Useless awards / gifts from work

[Voyager EMH]

Back in the 1990s I got a Rotary watch for 5 years - gave that to my niece some years later.
Same employer gave me a Raymond Weil watch for 10 years - I still have that one.
I made it fairly clear that I was not very impressed with either of them - I would have preferred a wage rise.
I did appreciate the extra day off and free meal and booze far more than the watch - and I made that clear by my actions on the day both times!

 

[Slab]

Back in the 1990s I got a Rotary watch for 5 years - gave that to my niece some years later.
Same employer gave me a Raymond Weil watch for 10 years - I still have that one.
I made it fairly clear that I was not very impressed with either of them - I would have preferred a wage rise.
I did appreciate the extra day off and free meal and booze far more than the watch - and I made that clear by my actions on the day both times!

Hmm, I give my team a watch after 5 years, worth about a ton, and a couple of hundred in travel vouchers after 10. I thought I was doing ok by them.
It’s not supposed to recognise a particular work achievement over and above what they’re paid for, just recognising that they’ve kept with the same employer for X time (typically because it suited them to do so)

Wage rises and bonus/incentive payments are separate and have little to do with length of service

 

[Hobbit]

How to get a better pay out, and leave earlier…

Personally, I retired ‘properly.’ Morally I wouldn’t have done it any other way. However…

As a senior manager who, occasionally, got involved in workplace investigations I saw a number of people out the door. An out and out gross misconduct would see an immediate sacking with a month’s salary in lieu of notice. However, where someone was a persistent pain in the rear there might come a time, after trying all other avenues to correct their behaviour, that an offer might be made to exit them from the business.

Imagine offering someone the thick end of a year’s salary so that they would clear their desk.

I got £300 at 15 years, and £600 at 20 years, just before I retired. The company offered a deal with an abusive, bullying manager a few months before I retired. He got over £30,000 to leave immediately rather than go through a lengthy, expensive sacking.

To be fair, the company pushed the boat out for my retirement. I was off work in the run up to retirement, bowel cancer & an operation. Once I’d recovered enough to party, they flew Mrs H & I back from Spain to London. Retirement party in head office, then flew us up to Aberdeen where I’d worked for the previous two years, another party. Received some lovely presents from staff, many who still stay in touch. I would have preferred a nice cheque instead of flights, hotels, taxis and meals.

 

[Orikoru]

I got the same for my ten years, just a letter from one of the directors. However, we did get an extra day's holiday for every two years we worked - the maximum for this was 5 days for 10 years so I'm past the max now, but I get 5 more day's leave than a new starter. Five more golf days.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

I got the same for my ten years, just a letter from one of the directors. However, we did get an extra day's holiday for every two years we worked - the maximum for this was 5 days for 10 years so I'm past the max now, but I get 5 more day's leave than a new starter. Five more golf days.

18 more years until I hit the 40 years service award lol £1000 plus 1 more leave (taking to 2 days extra) if that is still around by then. Altho all being equal I should be on countdown until retirement 2 years later fingers crossed lol

 

[Voyager EMH]

I got the same for my ten years, just a letter from one of the directors. However, we did get an extra day's holiday for every two years we worked - the maximum for this was 5 days for 10 years so I'm past the max now, but I get 5 more day's leave than a new starter. Five more golf days.

In the 1990s when I got my two watches, I was on the statutory minimum holiday entitlement of 28 days and remained on that until I left that employer in 2004.
I would have really appreciated an increase to 29 and then 30 far more than the watches.
I'm thinking of putting my Raymond Weil watch on Ebay and use the funds to buy something golf-related.
Better "terms and conditions of employment" were always more significant to me than gifts. I could buy myself a watch, but only my employer could improve my T&Cs.

 

[Orikoru]

In the 1990s when I got my two watches, I was on the statutory minimum holiday entitlement of 28 days and remained on that until I left that employer in 2004.
I would have really appreciated an increase to 29 and then 30 far more than the watches.
I'm thinking of putting my Raymond Weil watch on Ebay and use the funds to buy something golf-related.
Better "terms and conditions of employment" were always more significant to me than gifts. I could buy myself a watch, but only my employer could improve my T&Cs.

Yeah I think attitudes in general have changed as well, maybe just since Covid. People are realising that time is more valuable than material gifts. I get 29 days leave, but the three days between Christmas and New Year are given anyway, so that makes 32 plus all the bank holidays. It's one thing that maybe stops me looking at employment at other firms as I now that number would likely go down. I don't even wear a watch, so I'd probably sell it if I was given one too!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

One of the few perks we get in the NHS is 33 days holiday (plus the bank holidays so 41 days this leave year)

 

[KenL]

When I was with GE you got 10, 15, 20 and 25 year awards escalating in value and there was some very good stuff on offer. 17 years in the NHS and I think I got a flimsy badge for 10 years and a standard letter template thanking me for my service for 15 years

You get zip for being a public servant unfortunately.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

You get zip for being a public servant unfortunately.

Sadly. Way its going won't even get my pension as I'll still be working

 

[Voyager EMH]

Yeah I think attitudes in general have changed as well, maybe just since Covid. People are realising that time is more valuable than material gifts. I get 29 days leave, but the three days between Christmas and New Year are given anyway, so that makes 32 plus all the bank holidays. It's one thing that maybe stops me looking at employment at other firms as I now that number would likely go down. I don't even wear a watch, so I'd probably sell it if I was given one too!

I am recalling 30 years ago, but my 28 days was 20 days and another 8 in lieu of bank holidays. Work was any 5 days in 7 and this included nightshifts.
But hey, I stuck it out for some years and got two watches, two days of not working, (but had to attend the "awards day") two free meals and some wine down me neck.

 

[KenL]

I am recalling 30 years ago, but my 28 days was 20 days and another 8 in lieu of bank holidays. Work was any 5 days in 7 and this included nightshifts.
But hey, I stuck it out for some years and got two watches, two days of not working, (but had to attend the "awards day") two free meals and some wine down me neck.

How times have changed. Mate of mine works in a factory. He works shifts, 12 hour days.
4 days on, 6 off. I joke with him that he could have another full time job in his days off.

 

[Billysboots]

The first Christmas after I’d retired, and was working on a self employed basis a couple of days a week delivering cars, I got an extra £100 from the firm I drive with in my pay. The first bonus of any kind I have had in 40 years in the workplace.

I mean this most sincerely, it actually brought a small tear to my eye to have someone show a small amount of gratitude for my efforts, as I’d never had it before.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

The first Christmas after I’d retired, and was working on a self employed basis a couple of days a week delivering cars, I got an extra £100 from the firm I drive with in my pay. The first bonus of any kind I have had in 40 years in the workplace.

I mean this most sincerely, it actually brought a small tear to my eye to have someone show a small amount of gratitude for my efforts, as I’d never had it before.

Over the years we had awards where we went above and beyond

Used to be £100 £250 £500 (if you saved a life) for last. Then cut to £50 £100 £150

Finally was £30 instant thanks if your boss thought you deserved it

They cut them last month completely

Shame I always put the station staff in for them when they had one unders for their help. They really get nothing of thanks for the rubbish they put up with

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Shame I always put the station staff in for them when they had one unders for their help. They really get nothing of thanks for the rubbish they put up with

Brilliant gesture. Can't think of anything more traumatic for th ordinary station staff to have to go and deal with. Same with the drivers as they have absolutely no chance and then have to deal with the guilt

 

[Deleted member 21784]

Brilliant gesture. Can't think of anything more traumatic for th ordinary station staff to have to go and deal with. Same with the drivers as they have absolutely no chance and then have to deal with the guilt

Yeah I always found out who the driver was, who the trauma support was. Put them all in for the instant thanks. It's literally nothing in the grand schemes it's a shame it's gone now. Now it's just a thank you note without the voucher

 

[jim8flog]

I only ever got one significant reward for working hard - a company car.

In the early 80s I did win a food processor in a company incentive scheme - useful but I was only just short of the points for winning a video recorder and was very annoyed as I was asked to take time out from the scheme to train a new recruit.

 

[Patster1969]

My company does give you an extra days holiday every 5 years service - however, we only get that extra day for the 1 year only. They did start giving us 2 wellbeing days per year during covid and have carried on that tradition, so they do shut all of their offices on those 2 days and we are encouraged to not work on those days. We can also buy more holiday during the flex benefits period (up to 10 days) - we can also sell holiday as well, who the hell would do that.

However, when I had my 15 year anniversary, a box turned up at my home that looked watch box sized - nope, considering we had been on home contracts for about 4 years and we have been a paperless office for longer than that, I got a small metal cube paperweight. Very helpful.

 

[Slab]

First job back in the day we used to get a frozen turkey every Christmas, useful but not easy to get home when you cycled to work

 

[BrianM]

Just remembered reading @Voyager EMH post that we used to be able to go out for a meal and claim the money back, no limit as long as you didn’t take it too far.
We really did have some cracking perks, I get absolutely nothing in the job I’m in now though