Culture box for my staff meeting at a new job, help please !

[Olivia933]

I'm starting a new job but have a staff training day next week before I start. They have told me to bring along a culture box to help everyone get to know me.

I have no idea what to put in it. I'm a mum to 3 children so don't have much going on other than being a mother.
They mentioned to fill a shoe box.

Does anyone have any ideas or tips ?

Thanks In advance 😁

Who is it for, I mean to discuss with colleagues, to show children, to impress SLT with your culturedness?
If it's to show the kids, photos of your cat or dog, or any pet you ever had, something in your favourite colour, a photo of you doing something active/sporty or maybe a piece of equipment eg tennis ball and racket, swimming goggles, your favourite children's book, maybe your favourite artwork or music, or something you made ( painting, crochet, pottery, cookie).
If it's for adults, include an adult book, reference to something you like doing ( film, theatre, eating out, visiting NT places or gigs or whatever you do.

Exactly this. Luckily Im old enough now to refuse to engage.

I am not a fan of this sort of thing, but agree with pp that culture is about how you live, your values etc. If the job is working with kids, I’d be thinking of items that show you are fun, nurturing, kind etc, as well as things that reflect you/your interests.

I teach marketing (mainly digital but same principles) to undergrads and do a similar exercise getting students to imagine the things that make up their “personal brand”. They don’t make a box or physically bring anything but it’s quite fun and gets them to think.

If it was me I would be putting stuff like a red lipstick (always wear it), a cat toy (have a cat), perfume (special interest!), something food-related like a jar of spices or a spoon (love cooking), a CD insert or gig ticket (always listening to music), my Kindle (big reader) and so on.

Just leave it empty OP and tell them unfortunately you are uncultured.

Culturebox, what a load of bollockx, why don't managers calm down and let people get to know each other naturally these days, it's so cringey.

Have you got a pair of shoes you like? Bring them. In a box. Job done!

I came on to say this!

A favourite CD. A fridge magnet from a holiday. A piece of jewellery.

The last thing I'd want to do when starting a new job is to have to be the centre if attention and have to justify who I am and what I like.

If it's known that was a requirement if starting the job, I wouldn't have applied.

These are things about ourselves that we share with the people we want to share with, at a point when we're comfortable doing so.

We do culture boxes at our school. Is this something that you are sharing with the children so they get to know you?

Normal things include
photo of your family
favourite book and toy
clothing from your culture, football shirts are popular! Lots of kids do have something though, a bracelet from their christening or something like that.
photo of their favourite meal or a recipe.

I would put a bottle of wine, a colin the caterpillar cake, a pair of pyjamas and a photo of my family.

I’ve just reread your op and realised it’s adults! That’s quite…well ridiculous.

Okay if I have to do it, I'll out in ibuprofen, bottle of port, picture of Alex Turner and a map of New Brighton.

I really don’t like schools where they treat the staff like children. If they have any twinkl font notices in the staff room then make a run for it.

Fill it with Yakult.

Some biscuits or sweets or cake or similar sack off the cultural bit, or your culture is sharing sugar. Your colleagues will be thankful your normal and they don’t have to aw over your favourite book or whatever the manager is envisioning and can talk to you when they grab some stuff.

Oh no, this would make me rethink my life choices too…assume is essentially a getting to know you box I’d have: photo of me and my son together (possibly one of our photo books for ease) favourite smelly candle, sheet of music (I love to sing) theatre tickets to the last show I went to, pack of sweets biscuits because then I could ramble quickly through the others then end with “I like to share goodies with my colleagues” and spend the rest of the allotted time passing them round.

Wow, that seems incredibly prying to me.

I’d do mine on what makes me tick.

What do I love and geek out about.

What could I talk about for hours.

What hobbies and activities do I love doing?

What’s my favourite food or pudding or treat?

Favourite band or things to do as a kid (I always liked the Bros one no one liked or new kids on the block to work against the bros fans), transvision vamp.

I’d throw in some throw backs. Cut out of an awful shiny tracksuit I used to wear to the under 18s disco.

do you do anything in your down time? Crochet, diamond art, needle felting, gardening, growing shit from seeds or cuttings on kitchen window?

any qualifications or courses you went on that have nothing to do with your career now that may surprise folks.

i hate this kinda shite. Icebreakers and forced fun activities in the workplace. Yeyy.

Yep!!

id probably put my resignation in it & send it by courier!!

A wanky one

Yep!!

I was thinking what an exhausting office 😄

This sounds normal - food, a story about your family, maybe an heirloom

Are you Irish or Scottish, or do you have a heritage that isn't English?

Can you trace your lineage? Do you have family who fought in ww2?

That's all stuff

Stuff from the 90s, maybe a cd of a band you liked?

If you're from east London for example, id pack a menu from a pie n mash shop as well

Any magazines? Christmas orninamanfs that have sentimental value

Best of luck xx

How big ARE your shoes?

Some of these comments are killing me 😂
You are all hilarious.

Thank you for your responses 😁 x