Gifts from managers/gifts for employees who report to you

[gooddecisions]

Do you get a holiday gift from your manager? If you're a manager do you give a gift to your direct reports? I'm not talking about something from the company or the company's budget, but rather something from you- that shows you care.

[ArchietheDragon]

no

[Deleted]

Yes. There are 6 of us that get a small gift from our manager but we are a pretty tight group so that might be why.

[swasat]

I sometimes get one from my manager. But I ALWAYS give out a little soemthing to my direct reports. Paid with my own money.

What I gift depends on how many I have to give  I usually have a budget of $20-30 per person. Usually its a gift card to the movie theater, or to the local mall, some family fun place like bowling alley etc.

This year I have 7 people reporting to me. Each one is getting a $25 gift card to Rave Motion pictures along with a thank you note.


ETA: I even gift to employees who do not celebrate Christmas. I have 2 Indian employees this year and 1 Chinese. I give them the gift irrespective, quoting "Happy holidays". They always take it in good spirit.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I get $100 in cash or a gift card tucked into a card.  It's from him personally.  Bonuses and gifts from the company coffers are a no no due to how my pay is set up and my position. 

It's just me in the lab. Not sure if he'd do that for multiple employees.

[shanendoah]

I don't do anything specifically holiday related. Throughout the year, I try to bring in gifts for the whole office in terms of donuts, or bagels and cream cheese, or something along those lines.
I do this because in many ways, I am the boss of the entire office, regardless of whether their reporting structure goes through me or not.

[giramomma]

Generally, I get nothing.

[alinal]

No.

We get several company-purchased gifts at Christmas: logo items, gift cards, party with door prizes, and bonuses. We're a small company. I don't think any of the managers buys gifts, but one I think buys his team an extra lunch (don't know if it's on him or the company). Perhaps it should be noted that all the managers are male engineers. Then again, a few of them actually love Black Friday shopping and buying the door prizes for the party.

My mom is a manager (in a completely different industry), and I know she buys gifts for her team each year.

[movingforward]

I typically get a little something from our CEO.  Last year she gave me a scarf.  I am probably going to order some type of treat to be delivered to the office for those that report to me.  I am thinking cupcakes.  There is also a place that will deliver warm cookies so I will do one of those things.  If I take over as CEO next year I will probably do something for each staff member.  I am inclined to give a gift card to each staff member but then some people feel that is impersonal.  I personally would rather receive a gift card than some trinket or having someone figure out what to get me but that is just me.  I know one specific person in the office who doesn't like gift cards.  Oh well...

[Cookies Galore]

Dec 9, 2014 13:34:02 GMT -5 @xmascookie said:

Yes. There are 6 of us that get a small gift from our manager but we are a pretty tight group so that might be why.

Same here. We're a tight group so we give a gift to the manager and receive something as well. We are also doing a white elephant as a team tomorrow.

We get a team lunch, a department party (at a restaurant nearby. We can drink!), and an organization-wide catered lunch. Next week is going to rule.

[Tiny]

Yes, we buy our manager a gift (usually something nice there's 6 of us and we pool our money) and he reciporcates the gift.  My co-workers spend more time with our boss - socially and at work, and I know when they wanted to do a gift there was some awkwardness 'cause me and one other person are the 'odd men out' --  but the two of us didn't put up a fuss about contributing to the boss's gift.  It keeps everything cordial and pleasant at work.   

The boss usually gives $50 gift cards - Amazon usually (one year it was a Tom's shoe gift card - which I thought was kinda cool - I ordered a pair). I think it depends on what kind of 'fund raisers' his school aged kids have as well or maybe what generates the best credit card reward points for him.        He may do something additional with the coworkers he sees socially - don't know, don't care. 

My coworkers and I do no exchange gifts (thank goodenss).

[lynnerself]

My administrator gives the supervisors Christmas gifts. As far as I know, none of the staff here gives him or the providers gifts.
I participate in a name drawing gift exchange with the people I supervise.

[Pants]

I have my first direct report and will be buying her a little gift for the holidays - it helps there's only one of her... I don't know what to get though - I'd really like to get her something she would spend on herself vs. her family.

My boss gets us all truffles.

[bobosensei]

Not usually, and if so usually something worth 5-10 dollars or less.  At larger places I've worked the most common thing was to see a group secret santa to whomever wanted to participate.

[Cookies Galore]

Dec 9, 2014 14:09:36 GMT -5 Pants said:

I have my first direct report and will be buying her a little gift for the holidays - it helps there's only one of her... I don't know what to get though - I'd really like to get her something she would spend on herself vs. her family.

My boss gets us all truffles.

Truffles!

Last year I received salted caramel chocolate bees from John & Kira's. Those suckers were so f'ing amazing i only allowed myself one per week so I could savor them. Seriously awesome and worth the money. I ended up buying them for my family gift exchange.

[gooddecisions]

I think I'll do $20 gift cards. I would love to do something a little more personal, but everyone works in different states, so I'll have to put it in a card and in the mail. If it seems a little cheap, the compensation structure is such that everyone who works for me actually makes more money than me. Sigh.

[kittensaver]

I give the same (small) gift every year, both "above" and "below" me. Something homemade - this year, it's raspberry jam I made last summer. Sometimes I get small gifts in exchange, sometimes not. That part doesn't matter to me. I just like showing appreciation to the folks with whom I work the closest.

I work for a non-profit, so holiday celebrations are more low-key than large companies or corporations with big budgets. The admin office (and the nearest direct service programs) get together for a breakfast brunch paid by the agency (Hometown Buffet, Souplantation, whichever is less expensive that year). Our CFO saves the points from the agency Amex card and uses them to buy gifts for a raffle at the brunch. She usually manages to come up with an array of nifty stuff, but clearly not everyone gets a gift when a raffle is involved. But everyone likes it anyway  (especially since our CEO gets up at the end of brunch and gives everyone the rest of the day off). 

[Sam_2.0]

Not sure how this new department does it, but in my last role we all exchanged $5-10 gifts - typically something edible because cash/gift cards are a big NO NO here. There were some on our team that didn't participate in holidays, but they did accept unwrapped appreciation gifts I am new here so I will just follow the lead on the other team members to see what they do now.

[flamingo]

My boss got everyone in the department (10 of us) a small gift card. I will get everyone on my team (right now, that's only 3 people, as I have some vacancies to fill) a gift card, probably $15. I don't know from where yet. My boss's gift cards are from the place I was planning to go, so now I'm rethinking-I think it'd be nice for my group to have a variety. I also got them some fancy hot chocolate to go with the gc.

I don't expect anything from my team. They are all in entry level positions and I'd rather them spend the money on their families than on me. We are doing a department white elephant/happy hour thing next week that the office is picking up the tab for.

[milee]

I always give gifts not only to employees but to others who I've worked with or who've helped me.

For times when the budget's small or an expensive gift would be inappropriate, I like to give homemade things like Kittensaver. The boys and I usually make up 2-3 different types of candies and special cookies (this year it's dark chocolate peppermint patties, hazelnut toffee and iced molasses cookies).  I'll buy inexpensive but pretty holiday melamine plates from Target or somewhere (usually $2-$3 each but look much nicer than disposable) and arrange the candies and cookies on them. 

Or if it's appropriate, I also like to give homemade hooch.    So far, most people seem to like the Limoncello and "Kahlua" best. 

[zibazinski]

DF gives out hefty bonuses but he always buys his secretary something personal. But she's the only female employee. She worked for his Dad.

[Deleted]

My direct report has become a friend so we exchange gifts. I get a little something for my boss. He cares about that.

[Anne_in_VA]

My manager gives her team gift cards - I think last year it was in the range of $40 - $50. I exchange gifts with a couple of people at work, but don't have any direct reports so I don't have to do that.

In the past most of my managers either took us to lunch and/or gave us a gift card - usually Starbucks for about $5 - $10.

At my old company they sometimes gave us grocery store gift cards and one company gave us a turkey or ham (our choice). That was really nice and very much appreciated!

[chen35]

I have 8 direct reports. I'm getting the 7 who I know like sushi a gift card to a fantastic sushi place. Enough to cover a couple of rolls. The one who doesn't like sushi will get a gift card to another restaurant, not sure which.

My boss usually gives me a gift card, around $40. I go in with a few of her direct reports to get something.

[msventoux]

No.  I've never given a boss a gift and don't exchange gifts with my coworkers.

The company usually gives us a bonus of some sort after Christmas and generally some type of gift card in a Christmas card of some nominal amount and some type of group holiday luncheon or dinner is held.  The owner that I work most closely with has only done gifts one time, and that was a bottle of alcohol of some type or another as a joke after a particularly rough season.  I don't drink alcohol so I didn't take a bottle, but it was a nice thought.

[swamp]

I'm giving my assistant a gift card for a massage. I work her pretty hard.

[buster]

I take my team out to a nice lunch (usually $150 - $200 for the team). It's not much in the grand scheme of things, but I do know that they appreciate it.

I haven't received gifts from my current or past managers.

[Deleted]

When I was a sup I got something small both years for each employee (had 12 direct reports). As a grunt I have always got something from my manager, it feels a little funny now, my household income is a lot more than my current manager but if he wants to I ain't gonna stop him.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I have 35 direct reports, four other people who work in my building who report to some one else, a secretary in another building who works for my boss but helps me out a lot, and my boss. I get them all the same gift. Two years ago, it was Christmas ornaments, last year it was homemade cookies, this year it is Christmas tins with hot chocolate. 
I pay for all of it with my own personal funds.