Organise Your Own Leaving Do?

ceridwen

I would guess that this is a "timing thing". That is - leaving dos in this particular company have previously been organised for staff - but the company no longer wants staff to HAVE leaving dos (or, at least, they dont want any other staff spending time on organising them).

My guess is that - right at this moment - they are at a "halfway house" position between "leaving dos as normal (ie organised by the company)" and future leavers not being even allowed to HAVE a leaving do. Right at this moment - the company are halfway along that road and havent got as far as forbidding leaving dos yet - but they HAVE gone far enough down the road that they are refusing to organise these dos themselves as normal.

Don't take it personally - you're just at an "awkward point in history" - ie in between "normal work conditions" and the worse "work conditions of the future". Hence - it looks as if you will have to organise your own do - and try to think positive along the lines of "In a year or twos time - they will probably be forbidding these dos - so at least I DO get mine - even though I have to organise it myself".

heretolearn_2

I think you are feeling a bit hurt here. When you say other team members have a manager or colleague organise a leaving do, I don't think you meant it was an official work thing, but an informal 'let's go out for your leaving do' and drinks down the pub or something. But for you, no-one has made that suggestion, and it's natural for you to take that personally and wonder 'why them and not me'. Try not to though - there could be lots of reasons no-one has taken on the organising (everyone being busy trying to get their Christmas sorted is the first one that comes to mind) - and just pick a date and venue yourself and let everyone know. It is quite a normal situation for people to do that for themselves, it doesn't mean they all secretly hate you!

magenta22

Well I've never had a leaving do at any company I've been at, just an extended lunch with a few colleagues.

Most of them usually either the person they are most friendly with in the office, arranges for a few drinks after work or a lunch somewhere or the person themselves will arrange something.

Hermia

People have always organised their own leaving dos at every place I have worked at. It makes sense really. After all, only that person knows when they will be available, where they can get to and what sort of leaving do they want.

Reggie_Rebel

I've always found that the items out of the stationary cupboard that aren't traceable and can be quickly sold on have been fine when I've left jobs

InsideInsurance

Whilst I agree in principle about the leaving do, in my mind it should be organised by others the reality has always been that it is the leaver themselves that organise it though others may leave not too subtle hints.

caledonian_princess

I've organised one, well I told people that I'd be in the pub at 5 and they could come or not as they chose. For that one I also I had a touching presentation in the office that was organised by my Manager. Another one I got told that my leaving was a fantastic reason to go for a night out and off we all trooped.

I think a lot depends on your colleagues, what other teams do is neither here nor there - you often find that there's one person in a team who's the driving force behind organising this sort of thing and if your team doesn't have that type of person then you're left to organise it yourself. If you like the people you work with enough to want to spend some time socialising with them out of work then organise something yourself.

SarEl

caledonian_princess wrote: »

you often find that there's one person in a team who's the driving force behind organising this sort of thing and if your team doesn't have that type of person then you're left to organise it yourself. If you like the people you work with enough to want to spend some time socialising with them out of work then organise something yourself.

I agree - my staff are terrific at organising work; utter crap at organising socials (and they actually like each other!). Being on sabbatical right now I ended up organising the Christmas do anyway, or it would have happened (possibly) in March!

caramel_syrup

heretolearn wrote: »

I think you are feeling a bit hurt here. When you say other team members have a manager or colleague organise a leaving do, I don't think you meant it was an official work thing, but an informal 'let's go out for your leaving do' and drinks down the pub or something. But for you, no-one has made that suggestion, and it's natural for you to take that personally and wonder 'why them and not me'. Try not to though - there could be lots of reasons no-one has taken on the organising (everyone being busy trying to get their Christmas sorted is the first one that comes to mind) - and just pick a date and venue yourself and let everyone know. It is quite a normal situation for people to do that for themselves, it doesn't mean they all secretly hate you!

Awww bless you everyone, thanks for taking time to respond to my thread - I've pressed the thank you button for your response. Heretolearn, you really know how I felt, but I wouldn't take things personally.

I also discovered that there had been a card and collection circulated secretly around the office - I noticed it since it was put in an envelope with some people taking out their wallets etc. Hopefully the card is mine hehe

Thanks again to all of you. You've made my day today.

Tigsteroonie

In my experience, leaving do's are organised by the person themselves; retirement do's are organised by others.