It’s about Brits who go to live and work aboard for the sun and the more relaxed life style. Yet each episode shows couples running bars, restaurants and bed and breakfast establishments but rarely enjoying the weather or the life style as they work 7 days a week, 12 hour days to try and keep their new businesses afloat. Much like the chief executive’s vision for the new style organisation people end up working harder , longer and with greater uncertainty.
The reorganisation is sold on a brighter future. A more efficient future which is therefore a more secure future. It’s better for employees and better for clients/service users. How could anyone not sign up to this future? Will there be redundancies you ask. Will I have a new manager? Will I have new duties and responsibilities? Will there be a pay rise? Will my holiday and sick pay be protected? Will I be redeployed or forced to move teams or workplace?
No compulsory redundancies, terms and conditions remain the same , most people will continue to work in the same team for the same manager. There will be some voluntary redundancies and early retirements. Once completed the reorganisation will result in fewer managers. There will be some changes in working practices, for example some people will work some of the time from home and we will make greater use of smart technology. Increased delegation and devolved responsibility will lead to less bureaucracy and quicker decision making.
As with any major change there will be some disruption and uncertainty as we try different ways of working. But the long term benefits will out way any short term difficulties.
New Life in the sun has been followed up with what happen next to those expats who chased the dream life in the sun. The follow up program is called New Life in the Sun : Where are they now. The program focuses on those still there two or three years later. Without exception all said it was harder than they ever imagined. Some marriages were broken in the process. There were mistakes and false starts. Old buildings turned into money pits.
There were unforeseen complications with local regulations. And builders were unreliable as builders are known to be every where. Most people ended up doing the work themselves or roping in family and friends to help out. Leaving little time for for a social life or even to enjoy the warmer, sunnier climate. All agreed they had never worked so hard. Despite the setbacks all said they intended to stay (on camera anyway).
But like those reorganisations, did you ever hear a chief executive say it had all been a huge and distracting waste of time ? Clearly some people were making a success of their new businesses, but it seemed to me often at the expense of their quality of life the very reason they sort a new life.
