Every month, the Departmental Managers meet to discuss high-level issues in the company.

Marcus is leading this month's meeting.

Okay, good morning, everyone. Thank you very much for being here on time.

We've got a lot to do today, so let's get started.

Now, everyone's here, apart from John in Facilities.

-But we had apologies from him. -Yeah.

Has everyone got a copy of the agenda?

Good. Okay, can I draw your attention to Item 4,

where it says Presentation of Online Survey Results.

The presentation is going to be given by Miss Patricia Rayers,

who is a representative of the research company we contracted to carry out the work.

Miss Rayers will arrive at 11:30.

So I plan to break at about 11:15 to give her time to set up.

It may also mean that we need to interrupt the first few agenda items,

but we'll come back to those.

I'll see, but I'd like to leave a little bit of time under Any Other Business

to discuss whatever might come out of the presentation.

Okay? So, Item 1 is Relocation and Plans for Flexible Working.

Now, as you know, Paul and his team have been working on plans

to extend flexible working hours across the company.

So, Paul, perhaps I can begin by asking you to fill us in on your progress.

Sure. Thanks, Marcus.

Well, as Marcus said...

Thank you very much, indeed, Paul.

On behalf of everyone, I'd like to say thank you to you and to your team

for all the hard work that you've put in so far on this project.

I really appreciate it.

Before we move on to Item 2, are there any comments anyone has,

anyone would like to make, on Item 1?

No?

Myer, I'm aware that flexible working hours has a particular impact on some of your team.

Do you have any thoughts on that?

Well, from my point of view, what Paul is proposing sounds fine.

I'm a bit concerned about working with the system of core hours and then flexible hours.

But I think we all need time to read through Paul's proposal in more detail

before discussing it any further.

Okay, that sounds reasonable.

What do other people think?

Do you agree with Myer that we need to look through the proposal in more detail first?

Yes? Okay, right, well, I'm sure we can return to it at next month's meeting.

Okay, good. Are we all okay to move on to the next point?

Right. So, the up-and-coming board meeting.

We don't need to spend too much time on this,

but there are 1 or 2 issues which we need to be aware of.

Lydia, can you warn me if we go beyond 10 minutes on this one?

So, those two people will be replacing the two members of the board who are leaving us.

And that's everything, I think, on Item 2.

So, right, moving on to Item 3, the Cost Breakdowns for the Relocation.

Myer, thank you very much for emailing the current figures to all of us.

I hope that we've all had time to look at them, to read them through.

Myers, is there anything you want to add before I open this up for questions?

Not really. Nothing's changed since it was sent out, as far as I know.

Are there any questions arising from Myer's report?

Matt, you look as if you might have a question.

Yes, I suppose I do.

Well, it's more of a comment, really.

The fact is, IT will have the highest cost attached to this relocation

in terms of moving equipment

and I also need to bring quite a few contract people to help.

But the figures in here don't seem to be the same as the estimates I gave you.

It's all going to require a lot of overtime in my department.

Well, I have allocated some of the costs to the budget of other departments.

That seems the fairest way to do it.

Otherwise, as you say, IT is responsible for a large part of the relocation costs.

So, do you mean any IT costs related to, say, marketing

will be covered by the marketing budget?

Yes, in a way. Look, this might help clarify it.

You see, I've broken the IT Department up into segments.

Oh, I'm sorry, can we continue this discussion after lunch?

The lady from the research company is waiting to join us

and to present her results.

But before we take a break, I just want to summarise where we are so far.

My understanding is that Myers has tried to allocate

the relocation costs across departments as far as it's possible,

but that Matt feels that IT is still taking too many costs.

-Is that right? -That's about right.

Good. Okay. Let's take a break now

and can we all be back here promptly at 11:30 to continue where we left off?

Lydia, could you bring Miss Rayers up, please?

Yes, will do. Thank you.