Work Gifts

When a baby is born at my office (OKAY, they're usually born at the hospital, we haven't yet had an in-office birth) or when someone gets married, we throw a shower. When there's a funeral, we send flowers and a remembrance gift.

In a previous department, we were required (if we chose to particpate, but please, who wouldn't participate?) to give $2 a month, every single month, then followed a set of rules that was set by the results of a survey. Complex much? Not to mention the $300 balance that sat out there indefinitely until someone decided we should use it to have a pizza party or something. (Insert giant eye-roll here.)

I'm in a newly-formed department now and was more than a little pushy at getting my way about how to handle these gifts. Now, we send around an envelope with a card, and everyone can put in, anonymously, whatever amount of cash they feel is appropriate, and the gift is purchased from that amount.

Is it fair? Maybe not. But it works.