I got the most unusual gift today

[nurseangel]

At least you are appreciated...he obviously thinks you are great nurse considers you as someone he can't do without.

I don't think he was trying to insult you by buying you a cup of coffee. I think he was trying to be nice. He probably bought gift cards like that for a number of people.

 

[natalie_ca]

Originally Posted by Dusty's Mom

A one-cup gift card may mean he is trying to send a message of dissatisfaction perhaps?

Nope. He sings my praises to my boss. And he also gave a single cup of coffee to the communications clerk in our clinic too.

I would have preferred to have received either just a simple card saying "thank you for all of your efforts this year", or even just nothing, to being given a coffee shop card for a single cup of coffee.

And no, he didn't buy a bunch of them. He's a very "me me me" person and takes rather than gives.

So don't try to read anything more that him being cheap, into this "gift", because you have to work with him to truly understand.

 

[addiebee]

I agree that giving you a one-cup special was a slap in the face, like someone else said... akin to a penny tip at a restaurant. Why bother... except I am SURE he thought he was being generous.

My boyfriend wondered if he had gotten these one-cup cards as some sort of promotion and passed them on to you and the clerk.. so he didn't really make any gesture at all....

It's more than a "hey it's nice the boss thought of you at ALL". It's deeper than that... To everyone else --- He is abusing Linda... doesn't care.. then gives her this cheap stinky gift. BLECH.

I used to do things like bake and bring in food to one work place... until I realized the boss was simply EXPECTING ME to bring homemade goodies to EVERY meeting... uh... no... I was making a nice gesture and some people are just selfish and greedy and stupid. I am sure he has NO CLUE that he insulted you... and wouldn't understand if you tried to explain it... based on the personality you described above.

I feel bad for you; I hope you can get reassigned real soon.

 

[nurseangel]

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

So don't try to read anything more that him being cheap, into this "gift", because you have to work with him to truly understand.

I tried....

I've been very fortunate with the doctors I've worked for, but I realize that's not always the case.

 

[natalie_ca]

Originally Posted by AddieBee

I hope you can get reassigned real soon.

I love the clinic that I do. And I like working with the girl who does the clerking in the clinic. And the work in my clinic is very interesting. I just wish it was a different doctor in that clinic.

I'm so jealous of some of the other nurses I work with when I see how nicely the doctors in their clinics treat them. Their doctors never yell at or verbally abuse them. If they are going for a coffee run, they ask if anyone in their clinic would like something. One doctor even brings in breakfast or lunch for his clinic staff, every single clinic; without fail. Every single clinic.

When my doctor isn't yelling or taking all of his frustrations out on me, I don't mind working with him. But more often than not, he explodes and instead of talking, he rants and rants and yells. I've told him more than once that he's yelling at the wrong person. That if he has a problem with the lab or any other department or policy, that he should be talking to the people in that area because yelling at me about it isn't going to make anything different. But it just continues. And like I said, he's never at fault. There is always a scapegoat for everything, even when he is the one in the wrong.

I seriously doubt that they will give me a different clinic because no one wants to work with him. The average length of time before a nurse either quits or applies for a position in an entirely different area of the company is about 1 year. February or March will be one year for me.

The girl I replaced was in his clinic for just over a year (14 months I think). She applied for a part time position in an entirely different area of the company, just to get out of his clinic for all of the same reasons I have mentioned.

I know he appreciates the work I do in his clinic because he's told me as much. He's told me that he likes the changes I've made to the clinic (when I took it over it was complete chaos, at least according to my standards of organization). He tells me that he hears nothing but good things about me from the patients. And he tells me that he likes how organized I am. And like I said, he tells my boss that he is happy that I'm in his clinic and doesn't want me to leave it.

 

[ut0pia]

I honestly wouldn't have thought anything of it, I would have gotten my coffee and enjoyed it. Do you have an established tradition about gift giving on christmas? I know places I've worked at where no one got anything, and also where we've all brought some food and had a lunch together. But it's not like I ever expect to either get any gift from people I work with, or celebrate the holiday at work. If there isn't any sort of custom of exchanging gifts at christmas, I may still decide to give co workers a small gift, because giving a gift feels nice, and also would make me feel very festive and happy and I'd be reminded of the holiday. But really, what if your boss doesn't celebrate christmas? What if he plans to give you something else later on as christmas gets closer?

 

[vampcow]

wow! That really stinks. I totally understand what you are talking about that personality type is really hard to deal with and even worse at showing appreciation. I am not a nurse so I haven't worked with doctors but I have worked with a boss like that....for christmas he gave my friend a $50 gift card to a store where we all get our equipment...what did I get?...ready for this? (this will make the cup of coffee look much better) A PEN WITHOUT A CAP!
Seriously...it was wrapped up and when I opened it it was truly a dead pen without a cap.....yeah..I didn't take it personally but I did leave the following summer. I laugh about it now. But yeah...sometimes it is better to get nothing.

 

[farleyv]

Originally Posted by missymotus

Maybe he didn't realise the gift card was only for one beverage

If he did that, I wouldn't want him working on me or wiriting a prescription!

 

[ldg]

Originally Posted by farleyv

If he did that, I wouldn't want him working on me or wiriting a prescription!

I'm sorry - I still get a kick out of this! IMO, there's no other gift coming - he's a total egomaniac, doesn't function like a normal human being, doesn't understand and never will understand that he basically just gave Linda the equivalent of a one penny tip (love the analogy!), and I'm sure in his mind he did something nice, not insulting.

As my mom always said in situations like this, "People... it takes all kinds!"

 

[swampwitch]

My mother has given me gifts such as: a dried-up almost used-up chapstick, a used knife, heavily artificially scented lotions (I'm extremely sensitive to scents -skin & lungs -and they smelled like chemicals and they were a re-gift), opened half used-up enchilada mix, a broken cheap picture frame, the glass vase from teleflorist flowers that were sent to her... the list goes on and on. She will package up these "gifts" and spend $30 mailing them to me.

A free coffee from Starbucks sounds pretty nice to me. Guess it all depends where you're looking from.

 

[addiebee]

Originally Posted by LDG

I'm sorry - I still get a kick out of this! IMO, there's no other gift coming - he's a total egomaniac, doesn't function like a normal human being, doesn't understand and never will understand that he basically just gave Linda the equivalent of a one penny tip (love the analogy!), and I'm sure in his mind he did something nice, not insulting.

As my mom always said in situations like this, "People... it takes all kinds!"

And that will never change... In fact, I think he would be stunned that you were insulted b/c in HIS mind... he did something generous.

 

[pushylady]

Originally Posted by LDG

I'm sorry - I still get a kick out of this! IMO, there's no other gift coming - he's a total egomaniac, doesn't function like a normal human being, doesn't understand and never will understand that he basically just gave Linda the equivalent of a one penny tip (love the analogy!), and I'm sure in his mind he did something nice, not insulting.

I think Laurie is dead right in this assessment!

Reminds me of my DH's company Xmas "gift" for the last two years- a $2 gift card to Tim Horton's. Seriously, why even bother? It's not that the girl in HR who does it is some kind of cheapo, but that's all she's got in her budget to send out to all the workers. At that point, it's more of an insult. They really shouldn't bother, just send a nice card telling everyone that they're appreciated. Of course, all the managers have a nice catered Xmas function.

It's just total corporate BS, and sends a clear signal to the workers or just how much they really are valued in their bosses eyes.
In Linda's case, I think her boss isn't sending a message here, he's just a dick.

 

[swampwitch]

I don't get the penny-tip analogy... In our society, tipping is payment for services and is expected; however, gifts are 100% optional.

 

[pushylady]

I don't believe that gift giving is really optional anymore (unfortunately). Especially in certain circumstances, such as; boss to employee, client to service person, adult relatives to children. That's my take anyway.
While I agree with the sentiment that people should be grateful for receiving a gift at all, I just don't see that as a reality in the times and society we live in.
ETA: so the fact that her boss got such a lame gift is akin to leaving a miserable tip: to make a point. But I honestly think that from the sounds of it, this man wouldn't even realize how lame his gift was.

 

[swampwitch]

Easy to look up "gift" in the dictionary.

 

[zohdee]

All throughout the year, us employees bust our butts to make monthly goals so management gets their monthly bonus. Our manager gets $500.00/month bonus if we make those goals.

We get NOTHING for the holidays...not even a card. We do, get an email saying how much they appreciate all we do then next month we get the company newsletter with pictures from their christmas parties.

 

[miagi's_mommy]

Well atleast it was something and not a lump of coal.

Just enjoy your coffee.