To buy a leaving present or not ...that is the question

mountainofdebt

For someone going on maternity leave if you didn't really get on with them?

PinkLipgloss

IMO it depends.

If you genuinely want to reach out and try to build a better working relationship with this person then a gift could be a nice thoughtful way of doing so.

However, if you have no intention of trying to get along with this individual better then no, don't.

LisaLou1982

Honestly? No...
If you dont like them or get on with them why bother?
If its a joint present from work then just say you dont want to contribute and dont put your name on the card

Janepig

Fortunately there aren't many people who I don't like in work, but there have been two leaving collections this year I've refused to give to - one leaving to another team and another retiring. No way was I going to part with any of my hard earned cash for them. Although perhaps it's more on the basis that they didn't like me rather than the other way around (if that makes sense).

Jx

podperson

Why would you buy them a present if you don't get on with them? Unless it's a joint 'from the office' present or something and then it's up to you whether you want to put your name on it and contribute or not.

sulkisu

I wouldn't buy a present for anyone that I didn't get on with - regardless of the occaision.

mountainofdebt

podperson wrote: »

Why would you buy them a present if you don't get on with them?.

Oh I know what you mean but I have a well developed guilt conscious (thanks mum!) and there's part of me that thinks I should at least get her something little.

tbh I'm hoping that there will be a collection so I can bung a pound or two in then that solves that the problem .....but opens up another one as, in the past, its been left to me to get the collection started

Goldiegirl

I only buy leaving/maternity presents for people I class as friends.

If its just a work colleague, I am happy to put in to the general collection, and leave it at that.

Nicki

mountainofdebt wrote: »

tbh I'm hoping that there will be a collection so I can bung a pound or two in then that solves that the problem .....but opens up another one as, in the past, its been left to me to get the collection started

Do you really hate her or just not get on very well with her?

It's just that it is one heck of a snub and a slap in the face if there isn't a collection and a group card for her if there has always been one for others leaving on maternity leave. And if she has been there a while she presumably knows that you organise these things, so will know the reason why there hasn't been one for her was because you chose not to start it. Add in pregnancy hormones, and what is currently a bit of tension in the office could become armageddon when she gets back from her leave!

I personally couldn't deliver such a public hurt to someone at work or anywhere else, unless they had done something truly terrible to me and everyone knew it. When I say truly terrible, I mean feeding rat poison to my child or running off with my husband, not taking credit for a few of my ideas or not doing the washing up when its their turn...

j.e.j.

I'd say no, don't get her a present if you don't like this person! If the office is having a whip-round and clubbing together to get her something then you could put your name on the card, or put a couple of ££ in.

An old manager of mine was.. not exactly popular shall we say, and when it came to their leaving present not one person on the team put money in the kitty. The company ended up getting him some vouchers out of its own funds.

Bella73

I have been in this position.

I didn't give to the person as why should I we never got on except where we had to purely for work.

However, I did delegate the job of getting card, collection and gift to another colleague.

Didn't go their leaving do either. Was so happy they had gone and don't see why I should lie and pretend they were lovely when they weren't.