Office colleagues and 'donations'

razorblunt

Don't get me started on the kants who only collect enough money for them to cover the cost of their supposed cycle/trek etc.

They started a collection in my place for contractors who'd leave after 6 months, they'd earn about £550 a day whilst working with us, they can fock off. That soon stopped.

Icsics

Ah yes 'the social committee', a collection of the most unsociable people on staff, but who are charged with collecting money for their pals. Collections & nights out for people who moved for promotions & then moved back (for another promotion) crack me up!

Arcade_Tryer

"Sorry, I've increased my monthly donations to Concern and Amnesty this year and I'm giving a tenner to the homeless family on my way home this evening".

Victor

My last resignation email:

"If you attempt to have a 'whip around' for me, I will set fire to the money. It is an utterly obnoxious practice to ask people, many on very low incomes, for money for other people, especially when social pressure is put on them in the workplace to comply."

Neon_Lights

Victor wrote: »

especially when social pressure is put on them in the workplace to comply."

Or those administratively astute stiff necks who enclose a sign sheet with name amount and signatures, for "transparency":D

mzungu

_Jamie_ wrote: »

I especially hate office kris kindls because a) if you object, you're suddenly a scrooge who hates Xmas, b) people are under enough financial pressure at this time of year (that "only a tenner" might be a lot to someone) and c) it really is pure distilled mindless consumerism. Buying presents for people you know and love = rewarding. Buying presents for a vague acquaintance = pain in the hoop.

Amen to that.

Neon_Lights

_Jamie_ wrote: »

I especially hate office kris kindls because a) if you object, you're suddenly a scrooge who hates Xmas, b) people are under enough financial pressure at this time of year (that "only a tenner" might be a lot to someone) and c) it really is pure distilled mindless consumerism. Buying presents for people you know and love = rewarding. Buying presents for a vague acquaintance = pain in the hoop.

Novelty oversized pint glasses from the art and hobby shop, given directly at the christmas party, work a treat for this. Hilarity ensues, and you get your moneys worth of drunken entertainment

Collie D

Usually have no issue with it. Only time I ever opted out was for a leaving do for a lad who had been with us for about three months. In our place nobody goes around collecting though. Email is sent saying X has an envelope. So people can give freely without pressure.

I do draw the line at Kris Kindle though. I'm useless and unimaginative as it is about getting presents for close family without stressing out over another present for someone I barely know. Plus it'll usually be some €10 piece of crap that'll go in their drawer only to be seen again when they move desk.

anewme

ClovenHoof wrote: »

One time he got people to fork up for a statue of 'Our Lady' in the canteen FFS.

Best comment I've read all day

I like that man already

_Jamie_

Collie D wrote: »

I'm useless and unimaginative as it is about getting presents for close family without stressing out over another present for someone I barely know.

Yes, this is exactly it! That's what makes it mindless consumerism. Spending money on something the recipient probably won't even like. My OH and his colleagues all made a pact to just buy each other booze for Kris Kindl. Can't go wrong. :pac:

Victor wrote: »

My last resignation email:

"If you attempt to have a 'whip around' for me, I will set fire to the money. It is an utterly obnoxious practice to ask people, many on very low incomes, for money for other people, especially when social pressure is put on them in the workplace to comply."

OMfG, this is brilliant. Did you really do this? Can I ask, were you a senior employee? I can't see someone low down the chain being able to do this.

topper75

Victor wrote: »

My last resignation email:

"If you attempt to have a 'whip around' for me, I will set fire to the money. It is an utterly obnoxious practice to ask people, many on very low incomes, for money for other people, especially when social pressure is put on them in the workplace to comply."

Refreshing integrity. All too rare.

Victor

_Jamie_ wrote: »

OMfG, this is brilliant. Did you really do this? Can I ask, were you a senior employee? I can't see someone low down the chain being able to do this.

OK, it wasn't a model resignation. I was rather annoyed. I had exposed criminal behaviour in a related organisation and when I said this to the boss that I was making a complaint, I was told "Oh, don't do that." Resignation came within an hour of my complaint being upheld.

For me it was just a part-time job - I had other income. For others, it was everything they earned.

_Jamie_

Victor wrote: »

OK, it wasn't a model resignation.

No, I think it's great. I was once that low-paid employee. I remember once us all being expected to kick in €20 for someone's leaving do. I was on just under €20,000 a year. This is about five years ago. I had just moved cities and was not long in the job and it was approaching pay day. I simply did not have the funds. I pulled aside a trusted senior employee and told her my predicament. She lent me the money until I got paid. She was a very discreet woman and I know she would have told nobody but it was awful that she and I were put in that awkward position.

Oodoov

Just tell tell them no and move on with your day OP. Sometimes i think people over think stuff tbh.

_Jamie_

Oodoov wrote: »

Just tell tell them no and move on with your day OP. Sometimes i think people over think stuff tbh.

Depending on the workplace politics, it's not always so simple.

davo2001

_Jamie_ wrote: »

Depending on the workplace politics, it's not always so simple.

Office politics is a myth, and yes it is that easy. People don't "need" to give anything.

rickis tache

coworker mentioned that there was a card for the boss and everyone was putting in 10 euro in for Christmas. I said not everyone was. he is a Sh1t boss and I ain't giving him a red cent. was not well received.

already I can't wait to go back in January and watch the a$$ licker squirm after HR pull them in for a bullying complaint I lodged 20 mins before leaving. ðŸ˜

_Jamie_

davo2001 wrote: »

Office politics is a myth, and yes it is that easy. People don't "need" to give anything.

I concede that people don't have to do anything but office politics is most certainly not a myth. It's easy to say "I wouldn't let anyone tell ME what to do" but, well, talk is cheap.

Alpha_zero

_Jamie_ wrote: »

No, I think it's great. I was once that low-paid employee. I remember once us all being expected to kick in €20 for someone's leaving do. I was on just under €20,000 a year. This is about five years ago. I had just moved cities and was not long in the job and it was approaching pay day. I simply did not have the funds. I pulled aside a trusted senior employee and told her my predicament. She lent me the money until I got paid. She was a very discreet woman and I know she would have told nobody but it was awful that she and I were put in that awkward position.

To be honest in this situation you should have just refused to give the money and there was no need to give an such detailed information pertaining to your personal finances which are nobodies business but your own.

You did this all to get a loan to put in madness!

davo2001

_Jamie_ wrote: »

I concede that people don't have to do anything but office politics is most certainly not a myth. It's easy to say "I wouldn't let anyone tell ME what to do" but, well, talk is cheap.

I work in an office myself, you can part take on office politics bull**** if you want, it's a choice. I don't.

_Jamie_

Alpha_zero wrote: »

To be honest in this situation you should have just refused to give the money and there was no need to give an such detailed information pertaining to your personal finances which are nobodies business but your own.

By refusing to pitch in €20, far more people would have known about my finanical situation than just that one or at least would have drawn their own conclusions. Which is exactly the problem with these office whip-arounds. Like I said, it's easy for people to come with "Shoulda woulda coulda"s and pontificate about what they would have done, but the reality might be very different.

_Kaiser_

davo2001 wrote: »

I work in an office myself, you can part take on office politics bull**** if you want, it's a choice. I don't.

You may not partake but there are circumstances when you still have to be aware of it and work within it if you expect to get things done. Just the way it is.

Where it's even more annoying is when you get to a senior level as it's very much about personality and relationships as opposed to just pure performance.

Alpha_zero

_Jamie_ wrote: »

By refusing to pitch in €20, far more people would have known about my finanical situation than just that one or at least would have drawn their own conclusions. Which is exactly the problem with these office whip-arounds. Like I said, it's easy for people to come with "Shoulda woulda coulda"s and pontificate about what they would have done, but the reality might be very different.

I work in an environment where these whip arounds are very common, just started and there are two people leaving, and a person getting married. I don't know these people so no i didn't sign the cards, and the other people working there were aware of the fact.

I gave no reason why i didn't but am sure there is some common sense among the people who drew the logical conclusion that he didn't know the people in question or he wanted to keep the money for himself. People are petulant but the world keeps on turning.

Refusing to give the money would not reveal your current financial situation. Someone asked me to sponsor some relative, to do some run for some charity, i said sorry no. They will be spitting their Venom about someone else in a few days. There is never an amount stipulated though where i work but five would be the minimum.

In your circumstance described i would not have given it, because that money needed to be in my pocket.

BraveDonut

Neon_Lights wrote: »

i find that because of contactless payments i rarely have cash on me anymore, i hate to be a tight arse but however it makes life great for:

- avoiding donations and unsavoury cough up style payments in the office
- letting down junkies and beggars who approach
- an overflowing coin pocket in my wallet

and thats my 2 cents on the issue

Where did you get the 2 cents then?

_Jamie_

Alpha_zero wrote: »

I work in an environment where these whip arounds are very common, just started and there are two people leaving, and a person getting married. I don't know these people so no i didn't sign the cards, and the other people working there were aware of the fact.

I gave no reason why i didn't but am sure there is some common sense among the people who drew the logical conclusion that he didn't know the people in question or he wanted to keep the money for himself. People are petulant but the world keeps on turning.

Refusing to give the money would not reveal your current financial situation.

I worked in a small lab of less than ten people. Everyone knew everyone. So in this situation, absolutely one of the conclusions drawn could be that I am broke. And no matter what conclusion was drawn, it wouldn't have gone down well and would have made things awkward had I not contributed.

Alpha_zero

_Jamie_ wrote: »

I worked in a small lab of less than ten people. Everyone knew everyone. So in this situation, absolutely one of the conclusions drawn could be that I am broke. And no matter what conclusion was drawn, it wouldn't have gone down well and would have made things awkward had I not contributed.

The awkwardness would have passed, and i'm guessing you didn't attend the leaving do as you you couldn't afford it, which would have mitigated the awkwardness of you not paying. He didn't pay cause he wasn't going to attend, plus he is new and getting settled in to a new city.

It would not have put a broke sign over your head, and working in a low paid profession others could surely understand. i could never put keeping face over my own financial well being. However if i didn't pay i would not attend.

purpleisafruit

My office is small and rather than doing crappy Secret Santa, we all chipped in money to be donated to charity. Company then agreed to match the staff donation.
Hate the whole "X is leaving" and you have no idea who they are and expected to stump up money for them crap though.

_Jamie_

Alpha_zero wrote: »

The awkwardness would have passed, and i'm guessing you didn't attend the leaving do as you you couldn't afford it, which would have mitigated the awkwardness of you not paying. He didn't pay cause he wasn't going to attend, plus he is new and getting settled in to a new city.

Everyone's contribution was going towards the lunchtime do at the restaurant right beside so no avoiding it. Anyhoo, I'm not going back and forth on this, it could not be avoided.

Jawgap

When people get engaged, pregnant, graduate, etc in our place there is always a whip around......


.......but it's to buy cakes and pastries for us to scoff not for them to spend

Alpha_zero

Jawgap wrote: »

When people get engaged, pregnant, graduate, etc in our place there is always a whip around......


.......but it's to buy cakes and pastries for us to scoff not for them to spend

Still a waste