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djewesbury wrote:Only Julian knows. His turn.

But you said that Derek was correct.

He was. Which is why it's your turn.

Ah, yes, now I see what is going on. I was gently hinting at a question for Daniel to ask, but he failed to see it so has lumped us with this instead. What, indeed, was the question at which I was hinting. (Which was not, of itself, the question at which I was hinting.)

djewesbury wrote:My question may just have killed this thread for good.

Profound words indeed.

42?

Glenn E. wrote:42?

Unfortunately, that is the answer. But the question is "what was the question?".

We all know that one. And I'm not saying.

Who's on first?

Hmm.. According to the duty roster.. It's you.

Well in that case...

Microsoft conducts an annual poll of employees to see how it's doing. My group then conducts interviews within our group in order to determine which of the poll results, if any, warrant a concerted effort to change over the next year. I helped conduct last year's interviews and we did in fact select one result to try and improve.

The good news: success! That particular result was listed as one of our top 5 "most improved" results year-to-year.
The bad news: it still has one of our bottom 5 approval ratings.

What question was it?

I will accept anything reasonably close, as you can't really be expected to get the question exactly as asked by Microsoft.

Glenn E. wrote:Well in that case...

Microsoft conducts an annual poll of employees to see how it's doing. My group then conducts interviews within our group in order to determine which of the poll results, if any, warrant a concerted effort to change over the next year. I helped conduct last year's interviews and we did in fact select one result to try and improve.

The good news: success! That particular result was listed as one of our top 5 "most improved" results year-to-year.
The bad news: it still has one of our bottom 5 approval ratings.

What question was it?

I will accept anything reasonably close, as you can't really be expected to get the question exactly as asked by Microsoft.

Communication


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Not communication.

Do we need a clue? Or have I killed the thread?

The entire survey consists of pretty standard workplace satisfaction kinds of questions. Brad's guess was, in fact, on the survey. It just wasn't the one in question.

Glenn E. wrote:Do we need a clue? Or have I killed the thread?

It is an ex-question; it has ceased to be; it has...
oh, ok; er.. how about "do you feel valued?"

Break room coffee quality


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PhilW wrote: oh, ok; er.. how about "do you feel valued?"

Another question that was part of the survey, but not the one we're looking for.

CaliforniaBrad wrote:Break room coffee quality

While ours is exceptional (we have those fancy Starbucks machines that also dispense hot cocoa), it is apparently not something that Microsoft is concerned enough about to warrant inclusion in the yearly company poll.

Do you have the faintest idea why your job exists or how it contributes to the success of the company you work for?

DRT wrote:Do you have the faintest idea why your job exists or how it contributes to the success of the company you work for?

No need to berate the poor man about his job!

Company picnic/outing quality?


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Have you been given the training necessary to do your job?

Is there a groundswell of support for bringing back the helpful paperclip icon?

Do you own an iPhone?

Would you buy a copy of Windows 8?

Do you agree that the Windows "Classic" screen design remains the clearest, most intuitive and user-friendly display interface that Microsoft has ever produced and has not been improved upon for more than two decades?

Do you agree that Excel 2003 had the best chart feature, and that the subsequent versions have been much more difficult to use?

Do you agree that the person responsible for the subsequent versions should be shot?

Do you agree that the people responsible for the ribbon should be shot?

(Some but not all were fired. Hence most improved but not good enough.)

Glenn E. wrote:Microsoft conducts an annual poll of employees to see how it's doing. My group then conducts interviews within our group in order to determine which of the poll results, if any, warrant a concerted effort to change over the next year. I helped conduct last year's interviews and we did in fact select one result to try and improve.

The good news: success! That particular result was listed as one of our top 5 "most improved" results year-to-year.
The bad news: it still has one of our bottom 5 approval ratings.

What question was it?

Who was your favourite role model when you were doing your Maths/Computer Science degree - (a) Bill Gates or (b) Steve Jobs?

Something to do with a "jump to conclusions" mat?


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Are you happy with your current salary and benefits package?

Where's the off switch?

Bathroom cleanliness?


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Does your wife know what happened at last year's Christmas party?

Apologies for the lack of response on my part. This weekend has proven much busier than I expected. While multiple Port tastings in as many days might be the norm in London, it isn't here and when I naively added 2 BBQ events to the same weekend it was almost too much.

Almost.

Anyway, one reasonably close guess:

DRT wrote:Are you happy with your current salary and benefits package?

It wouldn't be too difficult to get closer, though, so for the time being I will judge this insufficient. It becomes, therefore, a clue.

If no closer guesses are made by tomorrow night (Pacific time), I will award DRT the victory.

DRT wrote:Does your wife know what happened at last year's Christmas party?

Only applicable to those who remember last years Christmas party


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Do you feel you're acknowledged enough for your work?


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CaliforniaBrad wrote:Do you feel you're acknowledged enough for your work?

Not the question we're looking for.

Since I've nearly killed the thread, I'll award the victory to DRT in the (perhaps futile) hope that he can revive it.

The question was: "How long do you intend to continue working at Microsoft?" Which seems sort of related to whether or not you're happy with your salary and benefits to me.

The possible answers were 0-1 years, 1-2 years, 2-4 years, 4-8 years, and 8+ years. For poll purposes, Microsoft deemed anything less than 4 years to be a "negative" result. My group is very young, including several people just out of college, and our collective opinion was that 2-4 years should be considered a "normal" response and not a "negative" response. The composition of our group changed over the last 12 months, though, and so we were able raise our "positive" responses by 22% - making our top 5 most improved scores list - while still remaining in our bottom 5 overall.

Amusingly, we also had a question that made both the "largest drop" list and the top 5 list. It dropped from 100% positive responses to 92% positive responses.

DRT's question.

Glenn E. wrote:The question was: "How long do you intend to continue working at Microsoft?" Which seems sort of related to whether or not you're happy with your salary and benefits to me.

I disagree. I tried very hard not to win this quiz and now feel I'm being stitched-up with some tenuous link. I think Daniel was closest.

Incorrect answer. Still your go.

DRT wrote:I tried very hard not to win this quiz

… by not answering.

jdaw1 wrote:

DRT wrote:I tried very hard not to win this quiz

… by not answering.

Which is really not cricket. Derek's go.

I'll seize the initiative. I've just found out that I have got to be in Manchester on Friday (thanks for the notice people!).

Where have I decided to stay on Thursday night and why?

Is it the Hacienda apartments? Because it was the best night out you ever had?

LGTrotter wrote:Is it the Hacienda apartments? Because it was the best night out you ever had?

A good guess - but totally wrong. I have no idea what or where the Hacienda apartments are.

A clue - I am not staying in Manchester <<shudder>>

The Hacienda club, original fount of 'Madchester' and all that went with it was pulled down in 2002 and replaced with 'The Hacienda apartments'. Happy days.

AHB wrote:Where have I decided to stay on Thursday night and why?

With Conky. Because you’ll be pleading temporary insanity?

jdaw1 wrote:

AHB wrote:Where have I decided to stay on Thursday night and why?

With Conky. Because you’ll be pleading temporary insanity?

LOL

But no, not with Conky. It will be with a recognised and licensed accommodation provider. I may just catch the last crop of wags before they fly to South Africa for the summer.

I sense I may need to offer more clues. Will it help if I say that I will be staying in Cheshire?

Somewhere in Alderley Edge?

flash_uk wrote:Somewhere in Alderley Edge?

Very good. Where in Alderley Edge and why?

The Alderley Edge Hotel, because you want to add a bottle of T55 to your bill for £485.

flash_uk wrote:The Alderley Edge Hotel, because you want to add a bottle of T55 to your bill for £485.

Not your turn.

flash_uk wrote:The Alderley Edge Hotel, because you want to add a bottle of T55 to your bill for £485.

Not your turn.
The Alderley Edge Hotel?