Probably the Firm Spy‘s least favourite Big4 accounting-firm partner, Deloitte Chief Executive Giam Swiegers, has apparently dealt another cruel blow to already disillusioned staff.
But before we delve into the subject matter of the “cruel blow”, let’s first talk about the means through which it was delivered. Giam and Deloitte crew have masterminded a very innovative means to “keep staff informed”. Through a unique messenging service, Giam and the partnership are able to disseminate firm news without resort to the traditional email. Once the voicemail is listened to, it is deleted.
The fantastic thing about this system is that it cannot be flicked onto, say, the Firm Spy; unless, of course, the Firm Spy has an insider diligently transcribing what is said with pen and paper. Does anyone recall the Deloitte staff allegedly fired for lining-up a few bags of weekend sniff?
Today, keeping alive his/her proud history of proud firm spying, we today thank our busy, anonymous Deloitte spy for transcribing the following “message” apparently sent to staff last Friday:
FS,
We received a voicemail message recently regarding the current ‘recovery’ from the GFC. Apparently (after significant revenue growth from previous years, and multiple partner payrises) the recovery is not yet being seen in an increase in fees/revenue at Deloitte. As such the partnership group will be maintaining the current cost cutting measures which include no promotions, no payrises and no corporate hospitality. The voicemail seemed to indicate that this may be maintained for the forseeable future…We received the voicemail on a Friday afternoon. Amongst a slew of other voicemails announcing significant wins…
The announcement came one day after the BRW (1/10) reported the following:
One of the hardest tasks for Giam Swiegers as chief executive at Deloitte this year has been to keep everyone upbeat. “If you don’t then people can go into a downwards spiral,” he says. Staying positive is a big part of being able to keep others positive. Swiegers describes his optimism as “a combination of personality and the fact that I am surronded by several other senior executives who are also naturally optimistic”.
Giam makes no mention of his monumental paycheck in enlightening us as to why he is such a tremendously optimistic fellow. One presumes that given apparently his voracious appetite for wearing blue shirts with a white collar and cuffs, a disagreeably garish wardrobe assists optimism too.
Is your wardrobe on a “downwards spiral”?
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hahahahaha typical Giam!!!
What I find interesting in all this is that in the midst of a global financial crisis that requires huge cost cutting measures, the partner group, approx 450, all went to the Gold Coast for the annual conference. The partners in our group couldnt help run around like school children to see who was staying at which hotel. Names such Versace were used. We looked up the cost and you are looking at around $1,000 per night per person. Given that they probably got a bulk discount, lets reduce this to $600 – 2 nights x 450 = $540,000. So whats that again I hear about a global financial crisis?? More like a global gain at Deloitte at the expense of their employees. I am not sure how they get to be an employer of choice!!