Leaving gifts at workplace.

[Rosa2023]

In our work place there are about 50 staff. It is the kind of place that people tend to come and go quite quickly- there are people on temporary contracts etc.
I sort out the leaving gifts for staff. Someone is leaving who is really lovely and I’ve asked for money for a collection but only had a few pound. This happens all the time and I and my manager often end up making up the shortfall.
I also know it’s so annoying to constantly get asked for money so I am trying to think of a fair way to do it.
does anyone have any good ideas? I want to fair because at the moment someone really popular might get 70 worth of first and someone else get barely anything ( unless I buy it )
i thought maybe if you worked there six months or less you get a box of choc and a card and over a year maybe some flowers and choc and a card. That way I don’t even mind just buying myself to be honest and not ask for money.

If there are lots of comings and goings and so lots of collections, people are going to get very tired if being asked for money, regardless of how much they like the leaver.

Perhaps management could announce that going forward the policy is cards only, no gifts. I'll bet most people will be thrilled!

Why does someone who's worked there less than 6 months need a leaving gift?

The organisation can pay for a card for leavers. Just do collections or gifts for people who've been there more than a year.

You shouldn't be paying for any of it. Unless you are very very senior and/or the business owner.

£2 collection each month from junior staff and £5 per month more senior staff and then birthday and leavers and baby, wedding, etc gifts from this was how it was done in my old work place which did well.

If you didn't contribute then no gift!

I agree with this. Stop the official gift collections. If people want to buy gifts individually or club together, they can sort that out themselves.

Management need to just put a no gifts policy in place. It’s not fair to ask for money that often - some people don’t have even £5 left at the end of the month, it would be sickening to feel pressured to give your last few quid to someone you’ve only known a couple months.

Can a kitty/fund from the company just cover a nice well wishes card, and everyone can sign it with a message?

Leaving gifts shouldn't be expected. They should be given with love and good wishes.

Stop organising collections for all. Just buy a pack of good luck cards and use one each time.

Presents only for those who have been with you years.

Having been in a work situation like this I'd prefer a card only policy. It can be neverending with people having birthdays, babies, engagements, weddings, bereavements and leaving. For things like births bereavements and weddings the company would pay for flowers up to a certain amount.

I think a card is sufficient.
My last place looked horrified when I said I wouldn't contribute to my bullies b day present or anyone's.
Lots of staff there so every week would be something.
My new workplace has no whips round policy.

So I wasn't expecting a leaving pressie as my colleagues made my life dreadful.
Imagine my surprise to get a huge floral arrangement and card from the area manager for all I had done.🤣🤣

It needs to go to card only.

My workplace used to not have much movement at all so you have gladly to wedding/birth/leaving collections as they were colleagues you knew well

Then the structure changed and we have a high turnover of 1 category of staff and the collections got ridiculous. I now give £1 towards a card and a bottle of fizz and that’s it

My work does a staff fund. It’s £10 a year if you want to contribute. If you don’t contribute then you won’t get a leaving gift (unless your immediate colleagues decide to do something).

I worked in a place like this, although about double the number of staff.

When it had just opened, the first 3 or 4 to leave got a fortune from the whip round and well attended leaving nights. After that, it quickly deteriorated.

By the time I left, 5 years later, your mates/immediate work colleagues did a collection between themselves and got you something nice, and then took you out for a beer on your last day. Which is right imo.

I don't think people should be expected to contribute to people they don't really know so a whole-work collection doesn't really work.

We also didn't do birthdays - you brought in cakes instead so there was usually something nice in the breakroom.

Please don't make up the shortfall yourself.

I'm the gift arranger for my company. I asked the company (not public sector) to allow me a set amount of money for weddings, babies and leavers. I then buy it. It means everyone gets the same value of gift and there is no pressurised whip-round.

If the company won't fund that, I'd go to card only.

I agree with the above.

In my opinion the Company should fund leaving gifts and cards they should be generic possibly vouchers and flowers or some such and maybe on a sliding scale depending on time worked there.

If colleagues/friends of the particular leaver want to do something amongst themselves that is their choice and should be done privately and independently of the company wide one.

Less than a year would just be a card for us. Under 3 years would be a bunch of flowers. Collections we would probably only do for over that and unless over 5 years it would be a very small one.

Just stop them.

Thank you all! On reflection I’ve decided that I’m going to suggest just a card and maybe a box of chocolates.
I bet people will be thrilled not to be asked for money.
it will be a relief not to have panic buy something for someone I barely even know!

That sounds like a good plan!