Page 5 | To ask if your manager acknowledges your birthday with a gift?

Merryoldgoat · 2021-01-22T10:45:58+00:00

Where I currently work we don’t do birthday collections etc (which I am grateful for). Would you generally expect to give a present to your direct report? Or receive one from your manager? If so, what kind of value would a gift like that be? I’m newish to this dynamic and don’t want to embarrass or offend anyone or do something stupid.

AnnaSW1 · 22/01/2021 13:51

No. And I definitely wouldn't expect or want it.

GOODCAT · 22/01/2021 14:03

No I manage a number of teams and there are too many people to do this for.

We make a fuss on big birthdays for those who like that. However two of the teams I manage do, do birthdays which is fine.

I do though end up paying for social get togethers, which is expensive! I am in an industry where you are paid less for a management role than a skilled role even though you still have to have enough technical skills yourself to oversee everything, but you lack the truly specialist skills which command more pay. As a result it isn't ideal paying for people who get paid significantly more.

Terracottasaur · 22/01/2021 14:05

Mine does, and I give her presents as well. We’re a very small team though, and we’re good pals.

LuaDipa · 22/01/2021 14:06

In the office I would usually spring for a card and cake from the team. During lockdown I have sent gifts (also from the team) as everything is a bit rubbish anyway.

EBearhug · 22/01/2021 14:10

Birthday person brings in cakes if they want people to know it's their birthday. Not that anyone is in the office any more, and sharing of food is not allowed for covid reasons.

I usually book leave (we're not given it - how does that work fairly for people with Christmas or New Year birthdays?) I might bring in cake when I'm back after leave but not always.

I usually wish people happy birthday on instant messenger, if I know it's their birthday and one or two I send cards to as a personal thing, people I socialise with outside of work. I've only had work cards from people I know socially outside of work, but when my mother died, I had a sympathy card from all my German colleagues, which I appreciated. None of my local, UK colleagues said anything, so I don't know why the Germans did, though I am quite close to a couple of them and have at least met all of them.

peak2021 · 22/01/2021 14:35

No, would never expect one and with a July birthday often have time off then.

spoonrace · 22/01/2021 15:18

I'm a PA, I usually get a Christmas present from whoever is my boss at the time. I've only once had a birthday present from a boss. I wouldn't expect birthday gift...Xmas is more normal. I don't think non-admin staff generally receive personal gifts.

lastqueenofscotland · 22/01/2021 15:37

Everywhere I’ve worked the birthday person has got a gift, not expensive, usually a bottle of something.

Thiscantgoon · 22/01/2021 15:40

Birthdays are a big thing where I work. My boss gets something really thoughtful for me, I'm obliged to try and do the same for my team, although I'm really rubbish at presents and my staff always get nice token presents for me. The thought is lovely but I end up with loads of bits I'll never use and I can't even regift because they all came from the only place I need a token gift for.

It beautifully well intentioned, but I wish they wouldn't.

Parkmama · 22/01/2021 15:45

No gift but we usually organise a card that we circulate and pass to whoever's birthday it is. I always do a happy birthday mention in team meetings for whoever has one in each month, I also pop a calendar reminder into my team's diaries so that if they're on a call with that person on the day, they can politely wish them a happy birthday but that's it

toconclude · 22/01/2021 15:49

@Mintjulia

No. In the companies I have worked for, the person with the birthday brings in cakes.

Otherwise, nothing.

This. Couldn't possibly have afforded to buy gifts for all my reportees.

TurquoiseDragon · 22/01/2021 15:53

I got a gift for my 50th from the team and some colleagues as a group, otherwise we are a small team and boss does do cards.

Dancingmeldew · 22/01/2021 15:56

I always get something from my boss either a cake or wine and chocolates. Not everyone gets something. Generally the longer serving people.

Idontbelieveit12 · 22/01/2021 16:03

No, a card is signed by all colleagues, and we generally take our own cake in on our birthdays! We do a collection for big birthdays.

plixy · 22/01/2021 17:17

My work buy a gift of around £30 for everyone. It's left to a colleague who knows what that person would like to arrange it, but they are given the money to pay. There's never been anyone unwilling to do the buying.
I also received a present the year I was on maternity leave, and anyone working from home has been sent a gift too, so they don't forget if you aren't around.

NotMeNoNo · 22/01/2021 17:48

I'm starting to feel our company could up its game in the staff appreciateion stakes

ddl1 · 22/01/2021 18:30

I may sound like a real Grinch, but I am a bit shocked at the number of workplaces mentioned here that apparently do something specifically for 'BIG' birthdays. Surely a workplace should not be making a big thing of an employee's age, unless they have given consent - otherwise it's a real invasion of privacy. Or is this only done if the employee has announced the birthday? - I hope so!

daisypond · 22/01/2021 18:56

@ddl1

I may sound like a real Grinch, but I am a bit shocked at the number of workplaces mentioned here that apparently do something specifically for 'BIG' birthdays. Surely a workplace should not be making a big thing of an employee's age, unless they have given consent - otherwise it's a real invasion of privacy. Or is this only done if the employee has announced the birthday? - I hope so!

I agree. I’m very surprised, shocked even. Unless it comes from the employee themselves.

scubadub · 22/01/2021 18:58

No 🤣🤣 my manager is paid about 100k she is not being paid that to remember our birthdays 🤣

Original poster

Merryoldgoat · 22/01/2021 19:04

@scubadub

No 🤣🤣 my manager is paid about 100k she is not being paid that to remember our birthdays 🤣

I wasn’t suggesting it was part of my job.

OP posts:

UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme · 22/01/2021 19:16

scubadub what on earth has your boss' salary got to do with anything? Are you saying that if she were paid less for the same job she should be more aware of her direct reports? Her salery is utterly irrelevant.

UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme · 22/01/2021 19:16

*salary

Womencanlift · 22/01/2021 19:36

@scubadub

No 🤣🤣 my manager is paid about 100k she is not being paid that to remember our birthdays 🤣

What a strange comment. My immediate manager is probably paid close to that and is the first one to acknowledge someone’s birthday because he is a person that values his staff

So glad I have worked with the people I have during my career going by some of the comments in this post. Always find it strange that people can be so cold and unfriendly to people that they spend so much time with every day. I am glad that I have made some very close friends through work and they want to celebrate my birthday with me usually in the pub but last year over zoom in the same way my out of work friends did

violetbunny · 22/01/2021 19:39

Everyone in our team gets a cake and happy birthday sung to them (work pays). Although our team grew and it got to the point where we were having cake at least once a week. So now we do it monthly and celebrate all the month's birthdays in one go. Much better for the waistline!

PegasusReturns · 22/01/2021 19:45

If we’re in the office I’ll organise cake or breakfast for the team. But I don’t give birthday presents to anyone other than my exec assistant. She gets a big present because she’s amazing.

My direct reports all get a Christmas gift.