"We appreciate you" card from work

[youdialwetile]

I've been sent a card from my work signed by bosses saying "thank you", "I appreciate you", "you are amazing, appreciate you so much". I do agency work and it's signed by the eight people who offer work to me. They have form for occasionally sending gift cards to people who have put in extra effort. There's not a gift card with this card though so I'm pretty confused. Do you think there was a mistake and the gift card got forgotten? It's weird to send an employee a card like that, right? I'm trying to figure out if it's normal or not. Thoughts?

It isn't weird at all. A lot of NHS employers do this to show staff they're valued, they can't spend public money on gift cards. I'd be delighted to be shown appreciation and also think it's massively ungrateful to wonder why there isn't a gift card.

I think it's nice and I wouldn't read anything more into it...

We appreciate you but not enough to give you anything! Maybe it got left out but if so what can you do? Just say thanks for the card I suppose and hope it turns up later.

If they 'occasionally' add gift cards but not routinely, I wouldn’t think they had forgotten it.

Wish my boss woukd give me a rhank you card. How lovely!

Oh god, it’s not ‘massively ungrateful’, she’s just asking a bloody question!

Send one back saying 'how much?' with your bank details underneath.

It is ungrateful. And entitled.

Well that escalated quickly. Just to clarify: they have form for sending gift cards, but not for sending "just" cards. Thank you mumsnet!

Best bet ,is to email the person who organised the card,and thank them for the card..they will realise you didn't say thankyou for the gift card,and ask you if you got it.

I think you should take it for what it is...a message of appreciation and nothing more. I have a great line manager who is always appreciative and tosses the odd bar of chocolate and round of coffees out but there are plenty of unappreciative bosses out there. Count your blessings that your efforts are recognised.

Nice gesture, my boss occasionally buys me a coffee! Do you know who organises the cards? You could subtlety ask if there was supposed to be a gift card ONLY because you thought that was the norm and you don't want to seem ungrateful not thanking them for it - I'd probably also say you don't expect or are asking for one, just wondering.. no harm in enquiring.

I don't think you should even hint that you're wondering if a gift card should have been enclosed. I think it's nice that they are showing some appreciation

I understand your issue OP. If it IS just a card, great! Lovely to be appreciated, thank you. But you just want to make sure that nothing has gone astray BECAUSE THEY USUALLY SEND A GIFT CARD.

OP isn't saying she 'wants her giftcard', she is saying there is a possibility, even a probability that there should have been one and has it got lost? And how does she tactfully address this.

OP - Can you thank someone for the card along the lines of 'Thanks for the lovely card everyone, I've put it on the mantlepiece' so that it's clear there was nothing else? Do you think they'd get that?

HAHAHAHAHA at Restbiterepeat

I'm another one who doesn't think the OP sounds either ungrateful or entitled.

We had this with a TA from our school - she got the card but the parent organising it forgot to put the gift card in. Took the TA 3 months to work up the courage to ask one of us about it.

If you know for sure it's the norm to enclose a gift card, I would probably have a word. If you just think they should have, then I'd just appreciate the sentiment and leave it at that.

I worked in a colleague engagement team and we actively encouraged managers to send cards like this. We provided them with the cards and asked them to send them out to recognise a particular achievement or effort. So totally normal in my book and to be encouraged.

OP you could do what my 7 year old does, and whenever you open any kind of greeting card, tear the envelope open, and before you read any of the message, really ostentatiously open it and shake it, then make a big show of checking the floor and envelope. That usually gets the message across!

Work on the assumption that there is no gift card intended for you, and accept the kind gesture without question. It's not a bonus, it's a gesture of appreciation. That's not weird, it's nice.

Well that escalated quickly.

Great response to an AIBU over-reaction, op!

slightly that sounds like a great idea except it's not a nice card (ha ha - ducking for cover here!). It's a pretty standard company card: company logo on the front, plain white paper, blank inside (with handwritten messages).

You can't send a 'thank you' message for a 'thank you/we appreciate you' card. That would be weird, wouldn't it?

I too think you just want to know where the gift card is OP but there's no non-grabby and non-embarrassing way to ask so you'll just have to take the card at face value that they appreciate you.

Why do they do cards. Why can’t they just say Thank You or Well Done?
I get it if there’s a little gift but otherwise I’d just rather be told.

@youdialwetile

They have form for occasionally sending gift cards to people who have put in extra effort. There's not a gift card with this card though so I'm pretty confused. Do you think there was a mistake and the gift card got forgotten?

This. ^

They have form for OCCASIONALLY sending gift cards. So they do send them, but only OCCASIONALLY send them. So the chances are very high that you didn't get one.

You card a nice card though. Keep up the good work, and maybe you'll get an Argos voucher for a fiver next time!

I don't know who you work for, but it's not commonplace in most jobs, to get 'gift cards' for doing your job well! That's what you are getting a salary for.

I know Maccy D's and Travelodge reward their employees occasionally with an Argos gift voucher worth a tenner, or some smellies, but most employers don't do this.