Left job after 25 years, all I got was flowers 🫣

My husband got an Amazon voucher 😂 and not very much either, maybe £15-25. I can't remember. It was a large company he worked for and he'd been there many years

Yeah, I had similar last year when I retired. I'd had all the "oh no, whatever shall we do without you? The place won't be the same" (you'll cope, yes it will). Lots of lovely messages from individuals. And I know previously, when people retired, slt would either bump up the collection or send a gift(flowers, booze, etc) just from them. (Because id been sent out to get it)I got an odd amount in vouchers from the staff collection. (Which corresponded roughly to a quid per person, not including slt.(think 74 pounds) and generic message in my card. It really wasnt about the money, but only two slt came up to wish me well. One actually said, "oh you leaving, why?" I walked out thinking "fuck you" 20 years and not even a handshake and a bunch of daffs.

Most companies don’t really care. Collections and gifts are organised by colleagues but to be honest in case of my company even that has gotten worse after covid. All recent colleagues of mine who left after years of service only got e-cards. There were collections attached to them by their bosses but somehow most people just didn’t contribute. It’s as if going to office less during covid somehow depersonalised and dehumanised all relationships. I am not talking about everyone. Just my colleagues. Company couldn’t care less.

Amazon vouchers usually

What type of company was it? Do they have a budget for leaving gifts or is it more down to collections? I think based on previous posts a lot of people are fed up with collections at work for every occasion which then means anything bigger does get missed or people don't feel like contributing if they have only just been asked for something else (possibly assuming the company/others will contribute instead). It's also the run up to Christmas so a lot of people will be thinking of that, especially as for a lot of people there is also November's pay (as December pay is often in the holidays or paid right before).

Tactical?
Flowers are a generic present.
out of interest what do men get when they leave?

I had a similar thing a few years back I had worked at the same place for many years and contributed to loads of leaving presents in that time. When I eventually left myself, I also only got flowers.
I didn't expect loads but even a card would have been nice.

In contrast, I only worked at the next place for 18.months and when I left, I was totally blown away by the generosity of my colleagues who had only known me for a short time.

The response to you leaving isn't a reflection on you, but a signal that it really was time to move on and that you were doing the right thing by going!

That's really awful. But at work you are just a number to them. Replaceable whatever the role, however good you are. Never make work your number one priority.

I would take that as confirmation that leaving is 100% the right decision.

If it's any consolation my dad got a certificate to mark 25 years of service on which they'd spelled his name wrong.

Collections aren’t a present from the company, Theyre a gift from colleagues. Youve said you got gifts from some colleagues.

Collections are often being cut back on because of the perceived pressure to contribute and cost of living squeeze.

Companies typically make more of a fuss of retirees than leavers. Essentially Youre dumping them.

What were the circumstances of your leaving and what kind of role were you in?