ECF Office tasks

[John Upham]

Since this subject has been alluded to on more than one occassion I feel we could start compiling a list of the tasks that the ECF Office staff have responsibility for. I would invite contributions to this list. Maybe, we could then decide which could be outsourced more effectively, if any.

In no particular order, my starter for ten :

• Compilation of the Yearbook content

• Compilation of the Diary content

• Production of Chess Moves

• Maintenance of the main ECF web site

• Processing of ECF memberships of various types

• Processing of postal, telephone and email queries

• Processing of expenses claims from ECF officials

• Booking of travel and accomodation for ECF officials

[Matthew Turner]

John,
The ECF Office does not support the ECF, on the contrary it is the other way round.
For example, it would be much more efficient if memberships could be processed online (as happens with chessscotland). However, this wouldn't be in the interests of the Office, who have a membership secretary. There will never be a properly functioning ECF without a fundamental overhaul of the Office. If you would like to draw an analogy, think Sir Humphrey Appleby

[John Upham]

t would be much more efficient if memberships could be processed online

I have had discussions with CM & RR at the last 4NCL outlining some of the prerequisites are for this.

However, they may be overruled by CG : don't forget the pecking order! As you quite rightly point out, the office does not wish to become more efficient.

I believe that there were major ructions during the MR-MT-CS-PS era on this very topic. I believe MR attempted to outsource the production of the Yearbook amongst other things.

I wonder if the diary was abandoned if anyone would notice?

[William Metcalfe]

first task is easy the membership cards how stupid is it that every card goes to a individual address.Why do they not send them to the league or club secetry to distribute.
But the pertinant question is how much do we need the office in this modern world there is nothing they do that can not be done from home

[Paul Buswell]

Do you intend to pay for any outsourced tasks or to rely on unpaid volunteers?

Having run the BCF office for 11 years - admittedly in a previous generation - I can assure you that there is no way you can run an effective national organisation without a professional office of some sort.

Whether the office is presently being best managed or resourced is always something to be discussed and reviewed, but the kneejerk trend that I sometimes see to pick on the national office and its staff really is lazy thinking.

Paul Buswell

[Peter Sowray]

Paul,

Your point is well made.

However, the Office as currently constituted is neither affordable nor fit for purpose. There is no need for the Federation to rent office space. The work involved could be done by 2 full-time people, or the equivalents. Of course, these individuals should be suitably recompensed.

Chess Scotland is a good model.

Sadly, since you were running the Office, the ECF has not had a chess player in charge.

The world has also moved on. At least one person with decent IT skills is a must.

Best regards,

Peter

[Matthew Turner]

Paul,
I agree that we should maintain an Office (there are limits to outsourcing). However, it is useful in terms of Cost Benefit analysis to consider the scenario, What would happen if the Office did not exist? There has been nothing new on the ECF website since 18th Dec, so for all I know the Office might have been closed for last month.
We must remember the Office Staff are employees they work for the Federation, over the years this has been forgotten. Look at the list of ECF Officials, the staff come ahead of the CEO. Look at the Presentation to Helenswood School, Cynthia is there representing the ECF - why? Look at the Standard members' rep to ECF Council - Robert Gurney, can he really accurately represent members' interests when his wife is a paid employee?
On this forum you can see examples of where the Office have impeded the work of the elected directors. Now it is quite possible that some of these examples are overstated, but it is all part of a fudging of the line between Directors and Employees. Until the Office is under control, the ECF can never progress, any new vibrant directors will soon get disheartened and leave. I do not know what the solution is, but this is certainly the problem.