Do you "give at the office"?

[Deb in IA]

As you can imagine, there are a lot of people who work here in the hospital, and in our clinic.

As such, people are constantly having "events" -- retirements, weddings, babies, etc.

Inevitably, someone takes puts out an e-mail for the entire staff for contributions to a gift.

Does your workplace do this? If so, do you contribute? How much?
And for whom -- everyone, or just people with whom you work most closely?

 

[onecoolmama]

You know..I worked in a smaller office, but I always gave $5 if I didnt know the person $10 if I did!

 

[Christine]

Yes, we do this in our office. If I absolutely have no contact with the person involved, I will not contribute.

If they are an acquaintance, I say hello occasionally, etc., I will usually give $5.

If I work with them directly, know them pretty well, etc. I will give $10. If I *like* them a lot, on top of this, I might give more.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

the last time I worked "in an office" we all had the choice of voluntarily contributing $1 each paycheck to a fund. Everytime somebody got married, retired, had a baby, or left for another job a gift would be purchased out of that fund. Nobody was allowed to ask for contributions beyond that.

We were a smaller staff however. I don't think that would work in a hospital.

 

[Trish Bessette]

I work in a small office and I do contribute towards a gift. I am usually the one who collects and does the shopping though.

In fact, one of our guys have been promoted and is leaving the state so I am in the process of collecting for him.

I think it all depends on where you work. It must get pretty old having to contribute all the time. In the past 5 years, I've only had to contribute twice so I give larger amounts, $25.00 or so.

 

[Bob Slydell]

I'll give for people I work around -- outside of our department, I usually don't give for gifts.

 

[Bob Slydell]

sorry -- double post

 

[Winka]

This may be OT but a friend of mine was just discussing how her family(they are Indian) has to "give" everytime local groups come to solicit the local businesses for whatever drive or event they're having. If they don't, their neighbors single them out, and ONLY them though they were not the only ones to beg off donating, with very harsh criticism, often using racist terms and language, exclusing them from local merchant meetings etc.

That just boiled my bubble and had to get it out there. Vile extortion.

Sorry for the OT...I hate being obliged to "donate" for the work anniversary of someone on the second floor who I may have held the door for once in March....gimme a break. But, I hate being excluded too so yes, I'll go ahead and chip in $5 or so depending.

 

[tastelikecandy]

I try to give as often as I can. I hate to pass anyone up for their B-day and when it is a person who has wronged me, I give even more.

 

[NMAmy]

I work at a college and for the office staff & administrators--we'll collect money for each birthday and buy a nice gift and lunch (either a potluck or delivery).

For the entire department, we have what we call a "Social Fund" that we use to buy things like flowers if a family member has passed away or someone is in the hospital, party supplies for dept events (potlucks, etc.), birthday cards, baby gifts, retirement gifts--all sorts of different things. I send out a memo at the beginning of each semester or when the fund is getting low making it very clear what the money is used for and that no one is obligated to contribute and that all gifts are anonymous. I've had people ask me how much others are contributing and I tell them that my lips are sealed--contribute what YOU"RE comfortable with or can afford--I'm the only one who will know and I ain't talking. Nothing is fine...$50 is fine and anything in between. I keep a log (to keep track of donations and expenditures) but no names are logged in--merely the word Donation and then the amount.

The faculty love this because they know the gift is taken care of and they don't have to do more than give me the money--I take care of everything else.

 

[LuvTigger]

I work in an office of about 20 people, and most of the offices in my building are pretty close.

If it's for someone in my office, I always give. Usually whoever plans the even will set a price, but I sometimes let everyone contribute what they want (depending on what the event is) because I know that the degree of "closeness" varies between people.

What gets a little more "sticky," at least to me, is when there is an event for people in other offices. If it's for someone I have never met, I won't contribute. If it's for someone I know and talk to occasionally, I will contribute the requested amount, or maybe $5 if there is no set amount. Sometimes I give $10 if I am closer to the person. We also get invitations to potlucks for individuals which we usually participate in, but frankly, I think it gets to be too much to have a potluck for every person in the building who has some kind of event, especially if it's a birthday. Don't get me wrong, birthdays are very special to me, but I just think it gets out of hand if you try to plan a potluck for every single person's birthday in the building! (For in-office birthdays, we try to celebrate monthly with a cake, pie, ice cream, or some other dessert.)

 

[Cruise04]

We have a "Sunshine Fund" in our office. The professional staff contribute a certain amount for the whole year and the secretarial staff and interns contribute a certain amount for the whole year. This is used for bosses day, secretaries day, gifts for when someone leaves, holiday gathering, and our end of the year dinner for our interns. if we run low, then we ask people to contribute to whatever we are doing - like this year one of our secretaries is retiring and we are doing a nice dinner and a couple of rememberance gifts for her. Everyone is paying their own amount for the dinner as well as for her dinner and then also contributing to a larger gift for her. This is because our fund is running low on funds.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

"Get Well, Get Well. We wish you will get well!

Sorry, ever since I read the OP Elaine Benis's voice has been singing this in my head (there was a Seinfeld episode where Elaine felt she was being dollared to death from all of the office collections).

Our office usually only collects $ when there is a tragedy in someone's family. Yes, I usually give. When there is a retirement, baby or someone leaving, we do a pot luck lunch and some, but not all, bring gifts.

 

[missypie]

We have a firm wide organization called the "Sunshine Club." It's voluntary, but has dues, so if you pay your dues (very reasonable) you won't get hit up for anything else.

Another money saver is that the Sushine Club dose a monthly birthday party in the breakroom for everyone with a birthday that month. They buy a cake and everyone else (except the birthday folks) brings snacks. If the "kitty" gets low, they let folks know and some people contribute extra.

This all really works well. I don't think anyne feels pressured to give give give.

I should also say that the "firm" (meaning us generous partners) purchases a nice wedding gift when employees get married, a nice girft when somene retires and sends flowers for births, deaths and hospitalizations.

 

[aprilgail2]

We collect for babies, retirements and death in the family-its basically what you want, anywhere from 5-20.00. We go around to each person and ask them face to face, no emails so if you want to refuse you have to do it in person LOL.