Do Christmas festivities still exist in the workplace?

Catherine_Johnson_2

I'm always amazed at how many people think they are somehow owed a free party/bonus/present every Christmas from their bosses. Throughout the thread I've read stuff like 'cr*p', 'tight', 'skinflints' etc etc in reference to those companies who don't hand out freebies at this time of year.

Why do people expect the company to pay for stuff like this? I expect everyone is paid, as per their contract, every month, so why the moaning because you don't get something else on top?

Perhaps there could be some justification for looking at things from another perspective. Why has no-one mentioned saying a little thank you to the boss for continuing to employ them throughout the year? The way things are in the job market I would have expected people to be grateful that they are still employed and not be complaining because they didn't get a bonus or a free party or whatever.

Maybe it's worth thinking about all those who are unemployed or are facing redundancy shortly and not complain about how you didn't get the bonus or whatever that you somehow expected.

DKLS

We have the works do this week, which is based on £40 per head and means "Welcome Cocktail", 4 free drink tokens and a buffet.

I am going for the cocktail and grab the free drink tokens which I will give to one of the sales guys then scarper into town to meet some mates who are having a free bar do.

We do have a bonus based on individual and business performance, but that isnt paid until the march payroll and I doubt I will be there to collect, if anything after tax its a small carrot rather than :beer:

antonic

I actually like the fact that we organize our own event, which means we control the guest list.

(In the past we have had people get so puddled BEFORE the meal, that their behaviour DURING the meal was an embarrasment (and these were senior managers !).

cmw1212

No christmas party this year, temping at the moment and do weird hours but the place I was at earlier this year had a summer party which was full works- free food, drink, and taxi allowance- guessing their christmas do would have been the same.
In past jobs its been mixed some theres been nothing organized at all (NHS) and others it has been pretty much all paid for. I'll be honest when I was at the NHS I hated that it seemed like everyone else I knew got the full works because they worked at a private company- yes was young and selfish.

LittleVoice

SarEl wrote: »

Hang on, where was that beating head against brick wall icon... damn can't see it anywhere... who was that nice lady who told me there was one, and where can I find it????

Click on [More] under Smilies and finally you will find one named Wall. Thus :wall::wall::wall::wall:

lady1964

Back 2 previous companies, we used to get £10 towards out self organised Xmas night out. We then got Tupe'd over to a County Council so that stopped completely, never had a bonus at all.

Current company has a party coming up, preceeded by a staff meeting which is a 2 hour drive from where I live so overnight stay being paid for by employer.

skintandscared_2

We are very lucky. We get

• bonus of one week's wages
• party for the whole firm at a London hotel - 3 course meal, free bar, disco then shared taxi home with colleagues in the same area
• party in upstairs conference rooms on the last day working day before Christmas with canapes, champagne, wine and beer plus a fabulous raffle (we pay for our own tickets for that LOL!)

We also decorate our departments and have a competition, with prizes for the best 3.

Up until this year there was also a budget of £30 per person to have a departmental night out, but that has been suspended this year. I still think our firm is amazingly generous though and am very happy & lucky to work there!

fannyadams

at my last place we got:
a nice dinner out with the team at a restaurant that the team manager paid for with his company credit card and claimed on expenses!
a xmas hamper or vouchers to the value of hamper or make donation to company chairty (like oxfam/guide dogs/NSPCC)
a paid for 3 course xmas meal in the company restuarant with karaoke and disco and other cool stuff like a bucking bronco and side shows like that plus paid time off to go to it
and some small divisional lunch time parties that the team were included in because of who we were.

Last year HWTHMBO got vouchers and a xmas do in CMK and taxis home, plus assorted lunchtime shenanigans in various hostelries! I have a feeling that's not going to happen this year - it's been a tight year for them.

This year I was surprised and delighted to discover that my volunteer job were having a do AND that I was expected/encouraged to attend AND that due to the generosity of HWTHMBO and family I CAN actually go! it's tonight, infact I'm out the door any minute now.
:j

SarEl

Catherine_Johnson wrote: »

I'm always amazed at how many people think they are somehow owed a free party/bonus/present every Christmas from their bosses. Throughout the thread I've read stuff like 'cr*p', 'tight', 'skinflints' etc etc in reference to those companies who don't hand out freebies at this time of year.

Why do people expect the company to pay for stuff like this? I expect everyone is paid, as per their contract, every month, so why the moaning because you don't get something else on top?

Perhaps there could be some justification for looking at things from another perspective. Why has no-one mentioned saying a little thank you to the boss for continuing to employ them throughout the year? The way things are in the job market I would have expected people to be grateful that they are still employed and not be complaining because they didn't get a bonus or a free party or whatever.

Maybe it's worth thinking about all those who are unemployed or are facing redundancy shortly and not complain about how you didn't get the bonus or whatever that you somehow expected.

It would also be sort of interesting to take a straw poll and see how many of these "freebies" are paid for by private sector companies (which I am not complaining about - it's just an observation) and how many have ever been paid for out of "public funds" by public sector employers. because in the latter category, I have never known anything but either the staff paid for it or the Director/boss paid for it.

But as a minor "mention" for anyone who hasn't had the Christmas party yet....anyone want to guess when employment lawyers busiest period is for gross misconduct dismissals? Be warned that "free alcohol" is not the same thing as permission to indulge in "free conduct". The most sensible person I know is my pal (assistant Chief Exec, public sector, shortly to be made redundant - but probably not quite as easily as his employers think!), who is required to show up to half the parties going, and drinks Coca Cola. Until he gets home anyway.

WolfSong2000

At my work we were taken out for a meal one evening, and i recieved a box of chocolates yesterday. One of our suppliers was on the phone to me today - his company paid for every employee (including paying to fly employees over from Ireland) to attend a christmas party at a posh hotel in London, with free bar, free dinner and free night at the hotel. This happened last weekend, and apparently the person I spoke to is still recovering from their hangover. lol. I have to say, though, I really enjoyed my company's christmas meal - we're a small team, it's a great company and overall I am very happy.