Are work xmas parties (and bonus) dead?

planning303

this is going back probably over 10 years but the best attempt at being tight by an employer was when i worked in a pub.

The boss said, this year you're all expected to work christmas eve / boxing day / New year eve / New year day (night) with no extra pay.. so just standard pay rate. No bonus / no free drinks etc etc

BUT in return for all our hard work, the staff would be able to have a party in the pub on one of the quiet nights in mid-january for the employees and their friends.

So basically the manager offered to "repay" us for all our hard work, by allowing us to go there on a night that would be quiet anyway and then spend a load of money...!

I took this as a good opportunity to leave and go to work for the pub round the corner (who paid double time + bonus for nye) LOL

SarEl

persa wrote: »

Most employers recognise that not giving their employees something extra at Christmas (whether that be a nice big cash bonus or just one drink in the pub) leads to a high level of staff turnover which is disruptive (need to recruit new staff, train them up, etc).

Ah, so that is where we are going wrong. We have a Christmas Party (paid for by the partners, not the company, so not taxable benefit) and a summer barbecue (also paid for by the partners) and we don't give bonuses because we profit share. I wondered why we couldn't get anyone to leave....

fedster

There is a large amount of Companies who do NOTHING for there staff for Christmas, thats just a fact, no Christmas Bonuses,No early finish,No Party absolutely NOTHING,People are not going to kick up a fuss because Jobs are hard to find.

fedster

This is from 2009, but i doubt much has changed 3 years on.

One in five companies will axe the traditional Christmas party due to the recession

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1223021/One-companies-axe-traditional-Christmas-party-recession.html#ixzz1hkI4GMKV

LadyMissA

fedster wrote: »

This is from 2009, but i doubt much has changed 3 years on.

One in five companies will axe the traditional Christmas party due to the recession

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1223021/One-companies-axe-traditional-Christmas-party-recession.html#ixzz1hkI4GMKV

and that in turn hit my old firm hard at Xmas 2009 - not a lot of bookings at all hence the redundancies in 2010.

persa

SarEl wrote: »

Ah, so that is where we are going wrong. We have a Christmas Party (paid for by the partners, not the company, so not taxable benefit) and a summer barbecue (also paid for by the partners) and we don't give bonuses because we profit share. I wondered why we couldn't get anyone to leave....

Human nature is a funny thing. IMHO, I don't think it matters whether an employee receives NMW or good money, if no attempt is made to recognise their contribution to the business (Christmas being a common time of year, although I accept, some employers make more of an effort around their financial year end, which may well not fall in December), seeds of resentment will grow and sooner or later, that person will move on.

I'm not saying every employer should stretch to such generous measures, but it doesn't cost a lot to buy everyone a cheap box of chocolates and say thank you, or even just authorise one member of staff to organise a small Christmas do on company time. The little things really are what foster staff loyalty.

It would take a substantial payrise to lure away a happy employee - but a teeny tiny one (or even, matched salary) would be enough to get a miserable employee to leave. If you want to be cynical about it, being nice to your staff at Christmas is an investment for the coming year.

Hootie19

I work in the public sector and we understandably, get squat from the employers. We arranged our own Christmas lunch at the pub next to the building (arrived at 12.30. I left at 2.15, having given up expecting my main course to arrive! - that's a lot of business that pub has lost from us!), which we paid for ourselves. We provided our tree and decorations, and (as happens throughout the year anyway) we all brought in tins of biscuits, sweets, home made cakes, mince pies etc (to the point that I was sick of the sight of festive goodies by the time we finished work on the last day before Christmas ).

I've worked in private sector in the past where the gifts included

1. paid for party and a choice of a booze hamper or a food hamper
2. paid for party and a % of salary as bonus
3. bonus
4. a "raffle draw" to divvy up the gifts that contractors gave to the firm (I did exceptionally well one year, managing to bag a luxury John Lewis hamper, a bottle of bacardi and a huge box of Thorntons chocolates )
5. Nothing.

I NEVER go to staff Christmas parties - or any other staff do for that matter - as I find drunk people incredibly boring, and I spend 8 hours a day, 5 days a week with these people. I don't need to see them drunk to know which ones I find irritating, which ones I find boring, and which ones I just plain want to slap

Mischa8

LadyMissA wrote: »

I have always worked for wine bar/restaurant co's in accounts and I can tell you (but you wont believe it) that none of them have sent a card to staff, had a party or ever paid any bonus. It's not the staff at all but the company.

They would never take the staff out for a meal at the companies busiest times so we never had anything like that as it's such a busy time Christmas and they are only concerned with money in the tills.

There was however one woman who retired at my old place who had been there 25 years and she got £70 behind the bar as a gift when she left.

Not to argue a point. But just the other week my friend had her birthday party in a restaurant (well known, more than one in London) where her boyfriend works. OK, so it wasn't free but there was a good discount on the meal. I have no idea what her boyfriend got in way of meal.

Years ago, I had a boyfriend who worked for Roux Brothers but in their kitchens - preparing stuff to be sent to restaurants/for hampers, events etc. They were given food and time to have a party in their own time and yes, bonuses.

So I guess this shoots your opinion out of the window.

Mischa8

persa wrote: »

That's really unfair.

Most employers recognise that not giving their employees something extra at Christmas (whether that be a nice big cash bonus or just one drink in the pub) leads to a high level of staff turnover which is disruptive (need to recruit new staff, train them up, etc).

However, there are some awful employers who haven't made the connection between happy workers and net profits. By all means, criticise someone for having a poor attitude to work, or for inadequate performance, but I think it's bad form to criticise someone for having a crap employer.

I wasn't criticising the employer more the poster. Have you not read any of her past posts? She comes across as one of the most miserable, ungrateful employees on the earth (don't just take my word for it) so I would not be surprised if she's making things up or gets conveniently passed over for bonuses etc.

LadyMissA

Mischa8 wrote: »

Not to argue a point. But just the other week my friend had her birthday party in a restaurant (well known, more than one in London) where her boyfriend works. OK, so it wasn't free but there was a good discount on the meal. I have no idea what her boyfriend got in way of meal.

Years ago, I had a boyfriend who worked for Roux Brothers but in their kitchens - preparing stuff to be sent to restaurants/for hampers, events etc. They were given food and time to have a party in their own time and yes, bonuses.

So I guess this shoots your opinion out of the window.

my opinion? LOL It's a fact and I have not worked for someone as famous as the Roux Brothers!