A manager has been slammed for demanding an ‘insane’ amount of money for a colleague’s leaving present and ‘guilt tripping’ an employee who cannot afford to pay.
The anonymous UK worker wrote to career expert Ben Askins and revealed their plight.
A screenshot showed the tense conversation between the manager and their employee, wherein every worker was forced to pay £50 (AUD$100) towards the gift.
‘Hey, notice you hadn’t paid into the leaving present for Josh yet. Can you send me the [$100] today? I want to put the purchase in by 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 to be asked to put in so much feels like a lot,’ the humble employee said.
But the manager showed no sympathy.
‘Josh has led the company for three years now and I think it’s a nice gesture to show our appreciation.’
The employee argued: ‘I appreciate that, but he makes so much more money than me, and for me to be asked to put in so much feels weird especially as I never really worked with him.’
‘This is compulsory, I am afraid,’ the manager wrote back. ‘It is not fair for me to ask some people and not others. Besides it isn’t that much, all things considered.’
‘Okay, I will send the money shortly,’ the employee relented.
Mr Askins criticised the manager’s ‘callous’ approach.
‘Oh no, I don’t like this at all,’ Mr Askins said. ‘Look, I don’t mind leaving presents as a concept, but companies should pay it.’
He added, ‘What I really dislike is this approach where employees are pressured to put loads of money in.
‘Because it leads to an issue where the most senior people get more money – exactly like this situation.
‘And people might not have that cash. Companies should take responsibility, set a budget, and they should pay for themselves.’
Ms Askins revealed one situation where spending your own money was reasonable.
‘If you want to get something small for your best mate at work, that’s totally different. That’s well within your right.
‘But this compulsory ‘everyone’s got to chip in’ is something I hate – and I think what this manager is doing is really poor – because [$100] is just ridiculous.’
Mr Askins also took issue with the manager claiming the amount ‘wasn’t that much’.
‘That’s a really callous comment – because it might not be much for the manager, but it’s clearly a lot for the employee. It’s just not fair what he’s doing.’
Many were similarly appalled.
‘I get $10, but $100 is ridiculous – what are they buying?’ one asked.
‘I’d just say I purchased my own gift,’ another wrote.
‘I bet they don’t make everyone pay $100 when a lower employee leaves,’ a worker pointed out.
