# Supplier Xmas treats - for boss or staff?



## Margie (10 Dec 2007)

My friend works in the admin/reception office of a large firm.  She is responsible for dealing with any local companies as regards ordering supplies etc.  At Xmas these companies drop off a "Xmas box" e.g. bottle of whiskey or box of chocs to her office in thanks for the custom throughout the year.  Is she entitled to take these items or should they be given to the boss/owners of the firm?


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## NHG (10 Dec 2007)

I know that I give the xmas box to the person whom has helped me during the year and I make it my business to give it directly to that person.


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## ClubMan (10 Dec 2007)

If the company does not have a policy on dealing with such gifts then I would imagine that she should check with her boss.


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## truthseeker (10 Dec 2007)

in our department all such christmas bottles/chocolates etc are gathered together and divided equally among staff on the last day before we go home for christmas.


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## bacchus (10 Dec 2007)

Margie said:


> Is she entitled to take these items or should they be given to the boss/owners of the firm?


 
These things should be distributed or raffled amongst staff within the department IMO.


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## Margie (10 Dec 2007)

What it would amount to might be 2 or 3 boxes of chocs and maybe 2 bottles.  These coundn't be shared amongst staff as there woudn't be enough to go around!  Also in the other sections of the firm Xmas boxes are given out eg. the kitchen etc.  Yes she could say it to the boss but what if they are taken from her.  Is she not entitled to them as she is doing the ordering and the liasoning with the suppliers?


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## Guest120 (10 Dec 2007)

Margie said:


> What it would amount to might be 2 or 3 boxes of chocs and maybe 2 bottles. Yes she could say it to the boss *but what if they are taken from her*.


It would hardly be the end of her world would it.

A few bozes of chocs? Just open them and offer them around the office. As for the booze well just take a bottle and offer the rest to her boss.

Can't see how it's anything to be getting excited about.


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## Caveat (10 Dec 2007)

bacchus said:


> These things should be distributed or raffled amongst staff within the department IMO.


 
That's what we do - kind of thought it was the norm? maybe not...


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## truthseeker (10 Dec 2007)

Margie said:


> These coundn't be shared amongst staff as there woudn't be enough to go around!


 
When we dont have enough to go round we just do a raffle and if you get lucky you get lucky.

It is considered unfair in our office that these treats are only addressed to one or two people who are publically in contact with suppliers/clients as the rest of us are working as a team behind the public point of contact.


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## Margie (10 Dec 2007)

I advised her to ask the suppliers who the gifts are for.  I would bet they will say that they are for her to thank her for her help and support during the year.

Why should she have these items raffled amongst a huge staff who don't even know where they came from when she's the one that has earned them.

I certainly don't think it's selfish when other members of staff don't share their tokens.

It certainly isn't keeping her awake at night but there is a principal.  The majority of all staff get some form of Xmas box for themselves.


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## Margie (10 Dec 2007)

truthseeker said:


> It is considered unfair in our office that these treats are only addressed to one or two people who are publically in contact with suppliers/clients as the rest of us are working as a team behind the public point of contact.


 
I completely understand - if there were a few people working in the office, by all means the items should be shared but she is the only one working in this section .


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## truthseeker (10 Dec 2007)

If she is the only one in the section then I would think she should ask her boss what the protocol is about these things. Im sure the boss will say 'keep the stuff' if thats the norm there.


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## Margie (10 Dec 2007)

truthseeker said:


> If she is the only one in the section then I would think she should ask her boss what the protocol is about these things. Im sure the boss will say 'keep the stuff' if thats the norm there.


 
Yes I agree but her boss would be the type to say "great, thanks" and take them.


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## truthseeker (10 Dec 2007)

Margie said:


> Yes I agree but her boss would be the type to say "great, thanks" and take them.


 
well in that case if she wants her boss to know about it but also wants to keep the stuff can she not say 'oh look, such and such dropped me in a bottle of wine for all my help - isnt that nice of them?',
that way she isnt hiding anything from the boss but she is claiming ownership immediately.

although if the boss would take the stuff then perhaps thats the norm in her place of work and she shouldnt go outside of it - especially for what amounts to a few sweets and a couple of bottles of wine.


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## sam h (10 Dec 2007)

Companies often centralise these things & arrange a raffle, not just to be fair on the people who work "back of house" but to avoid suppliers offering particularly generous presents to try to secure future business.  Many of them also now have a limit on the amount of any one particular gift (had a customer wanted to buy a pram or some such for a forthcoming arrival, but it was a complete no-no).


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## buzybee (10 Dec 2007)

If it was a small company and if she got enough to go round i.e. 10 bottles of drink, then everyone at work could take one.

If it is a large company & not enough to go round, she could quietly keep one or two things & offer the rest up to be raffled.

Of course if she got a hamper or anything really nice, she should offer it to the owner.

I used to keep one or two things & offer a hamper to the owner.  The rest would be shared/raffled among other staff.

I know one poster said 'what is the big deal'.  However, if a person is earning 25K or under, and gets no Xmas box from the boss, it is a big deal.  Any box of chocs or any good bottle of wine is 10 Euros plus.


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## Margie (10 Dec 2007)

buzybee said:


> I know one poster said 'what is the big deal'. However, if a person is earning 25K or under, and gets no Xmas box from the boss, it is a big deal. Any box of chocs or any good bottle of wine is 10 Euros plus.


 
You've hit the nail on the head!


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## nesbitt (10 Dec 2007)

Most companies have some sort of a system for the Xmas sweetners. Some companies have a raffle on the last day before the holiday of all the stuff that has been handed in. Just ask what the score is and this saves being mortified if it seems you have nobbled a box of chocs. Furthermore if the boss takes all the stuff him/herself than just let it be.  Must be a real tight wad to do this!


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## MandaC (10 Dec 2007)

We put all of  ours in one room and then on the last day everyone takes something and we keep going round and round picking stuff until everything is distributed.  There are only five of us by the way, so everyone ends up getting loads of stuff.  We start with the boss, so he gets first choice and then the person who has been there longest, and so on.

Last year someone got a voucher for the Richard Corrigan Restaurant in Lyons Estate for €200 and because it came in the post and they got the envelope,  kept stum.  The boss found out well after Christmas by accident and read the person the riot act, quite rightly in my opinion.  

Because there are only five of us in total, clients or suppliers giving gifts tend to give five of everything. 

Hamper alert started today, started today, five boxes of Leonidas chocolates, one for everyone in the audience, so no rows so far.


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## John Rambo (10 Dec 2007)

Margie said:


> My friend works in the admin/reception office of a large firm.  She is responsible for dealing with any local companies as regards ordering supplies etc.  At Xmas these companies drop off a &quot;Xmas box&quot; e.g. bottle of whiskey or box of chocs to her office in thanks for the custom throughout the year.  Is she entitled to take these items or should they be given to the boss/owners of the firm?


 
She needs to apply common sense. From the limited description you've given it appears the supplier is not giving the gifts to her specifically. They are giving them to the business as a thank you for the custom.My own opinion is that she should ask her boss what to do and abide by their decision.


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## Purple (11 Dec 2007)

She should not just keep them and say nothing. If she does she is leaving herself open to all sorts of accusations of underhandedness.
Gifts should be raffled or distributed to the office/ team/ company.
 I get loads of gifts from suppliers but it would be very unfair if I kept them as I am part of a team and everyone contributes to the companies success. 
Every year we raffle 5 x €500 cheques and 5 x €200 cheques the day we break up for Christmas. We also raffle all gifts, bottles, hampers etc. All directors and are excluded from these raffles.
We don't give Christmas bonuses as bonuses are given throughout the year.


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## Margie (11 Dec 2007)

As I said earlier the people in the other sections of her workplace get bonuses and gifts and these are not shared.  All she gets is a lousy box or two of chocs and maybe a bottle or two.  Surely she is entitled to keep these for herself.  No one else shares with her and as NHG said; he makes sure to give his Xmas box directly to the person who has helped him.

Is there any need to make such a big fuss by organising a raffle for the sake of a few small items.  I can assure you we're not talking about big cheques or meal vouchers.

I can't believe that the majority of peole think she's not entitled to these items.  I dont think she's being selfish.  I think that these few things are a perk for her at the end of her working year.


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## polly2000 (11 Dec 2007)

Well said, you are quite right! I've always kept the pressies given to me in my dept except on one occassion where I shared them out and got no thanks for it. The pressies by the way were given to paticular individuals from the same person, for example one to the purchase ordering person , one to accounts so the person giving the pressies knew exactly who he wanted to recieve them
This sounds to me to be a similar case
Tell her to enjoy them, she has worked hard enough and her suppliers obviously appreciate her work


I can't believe that the majority of peole think she's not entitled to these items. I dont think she's being selfish. I think that these few things are a perk for her at the end of her working year.[/quote]


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## Purple (11 Dec 2007)

It's not about what is fair; she is an employee of a company and should not take gifts from suppliers etc without informing for manager/boss. It's that simple. In my opinion, in the circumstances you describe, she should be allowed to keep the gifts but it's not her call.
In most multi-nationals an employee caught taking gifts from suppliers can be sacked.


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## Purple (11 Dec 2007)

polly2000 said:


> Tell her to enjoy them, she has worked hard enough and her suppliers obviously appreciate her work


[/QUOTE] 
So what about the people in sales and admin, should they get nothing? Just because her job is to spend money and not make it should not entitle her to special non-contractual perks.


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## Margie (11 Dec 2007)

So what about the people in sales and admin, should they get nothing? Just because her job is to spend money and not make it should not entitle her to special non-contractual perks.[/quote]

These people as I have said already get their own xmas perks and she's never been offered a share


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## sam h (11 Dec 2007)

The problem is where do you draw the line? Is it a bottle of wine or a €50 voucher or a paid holiday? These small things can grow & become bribary which is why so many companies clamp down on it. It is the bosses company so he should be at least aware that the supplier has given something in.

I reckon it's all about trust. If she is happy that her boss will not have a problem with her taking the few bits, then so be it.....but if thats the case why not just say "Joe Bloggs dropped this in for me" and see what he says. That way he has the opportunity to "give" it to her rather than have her "take" it....a world of difference and for the sake of a few bits I'd rather have the option of being upfront.

I know a waiter who was  sacked for not putting tips into a central kitty (some restaurants use these), his attitude was that it was only £5, but the trust was broken and we couldn't be sure how many other "£5" ended up in his pocket.


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## Purple (11 Dec 2007)

sam h said:


> The problem is where do you draw the line? Is it a bottle of wine or a €50 voucher or a paid holiday? These small things can grow & become bribary which is why so many companies clamp down on it. It is the bosses company so he should be at least aware that the supplier has given something in.
> 
> I reckon it's all about trust. If she is happy that her boss will not have a problem with her taking the few bits, then so be it.....but if thats the case why not just say "Joe Bloggs dropped this in for me" and see what he says. That way he has the opportunity to "give" it to her rather than have her "take" it....a world of difference and for the sake of a few bits I'd rather have the option of being upfront.
> 
> I know a waiter who was  sacked for not putting tips into a central kitty (some restaurants use these), his attitude was that it was only £5, but the trust was broken and we couldn't be sure how many other "£5" ended up in his pocket.


 Exactly


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## Leo (11 Dec 2007)

Margie said:


> I can't believe that the majority of peole think she's not entitled to these items. I dont think she's being selfish. I think that these few things are a perk for her at the end of her working year.


 
It seems you don't want to accept what the majority of people are saying here! Why should she be entitled to these gifts simply for doing her job? I presume the other people who get bonuses and "don't share" have these written into their contracts of employment? If the sales people don't hit their targets and so don't get these bonuses, does your friend want to chip in to pay them then?

Having had experience in companies doing the giving, these gifts are seen as a thank you to the company for their business during the year.


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## Caveat (11 Dec 2007)

Agree with Purple and Leo.

It's maybe worth considering too that the only reason your friend is personally "presented" with these gifts is as a direct result of her position: she might be the only person that suppliers etc actually _know_ in the company.  This is often the case in my position - items are labelled in my name but are distributed throughout the company.


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## Margie (11 Dec 2007)

Hey hey, just spoke to my friend at lunch.  A supplier dropped off a tin of roses to her.  She asked him who they were for and he said they were for her to reward her for "cooperation and for being so obliging" throughout the year.

So what does she do in that case??


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## Guest120 (11 Dec 2007)

Margie said:


> Hey hey, just spoke to my friend at lunch.  A supplier dropped off a tin of roses to her.  She asked him who they were for and he said they were for her to reward her for "cooperation and for being so obliging" throughout the year.
> 
> So what does she do in that case??


Sweet Jebus, a tin of Roses!! Here's what she does - take the lid off them proceed to have one and then ask her colleagues would anyone like one.

The mind boggles.


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## Margie (11 Dec 2007)

Yes but why should she?  The other staff take their items home.  They don't go the whole way to her office to offer her what they've been given.


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## Caveat (11 Dec 2007)

Margie, with respect, I think at this stage a lot people don't really care anymore.  The points have been made.  Tell your friend to do whatever her conscience/terms of employment dictates.


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## beautfan (11 Dec 2007)

She has to ask her boss and do whatever she/he wants. 

If she feels that she is not getting a fair crack of the whip perks wise she should raise it as a issue with him.


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## Guest120 (11 Dec 2007)

Margie said:


> Yes but why should she?  The other staff take their items home.  They don't go the whole way to her office to offer her what they've been given.


Why should she? Cause it's a decent thing to do, and the fact that its tin of Roses really make it such a nonsense issue.

Really if your going to use the logic of 'why should she as noone else does it' in life then I pity you.


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## Margie (11 Dec 2007)

She is simply feeling a bit used and abused in her job at the moment.  It's simply the principal.  it's not about a few sweets.

Caveat you're entitled to your opinion but there's no need to be rude.

I'll leave it at that.


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## Purple (11 Dec 2007)

Margie said:


> Yes but why should she?  The other staff take their items home.  They don't go the whole way to her office to offer her what they've been given.


 
Right then, she should take out all the purple ones (I'm biased) or whatever ones she likes best and THEN offer them around.


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## Purple (11 Dec 2007)

Margie said:


> Caveat you're entitled to your opinion but there's no need to be rude./QUOTE]
> 
> Yea Caveat, now that's you told


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## Guest120 (11 Dec 2007)

Purple said:


> Right then, she should take out all the purple ones (I'm biased) or whatever ones she likes best and THEN offer them around.


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## beautfan (11 Dec 2007)

Can I have the hazelnut whirls?


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## Margie (11 Dec 2007)

Has this thread suddenly turned into a big sneer.  We're talking about somebody's feelings.

She gets no bonus and hardly a thanks at Xmas and no Xmas party.

She just thought she might be entitled to a few goodies to brighten up the job which she's not too happy in at the moment.

I get it - no one thinks she's entitled to these things.  I'll pass on the message.


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## Purple (11 Dec 2007)

beautfan said:


> Can I have the hazelnut whirls?



As long as you get sweet F all from anyone else because what you get has a direct bearing on how I feel, cuz I’m hard done by… poor iccle me.


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## Caveat (11 Dec 2007)

Purple said:


> Margie said:
> 
> 
> > Caveat you're entitled to your opinion but there's no need to be rude./QUOTE]
> ...


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## Purple (11 Dec 2007)

Caveat said:


> How come when *you* speak your mind you're practically complimented but I get dog's abuse?
> .


Charm


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