So we've got these monthly office parties supposedly for people's birthdays. I'm not a big fan of this to begin with, as I don't really like cake all that much and I seldom know these people (it's a big government office). Plus, it's early and I don't like to get there. Not to mention having work to do. Oh, and there's usually enough chairs for about 10% of the people and there's often no beverages.

But then add to that the fact that the party coordinator comes around once a month to, basically, extrort money from me for a party I have no interest in, implying that I suck if I don't contribute, really sucks. Plus, it's $2 for a small piece of cake, and maybe some chips. (Not to mention -- cake and potato chips? Who's the gourmand who came up with that combination?) I mean, that's like 50¢ worth of product. And we don't give any presents to the birthday people, so I feel like I'm just paying money into her wallet.

God, this shit pisses me off.

I think this guy agrees with you.

Here at the government office where I work (as a contractor) they are always having fundraisers where they sell baked goods, hot dogs, turkey dinners, etc. in order to get more funds for the program (Army medical stuff). I never buy from them and always bring my lunch instead, and every time I go into the break room to get it out of the frig I feel the dirty looks like I should be paying them my $2 for hot dogs and chips. I have a fund raiser for them: lay off the employees who apparently can take time out of their jobs to serve up hot dogs and baked goods. One person’s salary alone would probably make more than these “fund raisers”.

About office parties: my company has one BIG Christmas party every year. Think prom and you’re pretty close. I’m not big on parties, but I have to say this one is a good thing. It gives my wife a chance to by a pretty dress, get her hair done, and basically relive the romantic idea of going to a high school dance. Before I worked at this company there were many words along the lines of: “I wish I had something nice to dress up for. This is such a pretty dress, but what could I wear it to,” and finally, “Why don’t we every do anything nice?” No longer. This only works because my company goes the extra effort to make this a truly 5 star affair (for those in Austin, we had it at the Driscol (sp?) this year) and my wife really looks forward to it every year. So to sum, I don't have to hear her complaints anymore and I get to look her all dressed up. Plus the food is awesome.

The problem may be the size of your office. My office has no more than 17 people in it at any given time, requiring no more than one small cake, and we have free sodas round the clock anyway. The free sodas are the biggest deal I think. They constantly stock half a fridge with nothing but 12 different brands of soda.

It's not a bad work environment, if it weren't for the people working there

The problem is mostly the people I don't know or like requiring me to pay money to do something I don't want to do. Doesn't the fact that I don't know them after working here for over a year clue them in?

Oh yeah, I forgot, my office pays for the cake. That's what I was originally intending as being the problem with the size of your office.

That way, there's less resentment and people can at least somewhat enjoy taking a break from work.

It's a government office. The entire day is a break from work. Why do you think I have the second highest post count on this board?

Makes me curious. How many of us work at a gov't office. I do.

As do I

They did dress-up christmas affairs the first year, maybe 2, I was here. Then they axed it (this was a departmental thing). My 9th anniversary date with the university (hence the division) as full-time will be January 3rd.

The problem with this environment is most of the developers didn't appreciate such an event and I suspect only now do we have a critical mass of people who are married or involved and thus might appreciate such a thing.

Instead of morale-builders I just get more and more bitter with each passing year about everything other than the actual work, and so everyone thinks I'm just the miserable person. Well, true, but if I tell people what the problem is, and nothing happens, that's pretty much it, the stress has to go somewhere.

Also axed: spousal tuition benefit (the semester after I got married). And other things going back to when I was a student. I should probably be thinking of leaving instead of languishing here forever.

You think that is bad, get this. We got an email today from the bosses assistant:

Donations for [the boss's] Christmas gift [charity donations] will be collected on Friday morning.

See you then to collect the suggested donations and extend holiday cheer. [...] If we miss you, please make sure you give your donation to [bosses assistant] or [accounting person].

Note the "suggested donation" part. So basically, she comes around to everyone's desk and says "your suggested donation is $xx", and when you pay it, she crosses your name off a list she has. Then they collect the money and give it to some charity the boss picks out. I have been here three years and they do this little bullshit charade every year. I do not know what happens if I do not pay and my name stays on that little list, but I ain't going to find out.

Used to... Now I work for a furniture company.

Our Xmas party last year was abissmal, but this year they did it right. We had it at a nice local restaurant with a nice traditional New Mexican buffet and free Margaritas. I had a hell of a headache the next morning, but I have to say, I was impressed - and I had fun - which I don't normally have at company parties.

- trs

The problem with this environment is most of the developers didn't appreciate such an event and I suspect only now do we have a critical mass of people who are married or involved and thus might appreciate such a thing.

Actually I was pretty ticked about it the first year. All I could think was, "save the money on the party and divide it up between all the employees. I'm hear to work, not attend a stupid, overpriced party." Only afterward did I understand the real value. One happy wife who get's a night out in a fancy dress: priceless.

That's pretty much what my office does. The employees get taken to a very nice restaurant (the kind that $24K/year employees (in D.C.) wouldn't go to otherwise), and get treated to a full meal and drinks.

Of course, I don't work there anymore, and I only got to go one year, because I was just an intern who had to cover the phones while everyone was out...

The Lucas Party this year is 70's themed and they are going to have a roller rink with skates and the works. Last year they had New Orleans theme, bands and all... year before that some Cirque type group performed. It's a pretty huge deal. I gotta say, they know how to throw the parties in Lucasland.

We have to endure the monthly cake thing too... and they get the WORST cake ever. The cheap frosting that gives you an instant headache. Blech. At least i don't have to pay for it.

Wow - now that sounds like a party!

We didn't do the cake thing for the party, thankfully - just biscochitos.

We Do do the monthly cake thing, though. I tend to stay away from those. The sugar rush just makes me feel like crap all day.

- trs

Our official christmas party is in London, as I'm in Manchester my boss is too stingy to let me and 6 other guys in the office go. So we end up going to some shit restaurant which we have to pay for.

Bastards, merry fscking christmas, you can shove it up your arse.

[edit]Still could look on the bright side. The boss'll be out of a job this time next year!

"who get is"?

Hey, I think I'm more gung-ho on an occasion for my wife to dress up than she is.

I have been here three years and they do this little bullshit charade every year. I do not know what happens if I do not pay and my name stays on that little list, but I ain't going to find out.

Man, fuck that little list. Don't let them pull this bullshit. Next time just say, "ok thanks for the suggestion. I'll take it into consideration." What is the dumb bitch gonna say then? The boss is the wealthiest person in the building and he wants you to buy him a freaking gift?! And this little slut who's probably giving him blowjob's while you work your ass off has the nerve to put your name on some list?! Fuck that.

i dont think its actually a gift that goes to the boss. he mentioned that the boss puts the money collected towards a charity of his (the boss) choice.

oh.... well then [censored] that charity.

The Human Fund

People Helping People

I had my birthday the other week. We only have 8 employees, and 5 of us are part time!
They brought out a little cake and we ignored the phones for half an hour. It was really unexpected and the boss (company) payed for it.
Our boss has been sending out bottles of wine to good clients so we've all been sampling some of them in the afternoons after fiveish.

We have our xmas party thing next week and (hopefully) the company should pay for it too. They're pretty good like that.

The Human Fund

Damn! That's where I was going to suggest the donations go to...

We had our christmas party a few months back - actually since I am technically the only full-time employee at the moment I don't know how a couple of ex-employees and a few friends will be explained on the tax forms... In the UK the company can write-off up to £50/head on christmas parties (soon to be doubled - woo!)

Oh, we had the party early 'cos the boss had to return to Australia to complete a two-year holiday....

Gareth

That kinda reminds me of something I did in my previous job. I wrote software for an internal help desk, sitting near the same area as the rest of the help desk employees (60+ analysts). Almost once a week one or two would leave for new jobs, since the help desk was an entry-level job that hired new college graduates. Whenever this happend there would always be a small party, and a card would be circulated around the area for everone to sign. I ended up having a custom rubber stamp made with my signature and the phrase: "Goodbye and good luck!" above it. Whenever a person would bring a card by, I would rubber stamp it, even if it was a birthday or congratulations card. If they weren't leaving, I would just cross out the phrase above my sig.

I ended up having a custom rubber stamp made with my signature and the phrase: "Goodbye and good luck!" above it. Whenever a person would bring a card by, I would rubber stamp it, even if it was a birthday or congratulations card. If they weren't leaving, I would just cross out the phrase above my sig.

So you're the bastard that didn't have the decency to actually sign my card... heh j/k Where I work if we did that there would be a new card just about every other day. The place is going downhill and new people are hired because no one wants to stick around. I've been there a little over 3 months and have been their longer then at least 70% of the staff.

-Greg

We have a charity drive each year, for the United Way. Seems to run pretty well for us. Company sponsors a cookout with pop, brats, beans, etc. Vegetarian dishes too. After lunch, the president spends a half hour getting everyone in a donating mood. Over the rest of the week there's various events like a silent auction where suppliers have donated goods, goldfish races, and the like. You get a form to fill out regarding paycheck donations. You can donate nothing or as high as you wish, only the HR person knows - when they set it up on the next paycheck run.

There's also a day picked aside for getting volunteers to help out at a local event - one year we set up a playground at the neighborhood YMCA, another year we cleaned up some sort of campground for cancer kids (I know there's a better description in me somewhere). You can go help out or stay at work, either way you get a day's pay.

We have a tough crowd at work, but running things this way seems to make everyone either happy or at least tolerable. No one really has room for complaining. You can help without having to donate money, and if you do donate, only one person knows what amount.

Anyhow, the girl running around with the list at your place really does need a beating.

Sounds like we get a pretty good deal for office parties - we get a team bash in the summer (180 of us get 3 days away at a large country hotel somewhere, fully paid for food, booze, fancy dress ball, quad bikes, sports, go-karting etc), a local team do for Christmas (20 of us get a dinner and as much booze as we can consume) and a local office Christmas party (around 80 of us usually, with dinner, a dance, drinks and accommodation for the night)

I think we do get the benefits of working for a small local team which is part of a really large firm (I think around 110 000 employees at the moment)

Working for the beeb means that as soon a you mention christmas parties at the companies expense every jackass you meet starts to whinge about using their licence fee. It's like people think we should be working for free.