Having whip rounds in work - Opinions?
Discussion
Just wondering what peoples opinions are about having whip rounds/collections for people in work. In my work it's becoming excessive I feel and are always instigated by the same woman.
Today I had to give money for some guy having his seventh kid (yes you read that correctly SEVENTH child) a couple of months ago and for some other persons birthday.
I gave a tenner for both ie a fiver each, taken from me by the woman who likes to always start it's immediate colleague.
When she went back to the other room I could just hear them making comment as to how low the amount of money was.
I'm one of the lowest paid members of staff in the company and it seems like every other week i'm expected to give money for birthdays, engagements, new hair do's etc.
Am I being a miserable git?
Today I had to give money for some guy having his seventh kid (yes you read that correctly SEVENTH child) a couple of months ago and for some other persons birthday.
I gave a tenner for both ie a fiver each, taken from me by the woman who likes to always start it's immediate colleague.
When she went back to the other room I could just hear them making comment as to how low the amount of money was.
I'm one of the lowest paid members of staff in the company and it seems like every other week i'm expected to give money for birthdays, engagements, new hair do's etc.
Am I being a miserable git?
Orchid1 said:
Am I being a miserable git?
No. You are not a one-man social security system for office colleagues having babies, having to take time off work to have an anal probe, having their birthday, leaving for another job where they will get more money anyway or any other reason. Just say "no thanks".
If something serious happened, like an office colleague or a member of their family was seriously ill and had to take time off and had run out of sick leave, then I'd stump up a bit of cash willingly. But that is not the case here; I didn't ask for handouts when I had kids. Tell them to p
s off. I rarely contribute to whiprounds or collections at work; the email goes round:
"Alan is 40 next week, any contributions to his present are greatly received, make sure they are in by Friday"
"Wendy is getting married next week, any contributions to her present are greatly received, make sure they are in by Friday"
If asked I decline, I get called a tight arse, I don't care; when it was my 40th last year and when it was my wedding almost 7 years ago, what did I get from my colleagues at work; absolutely fk all, not even a card!!
And it isn't because I haven't contributed originally, it's because I'm not part of that set of people!
"Alan is 40 next week, any contributions to his present are greatly received, make sure they are in by Friday"
"Wendy is getting married next week, any contributions to her present are greatly received, make sure they are in by Friday"
If asked I decline, I get called a tight arse, I don't care; when it was my 40th last year and when it was my wedding almost 7 years ago, what did I get from my colleagues at work; absolutely f
k all, not even a card!!And it isn't because I haven't contributed originally, it's because I'm not part of that set of people!
I work for a very large Company with a culture of whip rounds for everything, in a country with a culture of whip rounds for everything, I refuse all, and then give a good individual present to staff who work with me who get married, (not their children's wedding), and not birthdays and I don't receive birthday gift, actually works well and people appreciate the presents. Same with the one death we had, I sent my own flowers and card.
I hate them. They're especially annoying when they're for somebody you either don't know or don't like.
I'd politely decline and maybe throw in the odd 'can't afford it' comment. Or maybe suggest that this is coming straight out of your future child's bank account (even though you may not have one).
She sounds like a busy body.
I'd politely decline and maybe throw in the odd 'can't afford it' comment. Or maybe suggest that this is coming straight out of your future child's bank account (even though you may not have one).
She sounds like a busy body.
Been working here 13 years - department of about 60, on a site of over a 1,000. I stopped contributing to whip rounds years ago, and even then i only used to give to leaving presents (not birthdays/weddings/etc). Now we're cutting back, there has been someone leaving pretty much every 2 weeks.
I will buy an individual present if a friend of mine is leaving, but otherwise i just sign the card and pass it on.
To be fair, no-one here knows when my birthday is, so its not like they are contributing to me. And if/when i leave i will make it very clear to my boss that i dont want a whip-round/office send off speech etc.... i will just slip out the back door like a naughty dog.
I will buy an individual present if a friend of mine is leaving, but otherwise i just sign the card and pass it on.
To be fair, no-one here knows when my birthday is, so its not like they are contributing to me. And if/when i leave i will make it very clear to my boss that i dont want a whip-round/office send off speech etc.... i will just slip out the back door like a naughty dog.
Orchid1 said:
Just wondering what peoples opinions are about having whip rounds/collections for people in work. In my work it's becoming excessive I feel and are always instigated by the same woman.
Today I had to give money for some guy having his seventh kid (yes you read that correctly SEVENTH child) a couple of months ago and for some other persons birthday.
I gave a tenner for both ie a fiver each, taken from me by the woman who likes to always start it's immediate colleague.
When she went back to the other room I could just hear them making comment as to how low the amount of money was.
I'm one of the lowest paid members of staff in the company and it seems like every other week i'm expected to give money for birthdays, engagements, new hair do's etc.
Am I being a miserable git?
No, bToday I had to give money for some guy having his seventh kid (yes you read that correctly SEVENTH child) a couple of months ago and for some other persons birthday.
I gave a tenner for both ie a fiver each, taken from me by the woman who likes to always start it's immediate colleague.
When she went back to the other room I could just hear them making comment as to how low the amount of money was.
I'm one of the lowest paid members of staff in the company and it seems like every other week i'm expected to give money for birthdays, engagements, new hair do's etc.
Am I being a miserable git?
ks to em!We only really have them if someone is leaving, then a card just gets passed around to sign and you can lob a few £ in the envelope if you feel you want to.
For people I've worked with for years and/or consider to be close friends I'll lob in £10, for people I don't like or who have only been here a few years then less. Just to make a subtle point I even lobbed a handful of coppers into one for one particular individual I was glad to see the back of
Mind you the other bit of this is that the person that is leaving is expected to send an invite round for the pub on a the Friday lunchtime they leave and pick up the tab for the first round so I expect nobody really wins
For people I've worked with for years and/or consider to be close friends I'll lob in £10, for people I don't like or who have only been here a few years then less. Just to make a subtle point I even lobbed a handful of coppers into one for one particular individual I was glad to see the back of
Mind you the other bit of this is that the person that is leaving is expected to send an invite round for the pub on a the Friday lunchtime they leave and pick up the tab for the first round so I expect nobody really wins
I'd have put a packet of condoms in the collection.
Luckily we're a small company, in the last few years I think there's been collections for 3 weddings (one of them mine), 2 leavers, and 2 babies, and as they're all people I know well I'm happy to contribute. In a bigger company I'd only bother for people I know well.
Luckily we're a small company, in the last few years I think there's been collections for 3 weddings (one of them mine), 2 leavers, and 2 babies, and as they're all people I know well I'm happy to contribute. In a bigger company I'd only bother for people I know well.
I would just say that I want to opt that culture and I don't really care if there is some agro about it. You go to work to make money so why spend it on folk you don't really know every week ? Completely different of course if a colleague has a serious illness or they fundraising for a charitable event. Having another child ? A shaking of the hands and perhaps a card wishing them all the very best.
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