Go To Work On An Egg A Motivational Statement!

Well, my office's teamworking event was, as expected, a massively pointless waste of time. But as I sit here gloomily contemplating my bulging email inbox, I realise it could be worse:

Many people admit they struggle to get motivated for a day's work when they first get up in a morning.

But police in Manchester have been given a helping hand after bosses printed American-style slogans on their breakfast cereal boxes.

The messages, which cost almost £2,400 to create, include: 'Start your day the citizen-focused way' and 'Putting people first.'

Oh, I just bet they went down a storm...

One disgruntled officer said: 'I can't believe the force would spend money on rubbish like this when there are cut-backs all over the place.'

Can't you? Can't you really?

Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney (Ed: Really..?) defended the decision to create the boxes.

He said: 'The promotional cereal and tea bag boxes were produced at a minimal cost around 18 months ago and have long-since passed their sell-by date.

'In late 2008, we sent out 500 of each around the force and, at the time they were issued, we received very few negative comments from anyone within the force and it was generally well-received.

'They were designed to show - in a more eye-catching format than a simple poster - what officers and staff should be doing to improve public confidence in the policing and the delivery of the 'policing pledge', such as how to make it easier for people to contact us.

'The money for them came out of the 2008/9 budget, which came out of a different economic climate. To complain about them now is, in my view, a little after-the-event.'

There you have it - modern management to a 't'. If they don't hear enough complaints (and you can just bet they went out of their way not to hear any..) it must be a success...