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21
BSC AND ELECTRIC IRELAND
October/November 2013 www.esb.ie/em
Appreciation
NOREEN REILLY
NOREEN'S HUGE number of friends among serving staff and retired were greatly saddened by the news of her passing on August 5th last.
Noreen had worked in Invoice Section/Accounts Payable/Shared Services for almost 35 years, during which she brought a lively intelligence, dedication, adaptability and accuracy to every task.
Many of the large crowd who showed their respects had reason to be grateful for her presence in their lives. The huge crowd that over-spilled the church at Noreen's funeral mass bore further eloquent testament to her effect on so many people's lives.
Loyalty, friendship, kindness and compassion were at the very heart of her nature. Her acts of kindness and compassion were always performed quietly and with the utmost discretion. Her memory and concern for the things that mattered most in the lives of those she worked with were extraordinary - as were her patience and willingness to go the extra mile.
She loved nothing better than a cliff-hanger in Croke Park- especially if Galway came out on top! It was a great sadness that she didn't live to see the ladies in maroon carry off the Minor and Senior Camogie trophies this year.
That same bravery and dedication needed by all good sports people Noreen brought to the struggle with her illness. Her suffering and disappointments were kept to herself; news of her remissions and successes were shared with and celebrated by her friends.
The lives of all those who knew Noreen have been diminished by her passing.
The loss endured by her husband and love of her life, Declan, and by her brothers and sisters is incalculable. To them we send our deepest sympathies.
Appreciation
WILLIE CARPENTER
ON SATURDAY August 10th came the tragic news that our friend and colleague, Willie Carpenter, had passed away suddenly.
Willie came to work in the Head Office Restaurant in 1997 as Kitchen Porter and from that day on he came to be loved and respected by all who knew him. His amazing qualities and infectious personality ensured he had a huge heart for everyone. Willie arrived into work every day singing, whistling and happy to be there. No job was ever too big or too small for Willie and the word ‘no’ never existed for him.
Eight months before his sudden passing, Willie left his beloved restaurant to join Tommy Stafford in the Stores, where he got his new title among his colleagues as ‘Lord Mayor'. Willie had two loves in his life: his family - his wife Marie (whom he always referred to as Miss World), his sons Jason and Keith, daughters Dionne and Lorna, his beloved grandchildren - and his family here in ESB. Willie loved ESB and was very proud of his work here.
We all have our fond personal memories of Willie which we will cherish forever. We extend our deepest sympathy to Marie and all Willie's family. We all love you and miss you Willie -RIP.
All-Ireland Minor Championship Hurling Final
SwivelSecure mobile phone solution to replace RSA tokens
» A key strand of the IT strategy 2013-2017 is to facilitate access to technology in order to enable ESB to effectively and efficiently support the business. In line with this, the BSC (through IT Services) are in the process of changing and improving the way staff can remotely access ESB's Corporate Systems (e.g., through myoffice.esb.ie). This change will involve the phasing out of the current RSA tokens through the introduction of a mobile phone-based solution called Swivel Secure.
FOR USERS WHO have Windows, Apple or Android smartphones, a secure smartphone App will replace the need to carry a RSA token. The App is available for free from the relevant platform app store.
The new solution has a variety of benefits over the current RSA token solution
For users with all other types of mobile phone (including non-smartphones), SMS text messages will be used instead. Where currently your RSA token generates a six-digit code to enable you to logon to myoffice.esb.ie, Swivel will now transmit this access code directly to your smart mobile phone, via the free App or a standard free SMS text.
The new solution has a variety of benefits over the current RSA token solution.
A successful pilot of the system has been carried out in conjunction with the various Business Units and a number of staff from across the business are already using Swivel to log-on to production systems.
Before the solution is rolled out across the company, existing RSA users will be contacted by IT Services to determine your phone type (i.e., Windows, Android, Apple, non-smart-phone, other). SMS users will also be asked for your mobile phone number.
At this time, you can only choose one phone to receive the codes. If you have more than one mobile phone you should nominate the device that you wish to use when you are logging in. After each user is set up on the new system, they will be contacted with the relevant instructions as to how to initially set-up your phone and how to use the new service. It is planned to move most users to the new service by the end of 2014.
In order to fully realise the cost savings to the ESB, IT Services will also be asking you to return your RSA tokens through the internal mail after you have successfully transitioned over to the new solution.
Why do we use services like RSA and SwivelSecure?
Services like RSA and SwivelSecure are examples of two factor authentication (2FA) methods. 2FA requires users to have two out of following three types of credentials before being able to access an IT application or service:
• Something you know, e.g., a password or a PIN
• Something you have, e.g., a credit card, an ATM card, a phone, or a RSA token
• Something you are, e.g., fingerprint, retina pattern
2FA makes your account more secure than a username/password alone and prevents malicious access to your account in the event that your password is compromised - through logging in from a non-secure machine for example.
COST
Reduced cost due to the lack of physical tokens
CONVENIENCE
• No expiry of tokens
• Users no longer have to collect new tokens in HO
• Reduced Service Centre Overhead to mange the process
• No delay in getting tokens to remote locations
• No need to carry RSA token
STRATEGY
• Facilitates access to technology in order to efficiently support the business in line with the IT strategy 2013-2017
• Software Tokens fit with ESB's environmental strategy by reducing unnecessary waste
Sparks providing a voice
AFTER THE PUBLICATION of the results of the ESB Staff Survey in 2011, Electric Ireland set up a Business Advisory Group to look at the results and develop initiatives to address the issues raised.
Following a competition within Electric Ireland, the group re-branded as SPARKS. Volunteer representatives from each of the business lines were appointed to this group and represent all staff members at all levels, providing a voice for concerns, comments, ideas and suggestions and acting as a link to the Senior Management Team. Group members have been selected across all grades, genders and age groups.
Meetings are held once a month.
The meetings have a rotating chairperson and secretary. At these meetings SPARKS discuss each of these topics in a collaborative and transparent manner, engaging everyone and encouraging open discussion of the issues.
We believe that improvements in all these areas will increase morale generally and encourage all staff initiatives and events, which improve our workplace and make it a great place to work. At a workshop held for the group, initiatives were identified and focus groups were set up to keep the momentum of these initiatives to the forefront. One initiative that the team worked together on was to draw up a ‘meeting etiquette’ for Electric Ireland. We discussed this with staff and received numerous suggestions of ‘dos and don'ts'. The ‘meeting etiquette’ was signed-off by Senior Management and launched in 2013. It is now part of Electric Ireland policy.
GROUP MEMBERS ARE:
Samantha Breen, HR; David Begg, Energy Services; Lisa Browne, Marketing & Sales Channel; Alan Daisey, CRM Business Markets; Robert Forde, Business Operations; Susan McGuinness, Customer Operations; James Reilly, Commercial; Louise Rooney, Finance; Ronan Sheehy, Customer Operations Manager; Sandra Thompson, Business Operations; and Bernie O'Connor, Equality & Diversity.
KEY AIMS
• Improve communications across all levels, promote work/life balance initiatives and improve staff aware ness of corporate decision making
• Engender a greater sense of personal fulfilment, fully roll out PDPs, encourage career development and provide greater transparency in matters of recruitment
• Improve partnership across the business between Management and Staff
