To be annoyed about lack of Christmas bonus?

[Vexed22]

I work in retail, small business with a handful of branches, and last year's Christmas bonus was a £20 voucher, which I was slightly miffed about as previous years had been a lot more.

This year however I have had no bonus at all. I imagine their reasoning is along the lines of belt tightening, recession etc etc BUT I know for the fact that it has been a good year saleswise, especially at the branch I work at - 100% up from the previous year, and also last week saw the boss giving an expensive Christmas gift to one of our suppliers reps.

AIBU to feel upset about this?

Yeah I'm in a pretty wealthy area, it's a teaching hospital in the South East

It's a bonus not a guarantee

@achildisborn wow! Any jobs going?

I don't think £150 end of year is worth it for the general disarray and fear factor the rest of the year!

East Kent trust? That would make sense if you were as the latest report talks about appalling morale and staff behaviour/culture etc

As in, they’re trying to fix it.

Considering the current pressures, I don’t think £150 would land well actually.

No no, but we are having the same issues. Won't say my role but I sit on the board and the same issues crop up all through the year and yet nothing significant changes. IMHO the misuse of services like ED and lack of cohesive comms etc for discharge planning in adults are some of the biggest roadblocks for the NHS. Staff are overworked and underplayed.

Underpaid, probably underplayed how much they actually have to do in a shift!!

Most people get more bonus. Just because sales are good, doesn't mean it's more profitable.

Most people don't get a Christmas bonus.

I always assumed my Christmas bonus was having a job to go back to in January.

Unless it's in your contract you shouldn't expect it, if they choose to give it after a really good year that's nice, but doesn't mean it should be expected for ever more.

Come and be a teacher! The holidays are great!

Unnecessary dig at teachers is unwelcome. I was not asking for the world's smallest violin to come out,was merely stating a fact

I used to work for City stockbrokers and Christmas bonuses were definitely a thing. (Not sure it's the same these days, although you do still hear about traders or dealing room head honchos getting huge bonuses.)
I used to get small presents like v.upmarket chocolates from the partners, or vouchers to take to a posh City wine merchant to exchange for port etc. Also a few hundred pounds cash. Could be up to a couple of grand.
It was usually mentioned in job interviews when discussing salary 'And of course, we generally pay a Christmas bonus...' But no promises!

Entitled

Why do you expect to get given a bonus

£70 in bonus this year in Morrisons vouchers. It paid for the food shop.

We were very surprised.

Usually it’s a box of those orange flavoured matchsticks. 🤢

Never ever had a Christmas bonus and never expected one, not sure why you are so annoyed. The whole country is struggling.

How are Christmas bonuses even a thing nowadays. With multicultural multi faith workforces it seems completely out of context with the modern workplace.

I've only had one Christmas bonus of £100 when I first started work and never anything of that nature since.

Having worked previously in blue chip industry but now in public sector I wouldn't go back to the high salary, high perks if you paid me £1M - it was appalling how they wrung every last drop out of people. Public sector / Civil Service isn't as well paid but it is a much more healthy and supportive workplace.

I work for the local authority. No bonus, no gifts, no meals, 30 days leave per year.
Nothing on this earth could convince me back to teaching - no amount of holiday (which is mostly not holiday and for which teachers are not paid), no amount of finishing at 3.30 (which is an absolute fallacy - as a teacher I worked 65-75 hours per week - I now work exactly my contracted 37.5).
Teachers are absolutely wonderful and deserve so much respect. I lasted ten years, and there is no way I had the stamina left to continue once I had my children. Hats off to all who manage it.

Who did die get sponsorship with. My son is looking at studying engineering so very interested.

As a token of appreciation for the hard work I have put in this year and the many instances of going beyond the call of my role? It's a private business, and I am paid slightly above minimum wage, had a pay rise this year after 4 years of no payrises so not a payrise In real terms.

Theres some really curmudgeonly people on here who I sense are probably unhappy with their jobs too, but Thank-you to everyone who has replied sensibly.

I work in the private sector and I always get a Christmas bonus if the company do well. I find it shocking that most people don't. Employees should be rewarded for meeting targets and working hard to keep the company running and the profits should be shared as an incentive.

DH also gets a Christmas bonus and a summer bonus, also private sector.

A friend of mine recently left teaching and is already so much happier after a few months. Having his evenings weekends and holidays back has had an amazing positive effect on his mental and physical health.

It states in our contract that any bonus we can recieve is at the business' discretion and not everyone or the same people will recieve them year after year, apart from a sign up bonus which is split throughout your first year but even that comes with conditions.

Does your contract state anything about bonuses? If it does then I would follow that and maybe raise it but if it doesn't then I wouldn't expect it to be a given all the time.