Developer gifts...

[nerudite]

So here I am in a new job, and it's my first xmas here. It is always interesting to see what developers bring in... and what, under our HR policies, we have to return.

All of the towns I've worked for in the States (Davis, Oak Harbor, Vancouver, St. Helena)... all had the same policies:

Any food items are shared with the office, whatever cool baskets they come in, etc. are given to the person that the food was originally given to. Any other gifts (company sweatshirts, sports tickets, even mugs, were returned to the company with a letter of thanks/no-thanks).

Things are a little different up here: you can keep almost anything that comes in... with the exception of quasi-cash (gift certificates). So far I have a bottle of wine and some hockey tickets. It feels weird to be accepting stuff... but as one of the lower workers on the totem pole (middle management-ish), it's nothing compared to what the top managers are getting.

So what are the policies where you work?

 

[Mastiff]

No one gives me anything...

At my other jobs, it was the sharing thing, like with food... If the "gift" was under $25, you could keep it. Of course, with some developers, I didn't want them. Of course, we went to the state municipal league, which was a gift-fest.

 

[Chet]

We have the same policies as you describe from your US jobs. Thankfully I'm passing on all the treats and not gorging myself this year.

 

[Jeff]

Don't get nothing....

Old job we didn't get anything either, nor were we supposed to take anything. i know plenty of people that did though. Just told the giver to send the gift home instead of to the office.

 

[donk]

The level of gifts has dropped off over the past few years.

We always used to get boxes of chocolate from the lawyers and surveyors we deal with regularily, so far this year nothing.

Basically, if it can be shared by everyone in th office it can be accepted is teh rule of thumb.

lucky you with hockey tickets

 

[PlannerGirl]

Ours were like yours, food was shared with everyone *though when i left my last job i got a lot of gifts that everyone turned a blind eye too-cant bribe someone thats on the way out*

we could accept small things under like 20 bucks-i had one guy with the schools that he always had to meet with me at 8AM so he as a peace offering had fresh ham biscuts for me at our meeting. im NOT a morning person and he knew it. VERY smart man.

 

[Downtown]

Last Friday a developer brought in a huge basket of chocolate dipped fruit (cherries, strawberries, apples, oranges, pineapples, drool drool drool), and next monday another developer is bringing in lunch for the department. We also get the usual assortment of chocolotes and italian cookies. Rob (who's technically in MIS, but his office is in DPW) makes out like a bandit - DPW gets way better stuff than us - mainly bottles and bottles of wine. pretty much everyone divides up. last year we recieved 8 baskets, so we all drew numbers and got to take one home. December is also a big birthday month, so today we also have cake. blargh!

*resentfully slurps lentil soup, dreaming of chocolate ganache cake*

 

[donk]

guess those tests you mentioned elsewhere did not go well.

Its only 2 weeks, put off the life changing diet until after the holidays.

 

[Chet]

Rob (who's technically in MIS, but his office is in DPW) makes out like a bandit

I thought hubby was a teacher?

 

[giff57]

Iowa law says you can't accept anything over $2.95. Apparently food for the office as a whole is ok, we usually get several fruit baskets each year

 

[NHPlanner]

We get an occasional box of chocolates or cookies....but other than that not much.

Our engineering review consultant has given us gift certificates to restaurants (and an occasional golf shirt) in the past....but they work for us.

 

[Cardinal]

We don't get very much. It seems that most poeple/businesses in Wisconsin don't try to bribe the people doing the work. Perhaps it is because of the cost of bribing the politicians. We will usually get a couple poinsettas, some cheese and sausage, or cookies sent over. We eat it. Yeah, eating the poinsettas isn't a good idea, but then, we get very hungry.

 

[Repo Man]

This is too funny...I just started eating an orange that we recieved in a fruit basket from a contractor that the City uses...I log onto Cyburbia and you are talking about developer gifts...

Anyhow, we usually get fruit, candy, nuts, cheese, sausage, and other food type gifts. We got a huge cake from a consultant that the City uses too. We just set it at the front counter and employees and/or the public come and grab stuff.

 

[Tranplanner]

We get nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

You have to be in the right department I guess. I have a friend out in suburbia who gets showered with lunches, bottles of wine, etc.

 

[jmf]

WE don't get much, the odd box of chocolates for the office but Public works gets loads of stuff. It all get turned over to admin and then at the employee banquet names are drawn for everything. I got a cool mini mag light last year. This year the big thing was an awesome jacket emblazoned with a local engineering firm's logo. I didn't get it .

 

[Habanero]

Some developer just brought us a gift box of brownies.. I think they contain 3 days worth of fat grams...

 

[Downtown]

I thought hubby was a teacher?

Nope - he's a GIS dork.

As for the aforementioned tests - they all went ok (i think) - i'm just not fitting into my pants. as we were walking in this morning, rob said to me "Your pants are kinda high, aren't they?"
I replied "Well, before the winter bulk up, they used to ride much lower."
*makes plans to hit treadmill before yoga tonight*

 

[PlannerGirl]

When i was in NC we got lots and lots of goodies, heck i think they (the developers and engineers) tried to out do each other.

here in NoVa we have nada, nothing, not even christmas cards.

sheesh~!

 

[Tranplanner]

as we were walking in this morning, rob said to me "Your pants are kinda high, aren't they?"

OMG - he said that? Is he sleeping in the dog house tonight for that?

 

[NHPlanner]

OMG - he said that? Is he sleeping in the dog house tonight for that?

I know I would be if I ever made a comment like that! I know better than that.

 

[Cardinal]

I know I would be if I ever made a comment like that! I know better than that.

You need to say it in a positive way. Try "Gee, honey, you're carrying that extra weight really well." She should love you for that. Take it from me, I should know. I'm still single.

 

[Mastiff]

I just hate the silly questions...

Do these pants make my butt look big?

No, all those Twinkies made your butt look big...

 

[Downtown]

OMG - he said that? Is he sleeping in the dog house tonight for that?

Actually, I think he actually thought I bought my pants too short (which is almost impossible since I'm so short to begin with). He's really really clueless about things like that. He knows better to say anything since he's actually completely outgrown all of his own pants.

 

[Mud Princess]

Last Friday a developer brought in a huge basket of chocolate dipped fruit (cherries, strawberries, apples, oranges, pineapples, drool drool drool), and next monday another developer is bringing in lunch for the department. We also get the usual assortment of chocolotes and italian cookies. Rob (who's technically in MIS, but his office is in DPW) makes out like a bandit - DPW gets way better stuff than us - mainly bottles and bottles of wine. pretty much everyone divides up. last year we recieved 8 baskets, so we all drew numbers and got to take one home. December is also a big birthday month, so today we also have cake. blargh!


A DEVELOPER brought in a basket of chocolate dipped fruit and lunch??!!!? ...Bottles of wine?!

Doesn't anybody feel that it is unethical for developers to be giving extravagant gifts to the people who make decisions (or at least recommendations to the planning board, I assume) about their projects??

What do the planning board members get, new Acuras?!?

Sure, the chocolate dipped fruit sounds wonderful, but this could be perceived by the public as unethical, IMHO. What do you think your local papers would say?

Or are people so cynical that they expect it?

 

[Habanero]

A DEVELOPER brought in a basket of chocolate dipped fruit and lunch??!!!? ...Bottles of wine?!

Doesn't anybody feel that it is unethical for developers to be giving extravagant gifts to the people who make decisions (or at least recommendations to the planning board, I assume) about their projects??

What do the planning board members get, new Acuras?!?

Sure, the chocolate dipped fruit sounds wonderful, but this could be perceived by the public as unethical, IMHO. What do you think your local papers would say?

Or are people so cynical that they expect it? [/B]

Yup, we are all expecting cars this year. In fact, we tell developers we'll hold up projects if they don't give us presents.. We're just evil and selfish bastards that could care less about the common goal we're would be trying to work towards if our hands weren't covered in chocolate.. but it makes the development reports sticky and we all have our priorities.

Food isn't extravagant, in fact, I'd chuck it up to the "holiday spirit". Besides, I'm still ethical, so why would food sway me? I toss the card in the trash usually before I remember who it's from and I put the food out for everyone.

 

[Mastiff]

Doesn't anybody feel that it is unethical for developers to be giving extravagant gifts to the people who make decisions (or at least recommendations to the planning board, I assume) about their projects??

I will never take a "gift" from a developer personally, aside from a hat or pen or some minor thing... to the point where I won't go to lunch and let them pay.

What amused me so much... When I gave notice at my last job, three developers took me out to eat before I left. Guess I wasn't doing such a bad job with them!