Office crankiness during the holidays

[kddani]

Everyone in my office seems to be at each other's throats in my office! The holidays can certainly bring out the worst. Everyone is being snippy with each other. I have to admit to even being sucked in the negativity- the law clerks bought our boss a huge bottle of JD and took him to a nice lunch (which he ordered a ton of stuff, expensive things - which made us think he'd pay with the firm card, but he didn't!). He has given no indication of doing anything for us (there's 5 of us), and all the bosses pretty much gave their gifts out today to their secretaries etc. Tomorrow we work a 1/2 day then have our firm xmas party. Us law clerks are just irked b/c we're betting that we won't even get a card saying thank you for all your hard work from our immediate boss. Hell, all we want is some recognition/thank yous.

Okay, i'll stop ranting now.

Anyone else's office a pool of bitchiness this season?

[PM_Mama00]

Ugh I hear ya. My boss is making me work Christmas Eve 9am-3. No one is going to come in here on Christmas Eve!

I could call in sick, or quit, but then again I DO live with him, and get paid good. I guess I'll stick it out.

[RedRoseSAI]

Actually, things have been pretty cheery around here. It doesn't hurt that we've been showed with gifts from our vendors. Munchies abound.

[chideltjen]

Not really... everyone is just sick though. I'm glad my desk is in the front of the building FAR away from everyone else.

[Lil' Hannah]

Ours hasn't been too terrible, but we did this secret santa thing last week and it brought out the worst in a few of the women here. They weren't happy with the way it was run, they weren't getting their gifts (because a few Santas had been out of the office unexpectedly), blah blah blah. I had to coordinate the whole thing and I had like 4 people bitching to me all week. Ugh. Since I knew who the Santas were I couldn't tell them why they weren't getting gifts, but it all worked out at the end of the week.

[SigKapBling]

i work at a credit union - and we as a branch arent really at each others throats - its the members who come in and blah blah blah

[EEKappa]

The other day I received a huge basket from a vendor. It was two feet wide and packed with candy, cookies, mugs with the vendor's logo, and all kinds of goodies. My assistant and I each took one of the two bottles of wine, and we put the basket in the break room and decided that she could have the basket when the food was gone. When the basket was half empty, one of the staff accountants emptied it out, left all the food on the table, and took the basket off to her cubicle for herself. And she doesn't even process checks to this particular vendor.

Yesterday the three person HR department took a three hour lunch, just as they did last year, locking the door to their department and leaving a "We are having our HR Holiday Lunch" note taped to the door. While gone, they had chocolate martinis.

I am so tired of working with some of these princesses. I am higher on the org chart than all of them, but would never dream of taking advantage like that. Thank goodness none of them report to me.

[XOMichelle]

Our office is pretty nice since most people are taking time off. That makes everyone happy except the few people in charge of the annual report due in Jan.

The people with more seniority have been passing out gifts- mostly food and candy, and that puts people in a good mood too. I gave my gifts out today, and the co-workers I gave them too really liked them :-) I gave my one boss candles and the other margarita glasses, and my two favorite co-workers martini glasses with shakers. Plus, our hallways are full of decorations and treats. Who can be in a bad mood with all that?

[AGDee]

We had our holiday luncheon/potluck yesterday and I was in charge. The caterer brought the biggest deli tray I had ever seen! It seemed like way more food than we had ordered. We packaged it all up and put it in the fridge, along with about 4 loaves of bread. Today, just before lunch time, I sent an email that we had plenty of meat and cheese for everybody to have a sandwich and that we'd have the food out in the kitchen. We had packaged up 8 or 9 plates HEAPING with lunch meats and cheese yesterday. When we went to put it out today, there were only 4 plates of meat and 1 plate of cheese, not enough for everybody in the department to eat again, for sure. And, there were about 2 loaves of bread left. I don't know who took all the other stuff, but I hope they either 1) really needed it badly or 2) donated it to the homeless/hungry. A few people were really perturbed that so much of it had disappeared. I told them I had to have faith in humanity and trust that someone who really needed it took it. But... if someone did just say "hey! Free food, now I can feed the whole clan that's coming over!", then I'm upset about it.

[33girl]

Dani - I got an extra Kaufmann's gift card - if your boss doesn't take you to lunch I will.

Originally posted by SigKapBling
i work at a credit union - and we as a branch arent really at each others throats - its the members who come in and blah blah blah

I work at a credit union as well and today its been problem after problem after problem! These members are just pissing me off left and right - from the minute i walked in the door this morning! I've got a headache and need it to go away ASAP!

[CutiePie2000]

You all got your boss a bottle of booze *PLUS* treated him to lunch? I think that was way, way, over the top. (and he obviously took advantage of that.....what a jerk!)

That being said, I try to heed this wise proverb,
"If you give people your hand, they'll grab your whole arm".

Next time, I think just a card will suffice (or no gift at all). As he is the boss, he is the one who should be doing the gifting; his subordinates should not be getting him anything at all (or at least, not feel obligated to).

[pinkyphimu]

things were pretty good at my school. my classroom was awesome. we even had a secret holiday party and each person made something.

A few people were really perturbed that so much of it had disappeared. I told them I had to have faith in humanity and trust that someone who really needed it took it. But... if someone did just say "hey! Free food, now I can feed the whole clan that's coming over!", then I'm upset about it.

agdee

at my school, every month they do a meat order (i have no idea from where, but anyway). you can order chicken, shrimp, etc. this month, someone stole 10lbs of chicken and 3 lbs of shrimp. the person who origionally ordered it was really upset because she was out $54!

[James]

I agree. Buying something for the person that is paying you is kind of like just giving your salary back lol.

Kind of like gift giving to your parents when you are still little and on an allowance.

Originally posted by CutiePie2000
You all got your boss a bottle of booze *PLUS* treated him to lunch? I think that was way, way, over the top. (and he obviously took advantage of that.....what a jerk!)

That being said, I try to heed this wise proverb,
"If you give people your hand, they'll grab your whole arm".

Next time, I think just a card will suffice (or no gift at all). As he is the boss, he is the one who should be doing the gifting; his subordinates should not be getting him anything at all (or at least, not feel obligated to).

[AOPIHottie]

Originally posted by James
I agree. Buying something for the person that is paying you is kind of like just giving your salary back lol.

Kind of like gift giving to your parents when you are still little and on an allowance.

Aw, but its the thought that counts!! Little kids LOVE buying a gift for the parents cause it makes them feel special. Quit ruining the holiday spirit james!!