Do you get your boss anything for the Holidays?

First topic message reminder :

Just thought i can hear from all of you...About me,hmmm..I dont have any material thing for her last christmas but i gave her 20 hours working overtime during christmas eve and during christmas day..i think shes happy with it..

As for work during religious or cultural breaks - it is SOP for the employer to be at least culturally sensitive - if they aren't able to do so, I'd probably get out - of course there are exemptions especially if the host country's culture has a different view or practice, or client deadlines were fixed beforehand.

But what's important - the employee and the employer SHOULD be able to craft a solution so that the client and all the people concerned remain happy and at peace. Do not expect that a sudden observance of religious activities without a word of warning is still a professional approach (I dunno about other cultures). In the same way, I'd probably feel bad if I have a moslem employee in Japan or Manila who decides to suddenly fly to KSA to spend ramadan without asking for permission. Or saying so within a period, that will allow me to find a temporary replacement during his absence. At this time of the century - to assume is a dangerous proposition. It will not be our redemption.

I am sure that a client who will be left unaware whether their project is moving on or not even during christmas or ramadan will be an unhappy one. When they are unhappy, consider losing their business, if you can afford that, then let's go to hawaii and take a break!

To avoid serious problems or cultural misunderstandings, make it a habit to work out a solution with the client, employer or designer BEFORE. If a christian or catholic designer desires to take noche buena and leave all of his work on a still, say so ahead of time so that the employer can work out a solution or find a temporary replacement, who knows - perhaps a moslem designer who have nothing to do on christmas eve would be more than happy to take charge.

While it is the job of employers to make careful decisions for the company and his employs, some employers like your lovers cannot make decisions if they do not know they need to make one. It is our job as crew members of the same boat to call their wanted attention.

I also worked during christmas for 18 years now, I feel bad but it's better than no work at all..

well - IMO, i am not sure how it is in countries who do not celebrate christmas the same way we do, so pwedeng ur boss is actually nice enough to treat you as such. in any case it's not really a basis for you to stay or go.

sakin sirdeadma lang hehe.. no kissass move hehe absent pa nga ako ng 28 29 30 hehe.. layo kaya ng probinsya nmin 14hrs from manila.. papasukin pako.. e parang umihi lang ako nun samin tapos balik uli??..

ARCHITHEKTHURA wrote:Hi sir celes,yeah i feel the same way too. And my family feel the same way as well..dec 23 nung pumasok yung project. My boss flew right away from thailand to bahrain. I dont know anything about it then 23 ng gabi she called me the briefing and the client's requirements. Technically we are not on holiday. Syempre arab country pero dahil catholic si boss declared nya yung 24 ng halfday and 25 ng holiday.Every year ganun talga ang ginagawa nya. So here it is we need to produce those images in 2 days kse 26 ang presentation. Shes besides me all the time hanggang sa ma print out yung boards kaya nahihiya nmn akong magpaalam and naisip ko i dont have anybody with me sa christmas naman so cguro pakiramdam ko ok lng.
She gave me 2 days time off last 27 and 28..So i guess oks na din yun.. yun nga lng iba pa din yung 25.

Kanya kanya lang ng diskarte - if I was the employer, technically I am not obliged to send you to holiday when it is not holiday but what I'll do is cut the two days one day short by adding more people on the job.

I am sure that the boss feels indebted to your presence and hard work. If she thinks you cannot do it - she won't ask you anyways.

As for christmas, talagang kanya kanya ring pananaw - and don't take me badly - I'm just going to say the other side of the coin, I think christmas is everyday and so are prayers whiuch I can do anywhere. Just perhaps my style. In the same way, if we feel we are temprary actors in the drama called abroad, we tend to act and bring our old ways, both good and bad with us.

The answer to the dilenma remains with us, its how we perceive our existence as practising catholics or professional pinoys in a foreign land. Sometimes our insistence to claim our cultural dentity help us get by but sometimes it gets in the way. The choice has always been there. Perception.

I wish Jeff will have a good christmas noche buena with christine next year! Whos with me on my prayers?

ARCHITHEKTHURA wrote:Nice replies!
Im just thinking about what sir celes said. I agree this is partially in grey area. My situation is, ive been in the company for 2 years now and im not considering that me and my boss are really close to each other but shes always giving me gift for christmas.Kahit nga hindi christmas basta lumabas sya ng lets say a week or 2 pagbalik meron syang souvenir or something sa pinanggalingan nya.
I tried to observed as well around the office if shes doing the same thing but i feel its only for the few of us. But definitely shes giving those gifts as private as possible. Sneaky talga. Im wondering if this is a bribe or something and im really scared of the effects this cause me in the long run. I know im doing a lot of things dito sa office. I work hard to the point na pati noche buena at pasko ko e nawala na. I dont know why im doing it. Is it because of what my boss is giving me?? Shes giving me so much apart from my salary and i couldnt resist her if she really needs me. Is it correct??Am i doing the right thing?or im spoiling her? Can i say no even if shes begging me?? I dont know....What do you guys think??

NAKOPO

type ka nyan sir hehehehe

jhames joe albert infante wrote:sakin sirdeadma lang hehe.. no kissass move hehe absent pa nga ako ng 28 29 30 hehe.. layo kaya ng probinsya nmin 14hrs from manila.. papasukin pako.. e parang umihi lang ako nun samin tapos balik uli??..

Nakupoh! Di naman kasalanan ng employers mo na 14 hours away probinsya mo eh, why make them suffer?


Buti hindi ka sa amin nagtratrabaho, kundi I'll fire you without warning kung di ka humingi ng permiso. Paano na lang halimbawa yung mga kasamahan mo na magtakeover sa job mo if ever na mayroon project during those regular days?

How can you answer to your kasamahan who perhaps wanted to stay in their provinces too but couldn't because of your sudden absence?

Sometimes it helps to become an employer yourself to understand that there will always be two sides of each coin

As I say, there are times when this could be excused - like kung ala naman load or you swapped holidays with someone willing to take over during your absence...

Bottomline is consult with your lovable employers - do not assume. If both sides remain happy - then no problem at all.

mushroom wrote:i don't believe in getting my boss something. or i don't expect my employees to do the same.

work is work - nothing should be personal.

better just stick with the work ethics - the best gift would be to simply perform as or above as expected.

gift giving to me is highly inappropriate for the following reasons:

1. if you suck at your work and you give gifts you may appear as if you're easing the level of your incompetence.
2. if you are good at your work and still give gifts on top of that, you will be deemed as an ass kisser.

of course this is partially a grey area. for example if you've been really close friends with your boss a long time - if that is the case then keep the gift giving private. do it outside, not for everyone to see or know. if not, a christmas greeting would be enough.

Celes comments are a-ok.

Aside from gift-giving which is culturally ingrained in my part of the globe. (we bring gifts for the whole employees whenever we come back after a trip out of town, we send new years card to those we owe gratitude to and want to be obliged to)

It is not really bad to act and appear as friends with superiors or co-employees as long as that is the corporate culture in your country. In our work specially games and cg, good rapport is a must expense.

Of course the attitude remains refined when talking to Hi-level superiors or bosses. Closeness and relaxed chitchats with bosses remained confined in privacy.

Third bottomline is - when in doubt and not knowing how to act at work or in public during situations like these, stick to the tried and tested - post above by celes. It won't fail you.

Thanks so much guys for all the replies and for giving me some of your time reading my thoughts about it. I really appreciate it. i just dont know what to do,sometimes im thinking na abuso na nga pero there are times as well na parang naiisip ko na ok lng. Im thankful na kahit ganito at least may trabaho ako and im satisfied with it. Its also good that we discussed this.I learned a lot. Im trying to balance everything. Mahirap kseng mag react in a certain situation without thinking more about it.

Thanks sir roy for giving me some of your thoughts as well. I know you and my boss are almost in the same situation. You experienced a lot especially sa management side of the business which is madalas ma mis interpret ng mga employee. Well anyway,again thanks so much.Happy new year sir..

Thanks also for reading everyone!I hope we learned something from our discussion. I know im not the only one who experienced this maybe worst for some other but take it always as a lesson and deal with it as nice as possible.. HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

ARCHITHEKTHURA wrote:One more thing sir celes and parekoy.Im trying to figure out how to avoid it but how? I lay low na nga pero talgang kusang dumarating lalo na sa mga araw na ayaw na ayaw mo. Anong solution for this? Feeling ko para akong doctor e.On call..Do i have to consider looking for a new job?And if im going to talk to her baka nmn ma offend.Anyway thanks sir for the chat. Sorry to bother you for this questions,,..

edit:

I forgot to ask..How about you mga sirs?If you re in my situation.Ano pong gagawin nyo?Yung the best way to do it.?

well for me hindi pa naman nagiging conflict ang celebrations kahit magkaiba ng culture. unang-una na nga kasi e my boss and modirs respect other cultures and vice versa kaya sila na rin ang nag-aadjust ng work schedule for us catholics and christians na macelebrate ang mahalagang araw ng pasko even new year. i suggest parekoy na 5 days before christmas pa lang ay magbigay ka na ng letter with your other catholic and christians colleagues signatures na nagrerequest na ibigay sa inyo ung 25 as paid holiday.

jeff my advice is just communicate w your boss. as AKA mentioned it is good to let her know beforehand. employers will understand and im sure she will find someone who can finish the task. or if not, deadlines can possibly be moved too.

take note of sensei roy's advice too. employer side yan :p

now i uderstand what sir v_wrangler is trying to keep it in our mind and heart...thank you sir...kaya pala kahit nandito ako sa bakasyon ngayon binibigyan pa din ako ng work ng boss ko...I was thinking about my boss giving me 2 months vacation, well in fact supposed to be 1 month lang dapat nevertheless I am still gratefull...kasi may trabaho pa ko na babalikan especially now that currently the whole world is experiencing this crisis....maraming salamat sir v_wrangler for opening our heart and mind....