my own smart phone for my own personal use (I hate using the work phone for just about anything). Both are capable of email and calendar and task keeping like most phones. Now my work phone uses its 3G connection to update itself and deliver email to me on the move. My own phone is unable to participate – not a problem, I would prefer to keep them separate – however I would like to synchronise my calendar and task lists.

I know I need to use ActiveSync, but I can’t – cos my workplace has decided to restrict my access to such a tool via “Group Policy” enforcement on the network. Now, being an IT bod, I’ve managed to find a way to stop my phone from appearing as “guest” to actually displaying the name of my phone by hacking away at the registry. I can now move files backwards and forwards to the SD card, allowing me to potentially steal as much data as I can fit on there, but I cannot synchronise my task list and calendar items. Why? Its madness and I’m yet to determine the real reason why my workplace has decided not to allow me to do this. As I say, there’s a simple solution, but there’s a lack of satisfaction in being able to implement it.

Fortunately, not all is like this in the IT World and there is satisfaction to be found with just about every other task I am able to perform without having to plead for a re-evaluation of the rules. With the snow that has hit most of the UK over the last few days though, I have another gripe and that’s the ability to work from home. I realise that not everyone can do this – doctors can’t skip surgery (or can they?), and Fire Officers can’t stay home awaiting the truck to call by and pick them up on the way to the blaze. But for us ‘ordinary’ people who spend all their time locked up in an office, answering emails and taking phone calls, why the hell not?

We know from the “Digital Britain” report from the Government last week that most of the UK has broadband coverage and they are working on the rest, and I’ve not stumbled across a company yet that does not have some sort of ‘remote working’ system to either pick up emails or gain full connectivity and control back to the office. Assuming that most of the people who have broadband also have a computer - there is very little reason not to allow it.

From a companies perspective they’d save a fortune on not having to buy everyone a ‘work PC’, instead creating pools of shared machines for those who wish to turn up at the office, thus in turn they’ll save on power and heating and lighting and office space, etc. All of this saved capital can be pumped back into making the ‘remote working systems’ better or more intelligent.

Taking the opposite side – the me and you people aspect – we’d not have to drive to and from the office, we can be more flexible with our working day and establish a better home/work life, some of us may even have more time to do other things, like shopping during the day and stimulating the economy in a positive way. In times of bad weather or crisis, we’re able to stay home without that dread of having to get up earlier to face the morning traffic or scrape ice from the car windscreen. Let me point out that I have no intentions of being lazy about wanting to work from home, in fact it’s more than likely that many people, including myself, would still want to go into the office, but equally it would be nice to have the option available to decide when and what the best solution to my work is appropriate for that day – satisfaction and happier workers.

I will freely admit that I am envious of those who are already able to benefit from working from home, and to those who are able to strike a work/life balance more suited to their lifestyles, being free to attend conferences and events during the day to strive for more and gain learning without having to go through the hassle of booking holidays or requesting time off. For those who are able to travel up and down the country or around the world, whilst remaining connected to the office and delivering everything their employer expects of them. IT makes all of this possible, and I believe in the future more and more of us will be provided with these working practice opportunities, perhaps it is time for company directors and HR departments to start working with their IT departments to establish solutions and policies to enable this now, whilst money is being scrutinised closely and policies and working practices can be changed.

“Despite that high bar, I love the work at the foundation”

“I know the foundation will have its share of setbacks. But I feel sure I will have lots of success stories to share in the years ahead.”

On a slightly different note, but just as satisfying, last week Bill Gates (you remember him, from Microsoft fame?), wrote his first annual letter describing the work he and wife Melinda have been undertaking as part of their philanthropy efforts channelled through their “Foundation”. I really don’t care if you like Microsoft or not, or if your of the opinion that Bill Gates is a genius or pure evil – when it comes to the work he has undertaken with his Foundation, set up with his own money – there can be no bad words said against him.

If you haven’t already, I urge you to get yourself on the website and also download BillG’s letter and read what they’ve been working on and what is coming up next for them. After reading through both, my cold heart was warmed and left wondering if I were in the Gates’ financial situation, would I be off pursuing some quest to rid the world of disease and working towards building better lives for people less fortunate.

The headliner for the letter was that Bill and Melinda, despite the downturn in the financial markets, have decided to up their investment for this year from the required 5% ($3.3 Billion in 2008), of their total assets, up 2% to 7% of the Foundations total assets. From the reported total capital the Foundation has 7% ($3.8 Billion), is a massive rise and should help develop numerous projects and keep everyone involved moving forwards towards their goals.

Whilst I’m not directly involved – either in donating money or time – to assist with the project, I am a supporter of the efforts being made as a long time Microsoft customer, both personally and at work, the money I have helped BillG amass from purchasing his products and recommending other to do so too, I take some small satisfaction in Bill’s work and the progress made by all involved.

Not bad for a guy who has “retired”.

Not bad at all.