Expected Donation to Bosses Xmas Fund!!!!

vaio

I’d say it is a bit off but if it’s what everyone does then go along with it

The bosses spend a grand or more on your Christmas bonus(es) (and as they are accountants, I’d be very surprised if at least one and probably both weren’t discretionary) so giving them back £45 seems like a small price to pay for not standing out from the crowd and causing ill-feeling among your colleagues, neither of which is a good thing to do in the current economic climate

Any

bestpud wrote: »

Does the bonus come out of their pocket though, or out of company profits? Do they club together, with money out of their personal bank accounts, to buy all the staff an expensive gift?

That would make a slight difference imo but it wouldn't make me part with £45 for the select few! I have never known anybody do that!

If it is small accountancy practice then they are most likely partners and yes, they are giving away by taking away from themselves.

And I believe the £45 is for 4 of them? If you did want to give them nice bottle of wine in a bag you would spend probably at least £30 anyway...

However saying that, noone should EXPECT you to put any money in. You should be asked if you want to join, not told to hand over £45.

You are absolutely in your right to tell them that you would like to get them your own gift, on your own terms.

Pepzofio

ViolaLass wrote: »

Pepxofio and Feline Princess, I may be out of touch here (self employed and not in the UK at present) but is it necessary to buy your bosses a present at all? What happened to just giving a card?

You're asking the wrong person, as personally I have never bought Christmas presents for any of my work colleagues (unless they were friends outside of work or via a secret santa) but then I have always worked in large organisations.

OP has stated that she works for a small (partly) family-run firm, that this has been the norm for at least the seven years that she has worked there and that she still intends to give her bosses something as a present even if she doesn't contribute towards the collective presents. In light of this I was offering my thoughts on her situation, not what I do.

must_try_harder_2

vaio wrote: »

I’d say it is a bit off but if it’s what everyone does then go along with it

The bosses spend a grand or more on your Christmas bonus(es) (and as they are accountants, I’d be very surprised if at least one and probably both weren’t discretionary) so giving them back £45 seems like a small price to pay for not standing out from the crowd and causing ill-feeling among your colleagues, neither of which is a good thing to do in the current economic climate

What they said!

The OP is getting £650 in bonuses (how can bonuses be part of a salary - are they not extra and discretionary?) at christmas and they can't afford to put 7% of that back to the people who keep them in continued and enjoyable employment? Is no-one grateful for the fact they even have a job these days?

Any

must_try_harder wrote: »

Is no-one grateful for the fact they even have a job these days?

As far as I agree with you, this sentence is something that does my head in...
People don't have job because they are "lucky" and should lick bosses shoes, they do not keep them there out of sheer generousity... These people have job and work hard at it!!

must_try_harder_2

Sorry - I realise it does sound a bit patronising. I guess my reasoning is that I know lots of people who have worked very hard and have been laid off through no fault of their own. Just bad luck. So I suppose in my eyes if you have a job and it hasn't been affected adversely by the recession and you haven't had to take a pay cut then that in itself is lucky.

It's for this reason that I think myself lucky every day for having a decent job that I enjoy. Despite working very hard for my money, doing things that other people flat out refuse to do, and I don't actually think I get paid enough for my qualifications. But at least I'm employed...

FatVonD

I'm going to surprise even myself by saying that you need to grin and bear it. If it weren't for the Christmas bonus I'd say refuse to pay it (I've managed to put the kybosh on Secret Santa even for the last few years here as I think it's a shameful waste of money) but in view of the bonuses I'd pay up.

*Louise*

My first reaction was HOW MUCH??:eek:

But when I read about the bonuses I can see why some people don't mind putting just over £10 a head per boss into the pot.

If you genuinely will have trouble paying this, then I would have a quiet word with the person organising it about why they have to buy such expensive gifts. Maybe next year you could do the organising yourself?:)

onlyroz

The only time we get asked for money is if someone gets married or has a baby - and then a few ££ in the envelope is all that's required. £45 sounds obscene to me...

ViolaLass

onlyroz wrote: »

The only time we get asked for money is if someone gets married or has a baby - and then a few ££ in the envelope is all that's required. £45 sounds obscene to me...

We did the same when I last worked in an office but the envelope got handed round during the day so no one knew how much you gave.