Unhappy at work? Who better to help than George...

Kevin Doyle

POOR George Lee -- he must have thought somebody in RTE was having a laugh when they asked him to present a show about unhappiness in the workplace.

In his latest reincarnation, the former stockbroker, journalist and politician was set the task of uncovering the secrets of a happy workplace.

It seems like a cruel job for the man who quit RTE to become a TD, only to discover he didn't like the life of pothole fixing.

The advertisement for the special edition of The Business notes: "Seven out of 10 of us are not happy in work, but most of us do nothing about it."

As a result, Lee is "on a mission to discover the secrets of a happy workplace".

Of course George did do something about his unhappiness after just nine months in the Dail, when he dramatically quit Fine Gael.

Analysts say that if he hadn't, he might even be Finance Minister by now.

But at the time of his resignation, he lamented: "The role I have been playing within the party has been very limited and I have found this to be personally unfulfilling."

He added: "After nine months of trying within the political system it is now my considered view that the role available to me within Fine Gael is not a role I am happy to play."

Qualified

Nobody better qualified, then, to examine what makes workers happy and explain how contented employees are good for business.

"He speaks to all the experts to find out the secrets of a happy workplace and exactly how to create it," say RTE.

What a shame they didn't send him back to Leinster House to explore what the political parties are doing wrong.

The Business airs on RTE One tonight at 8.30pm.

kdoyle@herald.ie