The thorny question of workplace 'collections'

Sorry for the weird characters in title. I dont know where they came from.

Irritated, especially since the number has grown and rarely a week passes without Y6 girls carrying one or more envelopes with staff listed, so they can be ticked off, pursuing staff for contributions First it was retirement collections, which extended into leaving collections, even when the leaver had been there less than a year. Then it was wedding collections, and engagement collections followed. Next came baby shower collections and birth congrats collections. Then significant birthday collections- started at 50, but now includes any tens number.
Oh and a collection for the office staff and caretaker/cleaners at Xmas and end of year.
Some I don’t mind, but the idea of endless envelopes with a staff list so you can see who’s contributed drives me mad.
The role of the teacher administering these collections is “agreed” to be a rotating job. I see my turn approaching. I don’t want to do it, but I don’t want to look churlish!

I hated them.
Loathed would be a better description, actually.

We actively discourage them in our SME.

The management (us) provide a gift for significant long service and/or retirement.

"Da management".
Reminded me of Hale and Pace.
The two Rons.

I don’t agree with them, I’ve never even participated in secret Santa
I give to people I’d like to give to whether they’re leaving birthday, whatever I’d do it personally

I didn't like collections as often people felt obliged to give something even if they had never met the person who the collection was for.

I’m a retired teacher. At my school we were all asked to contribute a set amount at the start of each case year to cover contributions to leaving, babies, illness etc. A member of the admin staff then dealt with the card, present or flowers. If you felt very close to someone you could always give your own gift.

Hate them, in my workplace it is unfair how different people are treated. If your face fits/friends with “the boss” or whoever was doing the collection and gift buying then time, care and effort would be spent in finding the perfect gift for the recipient. If not the standard box of Ferrero Rocher and card would be given. I once questioned why that was all someone got knowing there was additional money collected and the response was “I don’t like them and the rest will go to buying another present” which is usually one of their inner circle friends. I have now stopped giving and because I always take the day off when it’s my birthday, I have never received anything in the 8 years I’ve been there…

I mean academic not case!

Exactly what you said, mummytummy.

It wasn't a big problem where I worked (NHS). A notice would go up on the board saying whoever was leaving and when and saying which staff member had the contributions envelope and card. After that it was up to everyone whether or not they contributed. We were a large staff group and inevitably there were people I was happy to cough up for and those I wasn't bothered about or rarely saw. No list of names. The recipient would see on the card who'd contributed. No pressure. System worked well.
Individual teams sometimes organised a night out or farewell meal. Nice all round.

A young relative of mine in her first job had someone hawking around the office asking for £10 each for someone having a baby. Relative politely told her that she did not know the person and could not afford it, as she had not yet had her first pay cheque. She was told to "go to the cash machine". I encouraged her to complain to HR which she did, stating that she felt bullied. Subsequently HR sent around a strongly worded memo forbidding communal collections unless with the permission of the section head. They were only allowed in "exceptional" circumstances and anyone pressuring a co-worker to contribute would be "subject to disciplinery action". So a good outcome to my young cousin for standing up for herself.

To the poster who stated that it was suspected that not all the money collected might have gone to the named recipient - I have always felt there was a lack of transparency about putting money into an envelope. While there might have eventually been an announcement that ££ had been collected and spend on YYY no one ever saw (or asked to see) receipts.

I also dislike the unfairness of what is an arbitary system of marking out life events. People who get engaged, married and then have a baby/leave can get three (or more) collections. Yet others who have worked longer and happen to be childfree and/or single get nothing. Yet they are expected to contribute to gifts for others who may have worked there for a shorter time.

Its rather like the ludicrous syste of going into a pub as a group and having a kitty. Some people drink more than others or have more expensive drinks. So unfair on anyone who it sticking to soft drinks because they are driving or on a diet.

Im just wondering to what extent these workplace collections have fallen into disuse with the cost of living crisis. One person's casual £10 give away may be a substantial part of their weekly shop for a single low paid person.

I was the admin expected to organise this stuff for everyone else and felt bad rattling the tin knowing some were in dire straits and could ill afford to be constantly contributing to others chocolates, flowers etc

I was even asked to contribute to one leaver’s present on my first day in a new post and never actually met the girl!

These things have a pattern of becoming almost competitive, if they're not deliberately kept as intended.

I have always contributed without resentment but felt sorry for the people who never married, had maternity leave, had babies, had big '0' birthdays, were seriously ill and left. The worst one for contributing was the Head, who made a big fuss about don't forget me, digging his hand in his pocket and coming out with a handful of change, which turned out to be coppers from the school fund jar.

When I helped out at a local Day Centre they sometimes had a collection for someone who was having a special 0 birthday.

We all gave something and signed a card but if the Vicar was there he never used to put anything in. He was so tight.
We all gave a donation for our cooked lunch but he never gave to that either yet he was first at the table.

I’ve been the person feeling their leaving gift was way below something a colleague had received just two weeks before. The feeling didn’t last long - partly because I’m basically a sensible soul saw the funny side. Added to that I worked out the colleague (a perfectly nice woman with far less service who had been a very supportive colleague in a stressful setting) was a long time personal friend of three senior managers. My suspicions were confirmed by their secretary and collection organiser who, without prompting, told me the managers had topped up the collection by a considerable amount in order to buy a far grander gift than the norm. Daft in my opinion, they should have made it a personal gift given out of the workplace.

I didn`t mind contributing to collections for wedding or leaving gifts, but where I worked they`d collect if someone lost their wage packet. OK, but when the same person "lost" their wages several times, the practice was halted.

Oh I am a grumpy git, I always give but I hate them.

It was always the same woman in one of the workplaces I was employed. I can visualize her still.

As she walked into the office I would simply mime NO at her and she would slip quickly past my desk. One time I was hlding forth about it being a "racket" and "emotional blackmail" and another woman had taken out her purse ready to contribute. At the end of my little speech she put her purse back into her bag again, saying "I think Biglouis is a bit harsh but I agree in principle with what she says. I dont know the person. Nothing personal but I wont be contributing."

She was older and childfree so I think she had come to see the unfairness of the system. At least she had eventually plucked up the courage to say no.

Luckily it doesn't happen at my workplace. I'm in an odd business with lots of casual employees filling spots so you may not see a person for weeks because they are a different shift.

There has been the odd baby gift that someone has organized, but not everyone is pressured into giving. It's usually one person with an envelope and a card to sign if you want to give. Birthdays are just congratulated on the day, but no gift or cake.

I'm glad, because it can get tedious.

I bloody hate workplace collections

And i agree, its always the dame couple of women who organise these in my workplace