Workplace Collections

[user9064327]

Ive been off ill from my workplace for the past 8 months and have had limited contact with my colleagues. Manager contacts me today asking if I want to put into a collection for colleague who is turning 60 next week.
I hate the dreaded workplace collections but current manager seems to love them 🙄
AIBU to think its cheeky to ask me to contribute when I haven't seen/spoken to this colleague in 8 months?

Say no thanks then. They asked not demanded

Did they do anything nice for you when you first went off/it was clear you would be off a while? Either way it's totally your choice.

Work can't win - they may be a good friend of yours and you'd have been offended not to have been asked.

I'm surprised they contacted you to be honest and I wouldn't be very happy. I'd be tempted to say no for that reason.

It puts you on the spot and makes you feel railroaded, especially if it is a colleague you wouldn't have automatically contributed to. You'd kind of feel obliged because it is rather public.

Did you know the colleague well and were you close? Or did you not know them at all/only in passing sort of thing?

Have they sent you anything while youre off sick, if yes then I would. Otherwise, unless you're particularly fond of the colleague, then no.

There have been at least 2 other recent threads on this very subject. Personally I would be happy to obliterate all work collections and have as company policy cards only.

don’t be so tight

I don’t think it’s right to contact individuals directly, because it makes it very difficult to say no. In my office, a PayPal link gets sent around with a deadline for contributions and whoever wants to take part can do so without pressure.

Your reasoning is a bit odd though. Just because you haven’t seen somebody for months surely doesn’t mean you’d have stopped liking them, if you did before?

Just ignore if you don't want to

Never do collections. Zero sum game. Give out loads of cash for others to hopefully receive a (potentially naff) present when its your turn.

Keep the money and spend it on yourself as you see fit.

Say you cannot afford it in the current economic climate.

Collections do my head in unless it's for an immediate team member but we dont even do that. I had one line manager who always put in so much more than everyone else because he earned more. But lots of others just put in a £1 which is worth significantly less to them than someone earning very little

Agree with those saying it is a request.
You can put in or not put in as you see fit.

I think it depends a lot on the workplace culture, and this would incorporate if they have been chatting to you and including you in things that have been circulating over the last 8 months.
Also, if you are just on the "Send to all" list, or if it was a specific request, if she hasn't been in regular touch.

I don’t like workplace collections, but thankfully we only do them for big birthdays or occasions. The worst was my last job when a colleague told me she needed £20 from each person for “X’s maternity gift”. Maybe if I’d actually liked X, but she was a grumpy cow who only did things to suit herself, so I just ignored it. It’s strange to contact you after so long.

Hate them but in one place I worked there was a collection envelope most weeks for someone 😐

Maybe your manager was trying to keep you connected to your team still.

YANBU, I just ignore collection requests.

We do an annual collection in our workplace and that works out very fair. But you haven't been in for 8 months. So no way should they ask you to contribute. Did they send anything to you to wish you well while you were off?