Christmas Bonuses/meals in your company??

Posted by: Jonathan Gorse on 28 November 2012

With Christmas looming I'm curious how many of you will receive any kind of Christmas bonus/thank-you this year from your employer and what it will be??

 

For what it's worth my employer (a leading regional airline) give all staff a £10 M&S voucher and usually pay a contribution for a Christmas meal to the value of £17.50 per head in a restaurant of choice organised by staff.  The meal has been cancelled this year due to the recession.

 

My previous employer (BA) back in the late 1990's used to give up to three weeks salary capped at £800 a week (so the higher paid people wouldn't eat up too much of the pot!)  They certainly were the good old days!!  I could fund a week in a 5 star resort over New Year and fly out First or Club Class on staff travel and still have change!

 

Just curious how my experience compares with those of you working elsewhere.  I take the view that a reasonable Christmas bonus is a very positive thing provided it benefits all staff and it certainly makes you feel appreciated for your efforts if it is well judged and appropriate.  It goes without saying that such bonuses can only really be justified when the company is in a position to afford them so I think it is sensible that they go up or down depending on company performance.  I do get the feeling though that the bean-counters have in recent years sought to limit or eliminate such 'thank-you's'.  I am pleased to hear that John Lewis seem to still pay staff very generous bonuses.

 

Jonathan

 

 

 

 

Posted on: 28 November 2012 by Tony Lockhart
Begins with 'Sweet' and ends with 'all'. The most I've ever received is a bottle of ok wine, but the current employer doesn't part with anything that's not a legal requirement. Tony
Posted on: 28 November 2012 by Steve J

Sweet FA in the NHS. In fact it is me that give the staff I work closely with 'thank you' gifts.

Posted on: 28 November 2012 by Tony Lockhart
Now you mention it Steve, I give all the girls a little box of choccies, and the guys I work directly with I give a nice Rioja to.
I've only been offered sex with the guys though.

Joke!

Tony
Posted on: 28 November 2012 by Quad 33

Nothing in the probation service. Luck to get a thank you.

 

Posted on: 28 November 2012 by Bananahead

I work for a large organisation in Switzerland that has just had one of their ex-employees sent to prison.

 

There will be a Christmas meal.

 

I will find out about the variable compensation part of my remuneration package in January but last year it was only a months salary so expectations are not high.

Posted on: 28 November 2012 by T38.45

Nothing, zero, and my company earns profit like hell...not even a christmas party! 

Posted on: 28 November 2012 by Fabio 1
Originally Posted by T38.45:

Nothing, zero, and my company earns profit like hell...not even a christmas party! 


An Italian employer is giving Eur 6.000 to his workers for Christmas.

Posted on: 28 November 2012 by Fabio 1

Sorry T38.45,I didn't want to reply to your post,not completely waked up...

Posted on: 28 November 2012 by Bruce Woodhouse

We gave a staff bonus this year instead of a pay rise. My income is dropping, and has done for a few years running.

 

We have a staff Xmas meal. It is like a prolonged trip to the dentist. We get on fine the rest of the year.

 

I'm usually busy/indisposed/uncontactable but have been encouraged to show my face. It is usually on my Birthday too!

 

Bah, and indeed bah humbug.

 

Bruce

Posted on: 28 November 2012 by mista h

Only had 3 staff...Sales rep/van driver/bookeeper cum assistant. Gave them one weeks xtra money,then they could do what they wanted with it.

 

Mista H

Posted on: 29 November 2012 by chimp

The company I work for takes the office staff to a play in one of the main theatres in London then off for a 5 star meal in a reputable restaurant. All very nice I suppose, but for us on the shop floor, we get nothing, the boss has even asked in the past if we are going to have a christmas party, all of which we have to pay for ourselves. My reaction to this is " piss off". Do you ever get the feeling that the "us and them" syndrome is upon us?

Posted on: 29 November 2012 by naim_nymph

This year we get a bonus of £100 included in our pay.

Less tax and NI i think it comes to about £67 (?).

 

But some good news, next year the bonus will be £200!!

But some bad news, many of us will be made redundant well before xmas 2013  

 

Debs

Posted on: 29 November 2012 by Cbr600
Originally Posted by Tony Lockhart:
Now you mention it Steve, I give all the girls a little box of choccies, and the guys I work directly with I give a nice Rioja to.
I've only been offered sex with the guys though.

Joke!

Tony

in your dreams Tony !

Posted on: 29 November 2012 by Cbr600

Working in a major acute hospital, we all probably be given "winter vomiting bug"

 

new style weight loss !!

Posted on: 29 November 2012 by Steve J
Originally Posted by Cbr600:

Working in a major acute hospital, we all probably be given "winter vomiting bug"

 

new style weight loss !!

Very true. The Norah Batty virus is rampant at the moment.

Posted on: 29 November 2012 by sheffieldgraham
Originally Posted by Steve J:
Originally Posted by Cbr600:

Working in a major acute hospital, we all probably be given "winter vomiting bug"

 

new style weight loss !!

Very true. The Norah Batty virus is rampant at the moment.

You're not kidding. I've had it twice in 3 weeks.

In my years in the steel industry; nothing. Used to give my staff any "presents" suppliers donated at Xmas. Failing that buy them a bottle of wine out of my own pocket.

In my younger days we were allowed to hold an "Xmas party" one year. Unfortunately one of the staff, determined to get his share, consumed so much alcohol he nearly killed himself. That was the first and last party we had.

Posted on: 01 December 2012 by Redmires

Mid-sized IT company. £25 for an xmas meal. There's 12 in the team so if two or three can't make it on the day, the average goes up a bit for the rest. No pay rise for 3 years though.

 

Posted on: 01 December 2012 by Paper Plane

When a civil servant, we got nack all. My current employer, dependent on company profits*, has a sliding scale for the run-of-the mill staff, £100 after one full year, £200 for 2 and then full stop at £300 for 3 years+, so, I'm on the £300 now. Not sure what the Grand Panjandarums get, I'm guessing a bit more as it's a fair sized concern...

 

As for a meal, our 'section' organises its own and we all pay our share.

 

steve

 

* In all the years I've been there (now 5) we've always received it.

Posted on: 01 December 2012 by backfromoz

Most generous company i worked for was a family owned hifi shop. Each staff member got a brown envelope with a bonus based upon sales for the year.

 

The bonus was generous in 1982 i got £400.00

 

They did look after the staff well.

 

Kind and generous to all staff. So most staff worked there for years and customer service was excellent as a result.

 

20 years in NHS and the annual fight over who got Xmas and or new year off. Got nasty sometimes. Ungrateful bunch the NHS trust i worked for. Mind you my ex and i did manage to get 4 1/2 weeks one xmas to go to South Africa. One of the best holidays i ever had 1991. But the emotional black mail,. after the holiday, lasted 2 years.

 

Ho Hum

 

Tis the season to be Jolly

 

David

Posted on: 01 December 2012 by Cbr600

Interesting post David.

Not sure about the racist undertones to your previous employers though !

Posted on: 01 December 2012 by Dave J

Some tight-arses about!

 

We give our guys a bonus, Champagne and chocolates, gifts for their children and take everyone to dinner. It's Christmas for heaven's sake and time to show everyone how much they are appreciated.

Posted on: 01 December 2012 by Don Atkinson

My previous employer gave annual bonuses (but not at Xmas) based on performance. Mine avereged about 15%. At Xmas there was nothing, but there wern't any complaints.

 

At my current place, we get a really pleasant Xmas evening out at a decent restaurant, partners included, all paid. Value must be about £50 per head ie £100 including partner. Not much in terms of business costs, but everybody appreciates the gesture and must worth every penny spent by the company.

 

Cheers

 

Don

Posted on: 01 December 2012 by DrMark

Heck, my company couldn't even be bothered to stay closed on Thanksgiving.  Their approach to everything regarding employees is more along the lines of "The beatings will continue until morale improves." 

 

That, among other reasons, is why they came in #6 on MSN's "11 worst companies to work for."  My previous employer was #9, so at least I am moving up in the world at something!   (And in 2000-2001 I worked for #7 - can I pick 'em or what?! - although I personally had no issue with that outfit at all.)

 

But I am quitting as soon as I close on the refi for my rental property, which should be in the next week or so....so f-bomb them!  Better things ahead.

Posted on: 02 December 2012 by GraemeH

The corporate 'digi-card' will be emailed to us.......can't wait.  G

Posted on: 02 December 2012 by backfromoz

Dear Cbr 600,

 

I am somewhat perplexed by your post. Racist Overtones !!!!!????? How is my post racist.

 

At the time my employer was of the Jewish faith hence did not celebrate Xmas. So it was good of them to make a gift to the staff at a time of year that is a Christian faith celebration. That was all that was meant by my post

 

Being jewish is not a racial group but a faith group.

 

It seems today that many look for racial prejudice everywhere they look.

 

regards David