Are work xmas parties (and bonus) dead?

Carl31

Privately owned cos are where you get the best treatment. Public companies don't want to risk their profits, public sector can't be seen to be spending tax payer funds

This year I have come back to a privately owned co, literaly had money thrown at us, lunches, xmas parties, bonus, that's on top of great perks

cavework

There are loads of people out there looking for work. The issues you have about fuel costs is a different subject and yes I would be annoyed.
The issue about Xmas parties and 'being rewarded' by bonuses for doing the job you are contracted to do because it is Xmas makes no sense to me , be it a small or large company.
If staff are doing their job , getting paid on time and in full why should they expect an extra thankyou because it is Xmas?
If the company you work for rewards you for increased productivity, new contracts etc at any time of the year . that is fine . but Xmas is not an excuse for employees to think they should be rewarded for doing the job they are employed to do. It is not about being undervalued .. you have a job .. you do the job and you get paid for doing the job.

LadyMissA

Carl31 wrote: »

Privately owned cos are where you get the best treatment. Public companies don't want to risk their profits, public sector can't be seen to be spending tax payer funds

This year I have come back to a privately owned co, literaly had money thrown at us, lunches, xmas parties, bonus, that's on top of great perks

I have always worked in the private sector and never had a bonus or an xmas party, lunch etc

TrickyWicky

Responses in blue

cavework wrote: »

There are loads of people out there looking for work. The issues you have about fuel costs is a different subject and yes I would be annoyed. Annoyed? - No not really, disgusted more like it. If you expect your employees to go right out of their way for you (and that 50 miles was out of town and straight back again after reaching the destination) then you really should look after your staff and stop treating them like dirt. When you're that incompentant that your staff are forced to do a 50mile round trip to get you out of a scrape you've put yourself in then a bit of appreciation goes a long way.
The issue about Xmas parties and 'being rewarded' by bonuses for doing the job you are contracted to do because it is Xmas makes no sense to me , be it a small or large company. I'd like to see you explain that to your friends and family too - I didn't buy you anything because you're family and you get a relationship out of it already
If staff are doing their job , getting paid on time and in full why should they expect an extra thankyou because it is Xmas? As said, what about the staff who quite literally go out of their way and bend over backwards for their company? - Many do and those employers with such staff don't even recognise their staff who are doing them a favour. I suspect you've got staff going above and beyond the call of duty to keep your business afloat and I'll bet you don't even realise it.
If the company you work for rewards you for increased productivity, new contracts etc at any time of the year . that is fine . but Xmas is not an excuse for employees to think they should be rewarded for doing the job they are employed to do. It is not about being undervalued .. you have a job .. you do the job and you get paid for doing the job.

Christmas is about working hard all year and then being appreciated at the end of it. Many companies out there don't give a damn about anything other than trying to short change their staff at every opportunity whilst putting them under as much pressure as possible.

The company I worked for that had me doing the mileage were absolutely screwed staff wise on several ocassions. I'd get phone calls not asking but demanding I turn up and do overtime. Day or night it didn't matter and I even had harassing phone calls first thing in the morning (8:30am) after finishing a shift at 6am and going to bed. I was even told the boss knew what he was doing and would say comments such as "Watch this, I'm going to wake <my name> up to f*ck their sleep up". You think after all that and STILL putting up with it and going every extra mile I could that staff like me don't deserve a little something at chrimbo? I went extra mile after extra mile.

I'll say something to you cavework when you work for a company like that, they make in excess of £500million profit per year, have you grafting to the point where you can't give them anymore and then use you as the company scapegoat, yeah I damn well would expect a token gesture at christmas.

ska_lover

cavework wrote: »

I think you mean employees?
Perhaps you should thank your employers for keeping you employed in a year that has been really tough for business and where many people have found themselves unemployed because of this.

Ahh well spotted, I certainly do mean employees! woopsy.

As for the how lucky we may be to have employment - I agree, people are lucky to still have jobs. The recession hasn't touched my firm at all - in fact they have brought out 3 competitors this year, the most recent costing £50Million, so believe me, they aren't struggling for a few bob. Oh well, thats an altogether different thread I guess

ska_lover

cavework wrote: »

Ska lover .. you have really made me angry.
I run a small business and for 12 months I have fought long and hard to keep the customers we have.
I have had to deal with customers who are trying to reduce our cost to them, staff who want a pay increase, fuel bills that have doubled , supplys that have increased in cost.
What do I do?
Cut the cost to my customers by laying off employees or stand my ground and hold my prices because we deliver a good service. I chose the latter and 6 people still have a job in the New Year ..
I think they would prefer that to a Xmas party!

Not really sure how you can be made angry as this thread isn't about the perils of being a small business owner so unsure why the anger. (You could however start up a thread, to get support with the issues you do have? - Just an idea)

I work for a large multinational company and I 100% agree with StickyWickys post 62 - big business often treat their staff like carp and putting 110% in each day for less than minimum wage (when you add up unpaid overtime etc) is a joke. It's about lack of appreciation. I am sorry if you missed the point there:(

ska_lover

TrickyWicky wrote: »

Responses in blue



Christmas is about working hard all year and then being appreciated at the end of it. Many companies out there don't give a damn about anything other than trying to short change their staff at every opportunity whilst putting them under as much pressure as possible.

The company I worked for that had me doing the mileage were absolutely screwed staff wise on several ocassions. I'd get phone calls not asking but demanding I turn up and do overtime. Day or night it didn't matter and I even had harassing phone calls first thing in the morning (8:30am) after finishing a shift at 6am and going to bed. I was even told the boss knew what he was doing and would say comments such as "Watch this, I'm going to wake <my name> up to f*ck their sleep up". You think after all that and STILL putting up with it and going every extra mile I could that staff like me don't deserve a little something at chrimbo? I went extra mile after extra mile.

I'll say something to you cavework when you work for a company like that, they make in excess of £500million profit per year, have you grafting to the point where you can't give them anymore and then use you as the company scapegoat, yeah I damn well would expect a token gesture at christmas.

I totally agree with you here. I am in a very similar situation currently. It is a soul destroying situation to be in. My workload has more than doubled in the last 18 months, but no hint of extra staff/wage rise. I have to do unpaid overtime just to get my job done, and if I don't - then I am going in to a whole heap of trouble the next day. I could honestly stack shelves in Aldi for more money and seriously less stress. (before anyone says it, I applied a few months back - overqualified !sadface!)

Anyhoo - enough of the doom and gloom...who else has had a bonus or party?

BitterAndTwisted

I once worked for a small private company where the shareholders paid us a grand each in cash from their own pockets (I did the bookkeeping amongst other things, so I knew). This was on top of being paid a monthly bonus on top of our normal wages based on how much in sales we achieved over the target which was calculated as the break-even figure. We got 10% split between us. Every single employee got the same percentage regardless of role or seniority. We got presents for our birthdays and were often taken out for drinks after work. The company was very profitable because we worked like dogs and we loved it. Oh, happy days!

BonandDom

I work for a smallish private company on a temp contract (to cover maternity leave).

All the employees have been given a bonus (except me - as I've only been there a month:() and are going to the pub this afternoon, all expenses paid and a Christmas card:j.

Previous companies have ranged from nothing at all(not even a christmas card) to an extra hour for lunch, so we can go for lunch to a lavish kids party.

All in all I don't really mind either way, for me Christmas is about loved ones and the less fortunate.

Acc72

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

I once worked for a small private company ...........

Why did you leave ?