Cleaner

[helenabonhamfarter]

Last year I gave my not very good cleaner a £50 M&S voucher and a large box of chocolates for Christmas.
The gifts were never acknowledged in any way- just taken off the kitchen surface. I went for vouchers as I thought she could spend on herself or Christmas food if things were tight.
So....
Faced with the same situation this year do I even bother and rise above it, or was gift simply a bit shit?

I think gift cards can be a bit jarring if it’s for a store someone doesn’t usually use. Just £50 cash in a card is a great gift. If she doesn’t say anything next time, I’d ask her if she opened the card.

That's a better gift than I get most family members. Rude to not acknowledge it!

I'm probably a bit of a Scrooge here.

If she's not that good, why treat her? You pay her for a service and she does it. I pay my insurance, they're crap, but I'm not going to go giving them an extra 20 at Christmas... same with a landlord, my mechanic, my barber...

I would for my milkman, my postman and maybe the delivery guy that has to climb my steps every week, but I don't pay them directly, it's a gesture to those that may not realise you appreciate them rather than those you employ.

£50 is a lot in whatever form. She could have put it on eBay for £40 and still done well. She could have exchanged it with a friend for the full £50. She was ungrateful and that shouldn't be rewarded.

Surely you only give a bonus at Christmas to show appreciation for all the hard work in the past year?
If the cleaner is crap then why reward her anyway?

Changing the subject slightly.. I had my own cleaning business when my children were little. I grafted and I mean really worked hard. My clients recommended me to their relations and I was always busy. I would much rather have been given cash as appreciation than a card to spend in a particular store.
I don't remember getting much in the way of gifts at Christmas but one customer always paid me two weeks holiday pay each year which was appreciated

Thanks for your feedback.
She has an abusive son with an addiction problem- so that is why I never give her cash. He has been known to help himself in the past.

I always give cash and I'm sure it's preferred. Times are hard and she can't pay her bills with an M&S voucher.

I have explained why I do not give cash