Gift , Guilt or Grinch!!
HireFire01
26 Posts
Our company handed out twenty dollar gift certificates for local grocery stores to all our employees. We are now asking if any employees would like to donate their cards to a local charity. Does anyone think this was a good idea? Some employees already complained that we shouldn't have issued the cards if we were going to ask for them back. Just inquiring for the next time something like this comes up!! Holiday Cheers from NJ:-)
Comments
Our organization used to give our turkeys (Or the bird sling" as we called in in HR since we had to handle it). Leftover turkeys were given to the local children's home. Lots of our single employees wanted to donate theirs, but didn't want the hassle of having to take it there. I think the charity box is a great idea. Sometimes the ability to give to others is the best gift you can give someone.
Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]
Oh you reminded me of the old days when turkeys were given out.Once worked for a hotel, which made a surprise announcement that turkeys were going to be given. Only when we got to the distribution area, did we realize that the birds were frozen - no bags or sacks were given out to carry them in...so I grabbed the frozen turkey with my bare hands, and walked two blocks to the car with it.
happy Holidays,
Chari
har
Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]
As for your question regarding the company asking for it back. We also put out donation boxs at certain areas and if the employee wants to donate it they can. (We give slips out a week before) The CEO and VP's hand out the birds and thank each employee.
I don't think anyone feels they "must" donate it, but it does pull at the strings of being a Scrooge if you don't. My opinion is its a good concept and every little helps at these food pantry's. My last job I came from a Non-profit organization that had a food pantry and during the holiday's the pantry became very scarse and we had to turn families away. (That is not fun) I think its still a great thing for the company to allow this to happen. Don't let people sway you from helping even a little. Just because people feel guilty doesn't mean it is a bad thing. The people who get ticked that the company "wants it back" are the same people that blame the company for raising the medical cost every year! 8-|
As for the company taking the credit. Who cares as long as it gets to the right place, and... are we not part of that company getting the good headlines?
We also have lots of giving options this time of year through our Mission Awareness Team (gift baskets, food baskets, etc. to needy families). No one is expected to give, it is all very optional. We have a very large number of employees who choose to participate. If we do not have enough families, our employees complain that they could not do enough. I think you are so right, sometimes the best gift you can give is the opportunity for others to participate in giving.