The office whip round causes friction, embarrassment and apathy amongst colleagues, according to new research from www.Londonoffices.com.
In offices where a collection for cash is started to buy a birthday present, leaving gift or charity challenge, colleagues are encouraged to donate anything from change up to £20 and it is starting to grate with the UK’s workers.
More than half (52 per cent) of workers surveyed say they dislike the office whip round and would like to see them reduced in frequency and 65 per cent resent having to cough up more than a couple of pounds.
More than a third (38 per cent) think the most annoying whip round was for individual charity sponsorships. However, a whopping 83 per cent of respondents say they enjoy taking part in group or company wide charity donation activities such as for Children in Need.
Regularly being asked for hard-earned cash at work is an annoyance for most it seems. But the whip rounds can also trigger negative feelings amongst teams. The survey results clearly show that the office whip-round is becoming too frequent.
Chris Meredith, CEO of Londonoffices thinks the UK’s workforce is simply coming under too frequent demand to gift money for various reasons in the workplace.
Meredith adds, ‘If you look at the UK as a whole where average wages really have not moved much for a decade, then factor in increased costs like train fare’s or petrol prices there is little wonder people are starting to reject whip rounds.
‘I think we are at the stage now where a lot of staff feel pressured to gift money in fear of being branded tight or not a team player. As CEO of a busy company there is not a single week that passes where an envelope or card is not left on my desk for a donation.’
Meredith suggested employers should consider the impact of team gift-giving at work and that employees shouldn’t feel under pressure to pay into a collection nor should they be singled out for not being able to take part.
With average donations at £5 it is estimated workers could be forking out up to £100 a year in office whip rounds.
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