Work/Etiquette Question?

[Maleficent13]

If the manager of your department were to undergo major surgery, and someone decided to take up a department donation to send flowers to the manager, would you contribute? There was no specific amount requested, just whatever you could give.

I'm not talking about a removed upper management person. I mean the manager who is in the department 8 hours a day, interacting with all the employees regularly.

Our department manager just had surgery, and out of 30 employees, a whopping 4 donated to the flowers.

 

[bajanswife]

Wow, I can't believe so few donated! Was this manager really unpopular?

Of course I would contribute to something like that!

 

[golfgal]

Yes, I would contribute. I wouldn't think twice about it, but I do know a lot of people that wouldn't (and then get all bent out of shape if people don't give them things).

 

[NMAmy]

Oh, that is so tacky. I'm usually the one doing the collecting and what I've found is that those who make the most money usually contribute the least.

One way that we've gotten around this is by having what we call the "social fund." I send out a flyer at the beginning of the semester and request donations. We then use that money to send flowers, buy birthday cards, buy food for meetings, etc. I think everyone appreciates only having to contribute once--it's anonymous and some give more than others but I keep that a secret.

 

[CheshireVal]

I would donate a few dollars, but really I guess it would depend on whether there's already a fund set aside for this sort of thing, or how often requests like this came out.

At my last job, we had to contribute $15 annually to a fund that provided get-well flowers, wedding presents, baby gifts, etc. On top of that, there was an envelope being passed around about 2-3 times a month for money for various showers and parting gifts. It got to the point of being ridiculous, and I stopped contributing after a while.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

I would try to give something. OTOH, I would try not to think unkindly of those who chose not to donate. Whether or not they had a good reason, it is still their choice. (And I've had a couple of managers for whom I might have chosen not to donate toward flowers. )

 

[Michelina]

I would donate but I wouldn't be surprised at the number of people who didn't. I've come to realize that people are really cheap. Our dept of 30 people "adopted" 3 soldiers to send care packages. I found out that the company wouldn't cover the shipping charges, so I sent out an email asking that each person please donate $1 each. 10 people donated.

 

[kirbsam]

I would contribute.

 

[Maleficent13]

I got her flowers on my own, because we have a friendship outside work, but so few people have contributed that I'm going to throw a few bucks in the pot here too.

And to whomever asked, I can't remember the last time we passed the hat for something. But basically, it feels like if they can't get a party out of it, they ain't doing it.

 

[Aidensmom]

Sometimes it depends on the cash you have on hand. A lot of times I don't carry cash, so if I don't know ahead of time someone is going to take a collection, I don't have the money to give them. If I have cash, I will donate, even if all I can afford is a dollar.

One place I worked when a collection was being taken, they asked for $10 a piece for our manager for a gift. I could not afford to give that much, and they wouldn't let me give a lesser amount. I thought that was strange. I guess I wasn't worthy of being acknowledged as a gift giver if I couldn't give the whole amount.

 

[Keli]

It would depend on the circumstances. I've had a couple of bosses that I wouldn't have donated anything to a flower fund for and others that I'd gladly have donated. I believe that there is probably a direct ratio between the number of givers and how good a manager they are from their employees' perspective.

 

[cats7494]

Yes, I would donate something but I do recognize that not everyone is not always able to do so.

 

[luvmydogs]

Major surgery--absolutely I would donate, probably without much pause as to my personal feelings about this person. There are many people for whom every single dollar matters, and I do realize that not everyone can make donations when circumstances arise. Now there are people (like my dh!) who are just cheap. You can't pry a penny out of that man's fingers.

We used to have a "Sunshine Fund" where I once worked--$5 a month out of our paychecks that went towards situations like this. People complained and it was discontinued.

 

[SC Minnie]

I would contribute but when something like that happens here surgery, death in family, etc flowers are sent but from the company and go against the entertainment budget. The admin asst for the dept they work would be the one to set it up.

 

[aprincessmom]

It depends on how close I am to the person. If I had just a standard work relationship, I'd donate to the group gift. If I was closer to this person -- had a more personal relationship with him or her -- I'd send my own gift

 

[PlaneJoy1]

Our policy was that each person (I'm in a medium/large area) would contribute $2 per occurance. It got out of hand for a little while until another policy was made for what occurances we would actually send flowers (i.e. death of a parent or sibling but not a grand-parent, aunt, etc.).

There was no guessing how much would be collected either.

 

[Microcell]

I work with eight, count em, eight people. When my DD had her appendix out I had to miss 10 days of work, and we were planning a trip to WDW. I had already decided it was going on credit if it had to but my little girl would go. I came back to work and they gave me an envelope with $200.00 dollars in it!

I need to go and re-thank every one of them!

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I would in a second, but I think that I would go outside the group and buy your manager flowers on my own, in my name. I own my own business with 25 employees and thay are all given two one-week paid vacations a year around Xmas and for the 4th of July. There are a few who, if they go on vacation while away, will bring me back gifts from their travels. I truly like everyone who works for me, but the ones who care enough to bring back gifts, and we're talking about WDW coasters or a mug, something small, are definitely held in higher regard with me. Not because I consider these gifts as pay offs, but because they care, and that makes it special.

 

[experiment626mom]

I would donate. I think sometimes it depends on the amount of time that you give people to come up with the cash. I usually don't carry alot of money with me so I need a little notice.

 

[marybet]

Why not just get a card and have everyone sign it? I know there were times when I was working that even $2 would have been a real struggle. Sure some just don't want to give but some just can't.

I started work for a dentist once right before Christmas, my husband was not working and money was tight. I could not stand the dentist and when they started to collect for the gift I just said I couldn't afford to donate. I think there were 4 or 5 other women who worked there and they knew what a hard time the guy had been giving me and they put my name on the gift, which I thought was nice of them. But it would have been fine if they hadn't.

I also worked at a hospital were the manager would pressure people to donate for stuff that would make her look good, like when one of the head guys was leaving. This guy made more than any of us and I didn't donate, one woman who really couldn't afford to did because she didn't want the manager to be mad at her. I am glad that I don't have to worry about stuff like that anymore.