AIBU in thinking that cleaners who get any sort of Xmas gift from their clients are very fortunate?

[Rosa1211]

I'm a cleaner, have long-standing clients, some of whom I've visited for over ten years. I hope that I'm valued as a good worker ( I'm told so ), yet only a very small percentage of my folk give a little extra indicative of the coming season. I'm ok with this as for the most part I don't think it occurs to them! Also of course, it's their choice. Do any other cleaners have a different view to this?

I always get a bit confused on this ... my husband gives gifts to his customers to thank them for their business and wouldn't expect his customers to give him gifts!

I have a cleaner and give her £50 cash in a card at Christmas. She's bloody amazing, and I want her to know that she's valued and appreciated.

I'm a care worker, earning less p/h than I pay my cleaner - but there's no way I could manage my own cleaning on top of full time shifts and the DCs.

She doesn't just make my house clean, she makes it possible for me to spend my time off with my DCs, or just doing something for me. It's a stretch to afford her, but what she gives me is priceless.

My mum used to clean for two rich families and they would give her lovely presents at Christmas. Tiffany earrings and silver bracelets, expensive chocolates etc. I guess it depends on the employers.

I gave my cleaner a gift and a cash bonus. She gave me a gift too. I really value everything she does.

I'm a cleaner in Australia. Most of my clients give a gift, some are more generous than others. At the very least they express their appreciation and thank me for my work. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect acknowledgement for your efforts, even if it isn't in gift form.

Everyone saying they don't get a bonus/gift for their work - most work places at least have some kind of Christmas party don't they?

Yanbu.
You do a valuable job clearing up people's dirt they should value you and show appreciation of your skills at Christmas with a bonus or gift.
there will be plenty of tight wads who say no,why should i,I already pay them.I bet they would appreciate an end of year bonus.If the cleaners and street cleaners and bin emptying staff went on strike the country would soon be a horrible mess.
I don't have a cleaner but if I did they would be given a very heart felt thank you and bonus.
I hope you do receive some welcome bonus gifts op.

We have a cleaner at Xmas for the first time this year! It wouldn't have occurred to me to give anything if it wasn't for this site tbh (we dont give anyone else a christmas tip!). We don't get any christmas bonuses or perks with our jobs (nhs) and aren't flush with cash. We only gave a tenner but it was gratefully received so I'm glad we gave something

Weirdly when you think about it though, it more standard for those who provide the service to buy the gift.

At work we get Xmas gifts from recruitment firms, design and creative agencies, cleaning firms etc because they want our contracts and to keep us happy.

It then flips for one-to-one relationships and employment. Odd

I don't get a bonus, I don't give my cleaner a bonus. Mil Lon the huger hand gifts the bin men, cleaner, milkma, postman. The postman and bin men aren't consistent so I can't see the point.

Hmm, when we had cleaners we'd never dream of not giving them a Christmas bonus! Usually the equivalent two cleans.

What's the hourly rate for a cleaner? I don't want one but if the pay is decent I would be one as I am starting to have burn out with my current job. The thought of having a job with less responsibility is really appealing to me.

It's standard to give cleaners a bonus at Christmas.

We give the equivalent of a week's payment as a bonus. They come every 2 weeks so we leave out an extra 50% of the usual rate, and usually something like a small cake and a card.

I know I work harder for people who appreciate me.

I don’t have a regular cleaner although I did use one a handful of times last year. If I did have one not sure if I would tip or not. For everyone saying most people get a bonus or party as a civil servant I get neither. Perhaps some civil servants do but I definitely don’t. The only Christmas party they do is self funded ie. We go to a pub or restaurant and we each pay for our dinner and drinks.

I think if I did give everything it would be a cash tip rather than present unless I really knew their taste well since I think there’s so much unwanted tat given out at Christmas .

OP I wouldn’t feel under appreciated, maybe the area your clients are in it’s just not the usual thing to do. People are more likely to respond to these threads announcing what they have given than others who don’t give a bonus replying so I’m sure many other cleaners don’t receive gifts or bonuses from a majority of Clients.

I have always given my cleaner a gift card equivalent to her weekly fee and paid her for the week after Christmas when she doesn't work. I also pay her when she's sick and half pay for holidays. After 16 years she's very important to us - we appreciate her work and are very fond of her.

I can’t find The post again but someone said their customers get a better service when they get a gift. I think it was someone who worked in a pharmacist.

This is my issue with tipping/present culture. It should literally be taken as a nice bonus but it shouldn’t affect the level of service you provide since you’re already being paid for your job.

my current job doesn’t give a bonus or party but I’m generally well treated there and it’s a good place to work. Conversely I used to work in a very toxic PR agency where they put on at least two Christmas parties and had champagne in the office. I didn’t feel appreciated overall in the PR agency but do in my current job.

I'd planned to give my cleaner a nice bonus at Christmas. I know they have a challenging time financially sometimes, so wanted to help out. They come every six weeks and want me to book the next service when they complete the current one. That's how they always work, book one at a time. It hasn't been a problem for the last three years until, come December, turns out they were fully booked as they have 'too many customers wanting Christmas cleans'. Up till this point I thought I was a regular and booking, as per usual at the end of October, would be routine. I guess if she can't come I don't have to give a Christmas bonus, since I won't be seeing her during the season.

No, it’s not harsh. It’s accurate.

You are doing a job and getting paid for it, yet are feeling hard done by because they aren’t giving you extra. That’s called being greedy.

I give our cleaner the equivalent on on extra month's wages. So £150.00. She has been with us since 2003 and I worship the ground she walks on. She is wonderful. One year we went abroad and our burglar alarm glitched so she came in twice a day (unasked- we did not know until later) to move curtains around and to turn lights on and off just because she was worried it would be otherwise obvious we were away. She buys my two boys christmas gifts as well.

She deserves every bit of extra that comes her way. I'dbe honestly lost without her.

However, if it were not for the relationship we have I am not sure I would otherwise give a large gift. Maybe flowers.

Oh, and FWIW I am in the private sector (law firm as a fee earner) and my firm does not give bonuses, OR christmas gifts. One year we got a £30 voucher for those of us that were not furloughed.

I give only a small token gift but I did pay my cleaner 100% of her weekly fee the whole way through lockdown so I'd be horrified if she thought I was mean.

I've had a lovely gift voucher and an extra 20 from a client. Completely unexpected and I'm very grateful.

To all the people that give one months wages as a gift, pay cleaners during holidays, lockdown, or when they are off sick, do you all live in London?

I generally hate tipping culture, it feels like charity and demeaning. I did tip the young lad who cut my hair yesterday, because Christmas and because he looked barely older than my son so it felt different.

I give something to my cleaner (this year and last, something she’s spotted in my house and liked - she asked me where I got this year’s from and I said I’d try and get her one for Christmas), the year before was a similar amount in cash. Then a bottle for my hairdresser, physiotherapist, chocolates for the bin men. Must remember to leave an envelope for the postie and Evri driver as they tend to be forgotten!

Idk how many people give things to my cleaner. I know she does a lot for another regular. She dog sat this year for us and I also gave her a small gift then. I’m sorry you’re not getting anything from your clients op. If you’ve been with them some time, I’m sure you do a fab job and I really wouldn’t think otherwise. People are incredibly busy and giving something to you probably just hasn’t hit their radar. Please don’t think it’s personal. I’m sure you’re very valued.

Sorry, this got me curious. Are the comments about your work, if so that probably needs to be addressed.

And you're a stranger in someone's house. We have cameras in every room and we would turn them on especially for a cleaner we didn't have a lot of experience with.

This could be it's own question... cameras or not with cleaner!

I don't see a Christmas bonus as tipping. It's a recognition of a year of providing a reliable and good service.

I think sometimes people use the "oh tipping is demeaning and embarrassing " so as they don't have to pay the extra. Likewise I'm sure most people - particularly those on a lower take home - appreciate cash or a voucher if you must, rather than a cheap bottle of prosecco or chocolates.