I can't believe it

I can’t believe it, this shouldn’t happen anywhere but it did. Last week on Tuesday I gave every ee a safety incentive of $100 for working one year without an OSHA accident. The next day I gave every ee $350 for meeting our gainsharing goals. On Friday we gave every ee a gift box with some expensive meat as a holiday gift. There were a few ee’s not present on Friday and we saved their gift boxes in our large cooler located in the lunchroom. On each box we clearly marked whom they were for. Two of these boxes disappeared last night. I am so disappointed that I am almost speechless. We are the premier employer in our community and pay above average wages to the workers. We do more for our workforce than any other workplace in our area that I am aware of. We are a non-union facility and we would like to think it is in part due to the way we treat everyone, with dignity, respect and in a fair manner.

I know there is not a way to determine where the gift boxes went or who ‘walked off’ with them but I just had to vent my total disgust for this situation. Another manager and I are bringing our gift boxes back this afternoon to give to the two who were the victims of this crime. Is there any hope for mankind? Thanks for the shoulder to vent on.

Comments

  • 18 Comments sorted by Votes Date Added
  • That is truely rotten. It is great that you and the other manager are giving yours to the employees who would otherwise miss out though, that is the spirit of giving right there.

    I once worked at a company where lunches were stolen out of the refridgerators on a daily basis. We attributed it to extremely low morale...

    Then one day one of our supervisors (who was 7 months pregnant) had her lunch stolen. She wrote on a VERY visible white board in a hallway:

    "To whomever took the (desciption of lunch): I hope you know you are stealing food from a FETUS"

    Amazingly, the incidences decreased dramatically after that.

    Cinderella
  • A while back, a co-worker bought pizza for the office staff. She put the leftovers in the office fridge with a note saying "help yourselves, but please leave me one piece for my dinner tonight"

    Wouldn't you know, they ate every last piece and left the empty box there, with her note on it. I bought her a fresh pizza that night.

    Safety, it's very nice of you and the other manager to "donate" your gift boxes back to those who didn't get theirs. Remember that MOST people wouldn't steal the boxes - only a few sink that low. xx(
  • One of the reasons I drifted into HR is the appeal of occasionally helping people and I was always gratified to see the good in people from time to time. At this time of year when our efforts should be directed at helping our fellow man (I mean that in the generic sense), I am absolutely appalled by the behavior exhibited by someone at your company. Unfortunately, it happens everywhere but it never ceases to sadden me when I see it. Safety, you should be commended for contributing your own gift to replace those taken by someone who obviously personifies the term, "Grinch."
  • I agree with Parabeagle.

    Safety, you took the high road. Great sacrifice and an excellent way to turn someone's rotten behavior into a personal win.

    I am proud of you. Nicely done.


  • How do you know the manager who is bringing in his box didn't steal the other two out of the fridge? It would be the perfect crime. He would get an additional box of meat AND the credit for being a good manager. Have I been in Employee Relations too long? I scare myself sometimes. Cynically yours,

    Crout

  • [font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 12-23-03 AT 01:11PM (CST)[/font][br][br]xx( to the thief

    xclap to you

    There is hope for mankind because the type of people who would do this are still in the minority and there are still people like you who will try to right the wrongs!
  • Unfortunately I have heard this type of story more than I care to admit.

    I would LOVE to know what possesses someone to STEAL lunch! Are they that hungry that they have to take someone else's food.

    Now, I will admit that we have mixed up the yogurt before and someone got blueberry when they brought strawberry, but as adults they were able to just laugh at it and learn to put their name on thier yogurt.

    BUt to steal holiday presents. What grinches!!

    I hope that they get what they deserve! A lump of coal!
  • Thanks to all, I knew I could count on my Forum friends to help me feel better about a terrible situation. Please everyone, have a safe happy holiday, day off, etc.
  • Safety - I'm so sorry. Sometimes I want to wear the button "People Suck" at work - it's an element that we have to deal with & I'm sorry it happened to you & the people it directly affected. Hats off to you & the other manager for your donations....x:-)
  • We are not the premier employer in our location, but we try to do more and more for our employees in the way of incentives and thankyou's. Too often I feel that the more we do, the more a certain minority will grumble about it not being enough. So, no matter how hard you try to do what is right and please everybody, somebody is bound to throw in the proverbial wrench.

    I echo the rest, Safety - good job on your part. We can't stop doing the right thing even though some try to ruin it.
  • It is truly amazing how low some people will stoop...and it is also inspiring to hear how situations like this have been addressed in a positive way by someone like Safety. Congratulations for restoring faith.
  • >I can’t believe it, this shouldn’t happen
    >anywhere but it did. Last week on Tuesday I
    >gave every ee a safety incentive of $100 for
    >working one year without an OSHA accident. The
    >next day I gave every ee $350 for meeting our
    >gainsharing goals. On Friday we gave every ee a
    >gift box with some expensive meat as a holiday
    >gift. There were a few ee’s not present on
    >Friday and we saved their gift boxes in our
    >large cooler located in the lunchroom. On each
    >box we clearly marked whom they were for. Two
    >of these boxes disappeared last night. I am so
    >disappointed that I am almost speechless. We
    >are the premier employer in our community and
    >pay above average wages to the workers. We do
    >more for our workforce than any other workplace
    >in our area that I am aware of. We are a
    >non-union facility and we would like to think it
    >is in part due to the way we treat everyone,
    >with dignity, respect and in a fair manner.
    >
    >I know there is not a way to determine where the
    >gift boxes went or who ‘walked off’ with them
    >but I just had to vent my total disgust for this
    >situation. Another manager and I are bringing
    >our gift boxes back this afternoon to give to
    >the two who were the victims of this crime. Is
    >there any hope for mankind? Thanks for the
    >shoulder to vent on.



  • [font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 12-30-03 AT 12:00PM (CST)[/font][br][br]In the past three weeks I have had:

    Employees bit**ing because their holiday gift (ie, Christmas bonus) was a little less than last year - still significant but less. $$$.

    Part time employees bit**ing because their gifts were half that of full-time employees #-o.

    At our holiday party we culminated a year-long customer service award program by pulling from coupons employees had accumulated for "service above and beyond" for huge prizes (two trips, a big screen tv, home theater system, dvd player...). The employee who won the home theater system bit**ed it was too big, she didn't need it, and why didn't we just get gift certificates so she could buy something useful. When another employee offered her money for it, she declined and said she was going to put it on Ebay and see what it was worth. xx(.

    Some of our employees don't make a lot of money. So for Thanksgiving and Christmas, we had an employee sponsorship program. Employees would submit names of individuals or charities that need help around the holidays, we bought the food, put it in baskets, and the employees picked it up for delivery. I found out that for four or five of our employees, their favorite charity was - ta da - themselves! Yup, that's right, signed up for a charity, picked up their baskets and TOOK THEM HOME. x:o

    I'm glad the holiday season is almost done. (:|


  • Leslie, another example of the more you do, the more some will complain. I find their attitudes very frustrating sometimes. But, keep trying to do the right thing.
  • Leslie - I share your frustration on an almost daily basis - your examples and mine follow the classic lines of entitlement vs. benefit issues facing HR and management. I won't kid you, when they surface - they irritate the heck out of me, but after the blood pressure lowers & I have time to think a little bit, I try to refocus my thoughts on those folks that do appreciate the benefits & the company. x0:)I also try to remember that we can't please all people all the time. Sad, but true.



    p.s. While my blood pressure is high though, I think about ways to plot my revenge x}> ...waahaahaa!!!
  • I know - you guys are right. I guess we all just need to put up with the whining, bit**ing and moaning employees, and appreciate the ones who appreciate what we do. And as for the employees taking home the charity food baskets, well, what goes around comes around. will get you.
  • [font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 12-31-03 AT 06:00AM (CST)[/font][br][br]The "Grinch" spirit must be catching! We have a free prime rib of beef dinner (appetizer to dessert)for all three shifts (chicken or fish also available for those who don't eat beef) a week before Christmas and also on Christmas Day for those who are working. Our employees look forward to the dinner and the extra lunch time we give them to enjoy it . . . but the ones who b****ed this year did so because they thought the pieces of meat served were smaller than last year!!

    As part of the free dinner days, we also sponsor a "mitten tree" for a local charity--overwhelming response to that, with lots of mittens, gloves, scarves, hats, and even jackets brought in the week before Chtistmas. Those were packed up and delivered to the charity. Unfortunately, someone absconded with about half of the donations employees brought in on Christmas Day sometime between when the Cafeteria closed that evening and when it reopened the next morning. Of course, there were no witnesses . . .
Sign In or Register to comment.