It’s probably one of the thorniest office issues – money. Whether it’s a birthday, a leaving do, or sponsorship for a charity event, what is acceptable to ask for, and what is, frankly, crossing the line?
The golden rule is never to make people uncomfortable, or put them in a position where they feel they have to cough up. This simply leads to resentment and is counter-productive - however worthy the cause in question.
Where office birthdays are concerned, keep it simple. A card is enough for people to know you wish them a happy birthday. Particularly in a big office, birthdays are frequent occurrences, and can end up being a big drain on the purse, especially for more junior employees.
If as a manager you’re keen to mark the occasion of birthdays, why not offer everyone their birthday as an extra day’s holiday? It will mean more to most people than any gift you could buy as a result of a whip-round.
Leaving occasions are arguably slightly different, especially if someone has worked for the organisation for a while. It’s important to them and to the office to mark their contribution and their departure.
But there’s no need to go overboard: it really is the thought that counts. Suggest a range (say £1 to £5) for any contributions, and don’t press anyone who for whatever reason doesn’t wish to contribute.
Finally -and possibly most difficult of all to handle - the dreaded sponsored marathon/walk/bike ride/Everest climb. Your colleagues are a valid source of contributions, but you should be wary of asking for money too regularly. Make it clear that you are not expecting sponsorship, and make sure that you personally thank everyone who does put their hand in their pocket.
If you’re being pressurized into sponsoring someone, how do you say no without looking like Scrooge? A simple response is to say that you already support another charity and would prefer to concentrate your support on them.
Anonymity is the key word when raising money from colleagues. Don’t ruin relationships by jiggling a bucket of coins in reception every morning.