Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Average Christmas bonus?

324 replies

Legalhelp · 12/12/2020 21:13

My dp started a new job 6 months ago and colleagues have said they generally get a bonus at Christmas.
Times have been very hard recently, but we’ve managed to set money back to get all DD’s Christmas presents, decorations etc.
The Christmas bonus received will be the difference between a tight Christmas meal etc with a few nice bits or a relaxed couple of weeks for us at home.
Is there an average Christmas bonus for staff generally, percentage wise? Is it generally £50 in an envelope or a few hundred or is it completely different according to each company?
Dp doesn’t want to enquire about it and go just wait and see.

OP posts:
Backbee · 12/12/2020 22:00

It's going to vary so much. When I was a Saturday girl in retail we got £100 and a day off to go Christmas shopping outside of our annual leave.

Zestie · 12/12/2020 22:00

Everywhere I have worked you don't get anything until you've worked for a year.

DuzzyFuck · 12/12/2020 22:01

Totally depends on the company and the industry. My company (tourism sector) used to give £50 in an envelope, but for the last few years nothing. Meanwhile I've got friends in finance and sales sectors who get their performance related bonuses around Christmas and that could be 4 figures. I assume if the latter it would be in contract though.

On the other hand if it were the former I wouldn't even expect it to have been mentioned really; our £50 was a discretionary 'Thank You' from the owner and his Wife.

InTheNightWeWillWish · 12/12/2020 22:01

I cross posted and missed the part about being in a different country. Which to me is even more reason to wait and see. What is happening in some industries in the UK is not necessarily going to be the norm where you are.

Original poster
Legalhelp · 12/12/2020 22:01

I’m definitely accounting for zero and holding back on any extra spending in case

OP posts:
Derelictwreck · 12/12/2020 22:01

When I was in the civil service we used to get about £50 love to shop (or similar) vouchers.But that about 5-10 years ago (DfE).

Now I'm at a charity (not one where people donate) and we get up to 10% of our salaries.

happytobemrsg · 12/12/2020 22:02

I work in an industry where everyone gets a quarterly bonus. Depending on seniority it’s 10-15% of your annual salary split over each quarter

Inpersuitofhappiness · 12/12/2020 22:02

You've said that hes only been there about half the year, he may not even get a bonus.
I remember one year I thought DH would get one as everyone else did. He had been there for a similar sort of time, and was completely bypassed.

Please try not to give it too much headspace, as it may not happen at all.

Rainb0wDrops · 12/12/2020 22:03

I've had different amounts across several years (all at the same company). Ranging from £300 extra in wages to £50 Amazon voucher and this year a packet of sweets in the post.
Hope he gets a good bonus!

andawaywego · 12/12/2020 22:04

Self-employed, so absolutely bugger all. I might buy myself a bottle of gin and put it on a gift bag on my desk.

Poonmig · 12/12/2020 22:04

We got a days extra annual leave, £25 sainbsurys voucher, 5% bonus and 3.5% pay rise and the bosses got written complaints that it wasn’t good enough 😂

barofsoap · 12/12/2020 22:05

@firstimemamma

NHS frontline so bugger all.
I was shocked working for a social enterprise doing NHS work. £1000 for wte (pro rata for P/T) and they gave enough to cover the income tax. Had to lie down in darkened room.
PleaseLetIanBeDead · 12/12/2020 22:06

I got £350 when i worked at Sainsburys 20 years ago

HerRoyalNotness · 12/12/2020 22:07

Completely different company to company. My old one did it as a profit share and the higher grade you were the more you got. The bonus pool depended on how well they did and how many in the pool to distribute to.

HerRoyalNotness · 12/12/2020 22:08

@Inpersuitofhappiness

You've said that hes only been there about half the year, he may not even get a bonus. I remember one year I thought DH would get one as everyone else did. He had been there for a similar sort of time, and was completely bypassed.

Please try not to give it too much headspace, as it may not happen at all.

Ah yes good point. My last company I was off on disability ’ and they excluded that time from my bonus calculation. That was a kick in the guts
thefirstmrsrochester · 12/12/2020 22:10

Where I work don’t usually give bonuses however this Christmas we are receiving £500 each. DH used to receive a bonus equating to 10% of his annual salary, great at the time, he now works for a national charity and there are no bonuses, nor should there be. We are both very lucky to have jobs which haven’t been impacted by covid.

Coulddowithanap · 12/12/2020 22:10

I've never got a Christmas bonus. Must be working in the wrong places!

Callipygion · 12/12/2020 22:11

Years ago I worked in a bank, and at one time we got a percentage of pay. It was stopped though. In the shop I work p/t in now, it’s also a percentage of your weekly contracted hours - so not much for us on shop floor, as most of us only have 8 or 12 hours on contract but some work nearly full time (not me 😛).

JamesMoriarty · 12/12/2020 22:11

My last job was a £50 shopping gift card of our choice.
Nothing at the place before.
And £20 at the one before that.

Sexnotgender · 12/12/2020 22:12

Depends on his field of work.

Company used to pay bonus twice a year, June and December but moving to only one bonus in June so nothing this year. Did just get a 10% pay rise though so can’t complain!

Callipygion · 12/12/2020 22:12

Oh and we can only spend it in the company’s outlets.

Nicketynac · 12/12/2020 22:13

One year my old boss was handing out individual chocolates (I think they were Celebrations) as we left on Christmas Eve after a full day in retail. I didn't get one as he hadn't bought a big enough box and had run out.
Now NHS, I get a flu jab. I may eventually get a covid jab!

FestiveChristmasLights · 12/12/2020 22:15

It depends on the company. I don’t get anything at Christmas but usually get £1000 or so at the end of the financial year (more if full time and more again if exceed targets etc). DH gets much better bonuses and at odd times of the year.

H1974 · 12/12/2020 22:15

I wouldn't rely on it, every company is different.
I have known some companies only give bonuses to members of staff who have been working with the company for a set number of months or pro rata it to the number of months they have worked.
I personally would not enquire and if he does receive a bonus, well that's a bonus!

ELM8 · 12/12/2020 22:16

It's hard to guess.. it could be anything.. hope it's a decent one though Smile

If he doesn't want to ask colleagues how much they normally get, if it's brought up in conversation again he could ask what they spent it on last year as that might give him a ballpark.. no guarantee it would be the same this year though of course.