A manager has been criticized for demanding a “crazy” amount of money for a colleague’s departure and for “making guilty” an employee who cannot afford to pay.
An anonymous UK worker wrote to a careers expert Ben Askins and revealed his difficult situation.
A screenshot showed the tense conversation between the manager and his employee, in which each worker was forced to pay £50 (AUD$100) for the gift.
‘Hey, notice you haven’t paid for Josh’s going away gift yet. Can you send me the ($100) today? I want to make the purchase before the end of the day,’ the boss wrote to the employee.
‘Can I ask why it is so expensive? “Money is a little tight right now and being asked to contribute that much seems like a lot,” the humble employee said.
But the director showed no sympathy.
“Josh has run the company for three years and I think it’s a nice gesture to show our appreciation.”
The employee argued, “I appreciate it, but he makes a lot more money than I do, and being asked to contribute so much feels strange, especially since I’ve never worked with him.”
A manager has been criticized for demanding a “crazy” amount of money for a colleague’s farewell gift
“I’m afraid this is mandatory,” the manager replied. ‘It’s not fair for me to ask some people and not others. Besides, all things considered, it’s not much.
“Okay, I’ll send the money shortly,” the employee relented.
Askins criticized the director’s “insensitive” approach.
“Oh, no, I don’t like this at all,” said Mr. Askins. “Look, I don’t mind leaving gifts as a concept, but companies should pay for it.”
He added: “What I really don’t like is this approach where employees are pressured to invest a lot of money.”
‘Because it leads to a problem where higher ranking people get more money, exactly like this situation.
And people may not have that money. Companies should take responsibility, set a budget and pay themselves.’
Ms. Askins revealed a situation where spending her own money was reasonable.
‘If you want to give something small to your best friend at work, that’s totally different. That is within your right.
“But that mandatory ‘everyone has to contribute’ is something I hate – and I think what this manager is doing is really poor – because ($100) is just ridiculous.”
Askins also disagreed with the manager stating that the amount “wasn’t that much.”
“That’s a really insensitive comment, because it may not be a lot to the manager, but it’s clearly a lot to the employee.” It’s just not fair what he’s doing.
Many were equally dismayed.
“I get $10, but $100 is ridiculous. What are you buying?” one asked.
“I would just say I bought my own gift,” wrote another.
“I bet they don’t make everyone pay $100 when a lower-ranking employee leaves,” one worker noted.