Do you expect your work manager to acknowledge your birthday?

[Waferbiscuit]

Just that really. I work in a large organization as a member of the Exec team and report to the Director. My 50th is coming up later this year and I'm fairly confident it will pass unnoticed. On one hand we're professionals so I'm not hanging onto nor need his birthday wishes, on the other hand some kind of recognition would seem polite.

Would you expect your manager to acknowledge your birthday? Just trying to understand what's considered appropriate and reasonable.

whose

God no. I can't believe this is serious.

Well, I work for my mum, so in my case, yes
But otherwise no.

I agree with @CharlieB93. I don't manage people in my role now, but when I did I would have their birthday in my calendar and acknowledge it.

I've worked with most of my colleagues for 20+ (and I like them all!) and we don't acknowledge (or remember) each others birthdays.

I do - but I only have 4 staff.

Decorate and get presents for big birthdays. Home warming plants. Card for passing driving tests etc.

But I am the best boss ever.

My current job my manager takes cakes in to the monthly team meeting and
says whose birthday it was this month so there's usually several people sharing the limelight. My last job we had a calender and everyone got a card and the birthday person took in cakes (very competitive homebaking going on, shop bought was not appreciated), big birthday were marked with balloons, presents etc as were babies, weddings retirements etc. Don't think any job before that marked holidays, I think the more female a workplace is the more likely it is that life events are acknowledged.

Seriously? You are not 5! Your manager has other things to worry about aside from your birthday. Bloody hell! So he or she is supposed to make a mental note of god knows how many people on the team are you for real?

Nope absolutely not.

Some have some haven't. I would never expect though.

No, not really - also, with a milestone birthday like 50, if he does know about it, he may not know whether you'd be happy for everyone else to know, too - some people are sensitive about reaching ages with an 0 on the end!

In my previous job (about 30 people on the team) you could opt in or out of birthday club. There was usually about 14-16 members, so about half of the team, and your desk would be decorated, card would be given, and everyone in the club would give £2pm for each birthday person (so nothing if no one had a birthday that month, £2 if only person did, £4 if two people did and so on), to buy a few token gifts. I was a member for a couple of years and then I couldn’t be bothered anymore.

I like it done that way - there’s no pressure to contribute or to be celebrated, if you’d rather not, but the people that do enjoy it get to have some little acknowledgment on their day.

If it’s not the done thing at your work then no, I wouldn’t expect it. A lot of people don’t like a fuss being made of them at work, and not everyone is happy to turn 30/50/60/whatever so if I were the manager I’d never presume. I’d probably try to figure out whether or not a small acknowledgment would be welcome, though.

no, not at all. No-one at work knows my birthday and i don't know anyone else in my office's birthdays. I don't like a fuss for that kind of thing and hate being the centre of attention though so that is how I like it.

I'd hate that. I'd be totally non-plussed.

No way! I don’t think anyone at my work knows my birthday and I don’t bother saying - they’re my colleagues primarily, and my friends second. If it was a big birthday like yours, I’d consider asking everyone out for lunch, or maybe take a cake in to share or something. But I wouldn’t expect them to remember it off their own backs.

No...... but then again I always book my birthday off as we go away for the week.
In our organisation you’re expected to bring in cream cakes for the whole team on your birthday.

Yes, our workplace makes a big fuss of birthdays. It's a very friendly, family-like environment.

Me: I'll be on holiday Monday as it's my birthday
Boss: oh cool. Is it a big birthday
Me: I'm 39

We laugh about it now!

Have you told him its your birthday and it is a big one?

I am fairly close/open with my manager and got a text with Happy 50th Birthday, which was nice of her to remember as it falls between xmas and ny and I didn't expect it and wouldn't have noticed if she didn't.

If I hadn't mentioned it was coming up when we were both complaining about "old" age - we were both 50 last year - and if I hadn't texted her on her birthday first, she probably wouldn't have.

At our place, each team gives £5 each to donation and a card goes round the office and something will be bought based on what that person likes

Where I work (in a school) we bring in chocs/cakes for everyone if it's our birthday.
If it's someones milestone birthday though, then we have a whip around and get them a gift and a card.

I wouldn’t expect my manager to know my birthday and I don’t know my direct reports’ birthdays. I had a milestone birthday this year but definitely didn’t expect work to mark it!

Weird! They are not your aunts or your sister!

Would you expect your manager to acknowledge your birthday?

Apart from maybe a quick Happy Birthday if it comes up in conversation I really and honestly would rather they didn't.

I cannot think of anything I would hate for my birthday quite as much as any kind of birthday fuss at work.

It’s your boss, not your friend. Why would you want your boss to acknowledge it?