OrangeBirdGirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2014
- Messages
- 1,108
Not really sure if this is budget board, but it seems that this board is most active in the spending money category 
I work in government so there aren't Christmas parties, bonuses or gifts from the company. Everything is structured in our benefits so our boss can't even grant us extra vacation days or a raise (I mean we get a raise but it's on a published schedule that you know what you will make annually minus COLA until you get to your top pay).
My department has a director, deputy director and 8 employees. Previous years employees have all chipped in for the director and deputy Christmas gifts. I feel it was very low. 9 of us chipped in $22 for the director and gave him $200 in cash. 8 of us chipped in $12.50 and gave the deputy $100 cash. This was up last year from probably $15/each for director and $10/each for deputy. That raised an uproar and the one part time person went to the extent to calculate her annual hours compared to a full time annual hours and gave a prorated amount for her gift. So now the clerical lady who organized the collection will not do it again as everyone isn't on the same page. I get her point, I wouldn't want to deal with that either.
But now my dilemma is what do I give the director for a gift? The deputy I just bought a $25 TJ Maxx gift card (she loves that store). I feel that a $25 gc for the director is too cheap. I was thinking a $50 card to Dicks as he's a huge sports fan so he could get a shirt or he golfs and runs so he could buy something. But on the other hand I don't want to appear like I'm kissing his *** or trying to upshow the rest of the department (not like he would share with others what he gets). Another lady is giving gift cards too (not sure amount). One guy is giving each a bottle of wine because "he could just find something for $10 and that's good". Another lady doesn't feel the need to even give the bosses a gift since they make twice what she does, so she's not doing anything.
In return the director takes us out to lunch so maybe $17-20 a person. The deputy orders in pizza and gives us each a box of chocolates from a local confectionery. The person I direct supervise I do not do anything for and she doesn't do anything for me in return.
As for how I rate on the department totem pole, I'm right in the middle 4 people above me are higher pay grades and 5 are below me. The director is at almost double my salary. What's everyones thought on the $50 GC? Too much or appropriate? I guess I'm specifically looking for people who is in a similar director/department head role and receive gifts from individual staff and how you see it being when you receive such a variety in gift values.
A coworker in another department feels the gift is nice and my director being the humble man he is will appreciate it and find it generous. Another coworker (also in another department) feels director is 2x my salary so why should I give him more then what he does for me? My thought is he has 9 people to buy for and I have 2.
Thank you all for the input!
I work in government so there aren't Christmas parties, bonuses or gifts from the company. Everything is structured in our benefits so our boss can't even grant us extra vacation days or a raise (I mean we get a raise but it's on a published schedule that you know what you will make annually minus COLA until you get to your top pay).
My department has a director, deputy director and 8 employees. Previous years employees have all chipped in for the director and deputy Christmas gifts. I feel it was very low. 9 of us chipped in $22 for the director and gave him $200 in cash. 8 of us chipped in $12.50 and gave the deputy $100 cash. This was up last year from probably $15/each for director and $10/each for deputy. That raised an uproar and the one part time person went to the extent to calculate her annual hours compared to a full time annual hours and gave a prorated amount for her gift. So now the clerical lady who organized the collection will not do it again as everyone isn't on the same page. I get her point, I wouldn't want to deal with that either.
But now my dilemma is what do I give the director for a gift? The deputy I just bought a $25 TJ Maxx gift card (she loves that store). I feel that a $25 gc for the director is too cheap. I was thinking a $50 card to Dicks as he's a huge sports fan so he could get a shirt or he golfs and runs so he could buy something. But on the other hand I don't want to appear like I'm kissing his *** or trying to upshow the rest of the department (not like he would share with others what he gets). Another lady is giving gift cards too (not sure amount). One guy is giving each a bottle of wine because "he could just find something for $10 and that's good". Another lady doesn't feel the need to even give the bosses a gift since they make twice what she does, so she's not doing anything.
In return the director takes us out to lunch so maybe $17-20 a person. The deputy orders in pizza and gives us each a box of chocolates from a local confectionery. The person I direct supervise I do not do anything for and she doesn't do anything for me in return.
As for how I rate on the department totem pole, I'm right in the middle 4 people above me are higher pay grades and 5 are below me. The director is at almost double my salary. What's everyones thought on the $50 GC? Too much or appropriate? I guess I'm specifically looking for people who is in a similar director/department head role and receive gifts from individual staff and how you see it being when you receive such a variety in gift values.
A coworker in another department feels the gift is nice and my director being the humble man he is will appreciate it and find it generous. Another coworker (also in another department) feels director is 2x my salary so why should I give him more then what he does for me? My thought is he has 9 people to buy for and I have 2.
Thank you all for the input!
