AIBU to not want to buy presents for staff?

[Pigtailsandall]

I manage a small team of 8 people in a public sector organisation, and I'm the most junior of managers so I don't have a huge salary (for the level of work I do). For Christmas, everyone got a card and a bottle of bubbly. It set me back around £90 which was ok at the time. However since that, DH has taken a pay cut and moved to a start-up which he loves, but the salary is crappy. Money is a bit tight, and in the next 4 weeks 3 of the staff have birthdays. Most managers get something for each staff as a birthday gift and I'm reluctant as money's tight. AIBU to just get a nice card with a thoughtful message? I'm almost certain one person will be miffed and complain, but I can't really get a present for one person and not the others.

Card plus a day of their choice to finish early or even a full day off?

This sort of thing really makes me confused why would anyone expect a b'day present from their manager, let alone complain if they don't?

How much do you normally spend on bday presents for them?!

I'd normally spend £10-15, something like a nice bottle of something, or chocolate or flowers.
That's a good idea @MissMissTorrance I can't really do a full day off but I could do an early finish

You can’t afford a box of chocolates?

Lol keyboard failure - Small box eg the £3 hotel chocolate ones? You could give it to them in addition to the early finish

@Pigtailsandall

You sound like a delightful manager! If you had the ability to give a little extra time off, personally I'd rather have the option to come in late the day after my birthday rather than leave early on my birthday.

@Cabinfever10

This sort of thing really makes me confused why would anyone expect a b'day present from their manager, let alone complain if they don't?

Same. I'd see it as total madness and entitled to be aggrieved that your manager didn't spend their own personal money getting you a present for your birthday. I don't manage anyone, but the only time I've stumped up money for work colleagues, has either been the odd drink when we're out together, or for a collection when someone is retiring.

They get paid, don’t they? It’s unheard of in my workplace for managers to be buying staff birthday presents. It’s a no-nonsense sort of place and nobody would even know when someone else’s birthday is. If they are expecting this as some sort of remuneration then really that should come from expenses.

Stop buying them presents!

I think it is fine to give nothing and nice to give a card. I've never had a birthday present or a Christmas present from a line manager. I'm public sector.

Are you definitely meant to buy them yourself, are you sure the other managers don't all put the through their expenses?

At our work some managers might buy small gifts at Christmas but I don't think my boss even knows when my birthday is. In fact if anything the birthday-ee is the one who is supposed to bring in the cake for the whole team!

@Baystard I work in public sector so expenses are not a thing. I can't even get a non-standard color pen.

I think this is a strange hang-up and custom from previous managers. Few people in the team are close to retirement age and are very set in their ways.
Of course I can afford a box of chocolates - but given the current money strain, I'd rather spend any extra cash on my own kid, for example

but given the current money strain, I'd rather spend any extra cash on my own kid, for example

Do that then, you owe them nothing, not even an explanation about your own finances.

Bring in a cake for them to share in the office?

How much do your staff earn compared to you?

If they're on next to bugger all as AAs, an EO or HEO saying they're too skint for a birthday box of chocolates is quite insulting.

(I realise grades/titles may well have changed in the last few decades, but the principle is the same when you're a grade 7 saying you're too skint to get something for a grade 2)

I think a card is fine, and yes could you facilitate a half day?

I'd rather leave a couple of hours early than get a day off.
Can you let them take a couple of hours on their bday or nearest Friday. Same for xmas.

Sorry not than get a day off!! Than get a bottle of wine etc

Go with the half day off and a card. Personally I’d also make it know that finances were a bit tighter than usual so that the first birthday person doesn’t think you think they’ve done something wrong.

I wouldn't even expect a card off my manager. Although it pissed me off when someone wanted us to club together for the managers birthday.

A card is absolutely fine. I can't imagine a complaint getting very far.

Also, in my organisation the managers sometimes get paid less than their team. I managed a team that had TUPEd from the NHS. All of them were on at least 5k more than me as I'm on charity wages.

I'm not a manager, but I organise the birthday presents for my team (basically cos no one else when the pandemic started my manager was on mat leave, and I thought people needed the boost!) we just all chip in a fiver each, and then I organise the persons pressie, so a bottle of Prosecco etc. We only have one guy in our team and he loves Morgan's, so I got him a bottle of that and lots of mixers etc. M&S do a big night in box with sweets and popcorn etc.

I wouldn't be doing all that with my own money, but I think it's nice to all chip in to sort something out!

Tbf though, if you've done it for other birthdays this year then you kinda need to continue until next year.

It is not your job to subsidise your employer. If the expectation is that managers buy their staff presents for Christmas/birthdays they should be able to expense those gifts. If not, managers should not feel obliged or be expected to buy gifts.

I would stop getting them gifts at all.

The only thing that gives me pause though is the fact that presumably you've bought gifts for everyone else so far this year. I would probably finish the birthdays this year with a small gift (like the suggestions so far about a small box of chocolates etc), skip Christmas and then nothing from next year.