AIBU to think workplace collections are getting excessive?

I stop years ago. It makes no difference. I don't really care what others think about it.
I am fine not recieving and I had nothing for all the years I took part anyway.

I've never heard of collections in minimum wage jobs where the turnover is usually high. I wouldn't contribute.

Agreed OP, it puts a strain on everyone financially and in organising and ends up unfair. Our organisation will get a gift/flowers for big events - retiring, maternity, major illnesses, close family bereavement and consider that as an HR expense. There’s 25 of us plus 20 or so freelancers so we ignore birthdays and just sign cards for the others occasions. One of my colleagues said in a previous post that the birthday person brought a cake in to share on their day, if they wanted to, which sounds like a good idea.

I do donate, and we've had several recently - 60th birthday, retirement, maternity leave. It's not that much money overall and I've always received generous gifts when leaving workplaces myself, so I should pay that forward in my opinion. There shouldn't be any pressure though.

We just do a card (that company pays for).
The company pays for gifts for certain big events eg retirement, new baby.

This!!

One place I worked, a senior manager I didn't like was leaving. A large brown envelope to put your cash in was handed round for his leaving present. I pretended to put some money in. Wasn't giving that arsehole my cash.

Ridiculous.

What's wrong with just signing a card?

Ours do an online collection pot and it's anonymous, it's entirely up to you if you want to contribute. It's mostly just leavers and babies. Not birthdays.

Big birthdays are done within your own team if you want to, but that means some people get and some don't.

If someone if off sick, surgery, bereavement, flowers are arranged by the company and not contributions.

I only give to close colleagues who I actually like. I've never actually had a workplace collection myself.

In our team historically we used to do EVERYONES birthday
we now do a card for birthday signed by everyone
special birthdays we collect for 21st, 30th and 40th
weddings and new babies

sometimes it does seem a lot but it’s £5 and I just have a couple of £5 notes in my locker in an envelope ready for it

individual choice and all comparative to earnings but it is a nice thing to do and helps build relations

What’s not inclusive about babies and weddings??

And not everything in life has to be inclusive, by the way.

Yes! We had someone retire a few weeks ago. A card and a gift was all arranged.

Not 6 weeks later, he comes back as a contractor.

That’s not the first time that’s happened, either.

We had a spate when we had someone leaving every month for a period of six months. The first got over a hundred pounds, and a getogether at lunch. The last got half that, and had probably been at the workplace longer. The novelty of donating had certainly worn off.

I don't put in for collections which have nothing to do with work. So leaving/retirement is fine but no to babies and weddings. It's old fashioned and not very inclusive. (We've never done birthdays thankfully).

My old job did collections. There were 2 factories, one very laid back, put in a contribution. Sometimes id put £1, sometimes 10. The other was a set amount, I didnt contribute. I hated that they told me what I had to add.

I decided to completely opt out when I was asked to pay towards to a colleague's present to celebrate her moving house. So over the top!

These collections aren't compulsory. Opt out. Plus the advantage is that you then have no disappointment if they forget your birthday or are not given a present.

No expectations means that there is no stress. Now you can spend money on people you really care about.

Only if you let them OP. Have you never learned to say no?

I think those online cards with optional contributions are so much better that the old envelope going round.

I don’t do it and have no guilt. Somebody farts the wrong way and there has to be a collection these days.

To me they are people I work with. I’m not fussed if they are leaving, having a birthday or they or a partner have had a child.

I’m there to work, not make friends.

I remember when we were asked for money for the COO’s birthday! The most well paid person in our office and we were expected to chip in! Nope!

I worked in a page with constant sponsorship, some dick was always running a race and passing round a sheet (pre just giving). I was on low pay and just getting y but this was making a massive dent on my income. Once one women put out her husband’s sponsor sheet then got annoyed that we passed on it and we felt guilted into sponsoring him…a guy I’d never fucking met!!!!

I just joined a team recently and it’s £20 for a retirement collection. I’ve barely worked with the woman! 🤦🏻‍♀️

I've recently stopped contributing, as ours was getting out of control. In my second day in the job, i was asked to contribute £10 for someone going on maternity leave - who I'd never met or worked with ?! After that, there's been multiple birthdays , leavers, movers , babies , weddings, plus all the other contributing events like charity coffee mornings, sponsoring colleagues fun runs , sponsor this , sponsor that , coffee morning for this , coffee morning for that, and now this week we're expected to chuck in for the world Cup sweepstake!!!

We banned them, by popular vote, a number of year's ago.

Work in a school with 80 staff. Whole school staff do leaving presents, big birthdays, new baby, long term illness. Other normal birthdays and other celebrations are done by the year group the person works in. My year group we have a small collection for each persons birthday.

Contribution is up to the individual and no-one is obliged to put in if they can’t afford. Can be as little as a £1 if you do want to contribute.

End of school year and we always have staff leaving as they move on (or in many cases leaving teaching altogether).

I'm usually the one collecting. I don't specify an amount and try not to harass colleagues. Fortunately, no babies or retirees this year and only one wedding.