It's a Blue Christmas, what with everyone getting laid off, or told to do the work of those laid-off co-workers! So, to entertain ourselves, we're gonna make a list -- and check it twice -- to see which bosses have been naughty or nice. Depending on early responses, I may post a list of all 100-plus worksites here and in the U.K., so we can see how co-workers across the company answered these two questions:
Did your worksite . . .
- Hold a holiday party? (And if so, tell us a good story!)
- Give bonuses? (Was it cash? Food? Gannett stock?)
Was it the Cherry-Coke Jello Mold that a co-worker brought to the office holiday party? Please post your worst holiday story assignments in the comments section, below. Send e-mail via gannettblog[at]gmail[dot-com].
Did your worksite:
ReplyDelete* Hold a holiday party? (And if so, tell us a good story!)
* Give bonuses? (Was it cash? Food? Gannett stock?)
Plus: Don't forget to give us the city/state where you work (i.e.: Nashville) so I can build a state-by-state list.
Wilmington had a party -- for managers only.
ReplyDeleteAppleton had food brought in for the office and the production facility.
ReplyDeleteIn the years BG (Before Gannett), Asheville employee perks included free home delivery 7 days a week and a Christmas bonus of one week's pay (based on 40-hour week).
ReplyDeleteThe instant GCI took over, employee free delivery ended and the Christmas bonus was abolished (altho it continued in Greenville, SC, at least for another year, if not longer).
GCI substituted a dress-up Christmas party for all employees (except those working that night) at a local hotel ballroom, but I don't know how long that has continued, or if it exists any longer.
It's fair to say, however, that employees prefered the bonus to a silly, fake-smiling evening with people you've already spent one-third of your life with the previous year.
Jim,
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you're a bit obsessed with the Cherry Coke Jello Mold thing. What's the story?
Hah! Hah!
ReplyDeleteBureau folk are forged from tougher stock. Parties? We don't need any stinkin' parties.
A gift, though, might be nice. Maybe a leftover commemorative Obama front page, signed by the folks who busted their asses on election night and were then laid off.
I do expect Gannett to pay each of its 40,000 employees a $1 bonus - commemorating the $40,000 that Cheap-Ass Craig stole for the WCU scholarship fund.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS_TWNRy7SU
ReplyDeleteOshkosh peons got nothing. Don't know about the higher-ups.
ReplyDeleteThe Nashville newsroom had a potluck lunch. And yes, the EE and ME did contribute to it.
ReplyDeleteA bonus? The entire building got to sit through the publlisher's 45-minute monthly meeting celebrating our negative circulation and revenue growth.
7:54 am: It's much too horrible to repeat on a family-oriented blog such as this one.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteLouisville canned the holiday dinner about four years ago, around the same time that it deep-sixed the company picnic in the summer. We now do a potluck, and afterward we're allowed to take extra sips from the water fountains if we're really good.
ReplyDeleteCourier News and Home News Tribune in NJ each had Christmas Parties in which employees contributed $10 each for the festivities. No bonus, no gift.
ReplyDeleteThere were gifts, however, for each of the individual managers. That on top the "2009 Planning Retreat" where they enjoyed themselves at a local restaurant, complete with lunch, cocktail hour and a 4-or-5 course dinner (I was too full to count). Hmmmm...I wonder whose job we can cut during the next round...
I have a questions: Did your site have the annual big holiday for advertisers? I remember hearing tales of cruises, trips to Hawaii, and so forth hosted by pubs and ADs for big-spending advertisers. Did the sites do these again this year? (I'm a former G, and curious.)
ReplyDeleteBrevard did away with its christmas party in 2001 ("no one wants to have a party so soon after 9-11'') and it's been gone ever since. This year, even the children's party was done away with as were the smallish gift cards from local malls/grocery stores, though no announcements were made...they just didnt happen. The newsroom, er, information center did have its potluck and auction of the free books and graft received in 2008.
ReplyDeleteChristmas party was a potluck. We got a fast-food restaurant gift card, which I was happy to receive. I honestly didn't think we'd get anything, with the economy the way it is.
ReplyDeleteAt the D&C, everyone in the information center got a cookie.
ReplyDeleteOshkosh, you'll get popcorn on Wednesday and like it.
ReplyDeleteDoes Springfield have a christmas tree in the lobby? When your publisher was up north, ours disappeared - quickly returned when the revolving door kicked him out....
ReplyDeleteOn Halloween, there was a "dress-up day" in Wilmington. Yeah, let's go to an assignment, meet a potential advertiser or greet incoming potential subscribers dressed like bumblebees and fairies.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to holidays, I want to spend time with my family, not my co-workers. If they're my friends, I'll hang with them after work on my own time. If not, I really don't want anything to do with them, thanks very much.
That said, it would be pretty cool to do a newsroom paintball game. You could really take out your pent-up aggression on people...
ReplyDeleteSt. Cloud will have a party, after the holidays and into January. You know, because waiting for a few weeks to pass will be plenty of time for everyone to forget the crap they just put all of us through.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to do the traditional people-who-work-on-Christmas story, but my boss said no. Maybe it was my idea... sewage plant workers.
ReplyDeleteSpringfield, Va.:
ReplyDeleteNo party, no bonuses, no free food, no festivities.
Atlanta, GA (WXIA) gave a catered Thanksgiving meal to everyone who had to work that day. They also gave everyone a $25 grocery store gift card. But that was the last holiday gathering I think we'll see for a while.
ReplyDeleteThis year the station abolished the "decorate your department" event that had been going on for YEARS, and was always hotly-contested and a lot of fun.
There was a food fest, but only desserts and side items were brought in.
In previous years, we would receive a $50 bill in an envelope. That may still happen, but it looks doubtful.
Our holiday party was supposed to be on 12/13, but it was postponed to 1/24. Normally the holiday party includes catered food, an employee talent show, and the Employee of the Year and years-of-service awards ceremony. This year, the awards were done at a station meeting with no food or drink. Just the GM standing up there, telling us everything is fine and we're just facing "new challenges". A poor substitute.
I got more work to do at APP for my holiday treat
ReplyDeleteIn Cincinnati, our Editor Tom Callinan had a party for the staff at his house like he does every year (on his own dime). I thought it was a nice gesture, personally.
ReplyDeleteShreveport employees got "extra-nice" Times logo polo shirts this year.
ReplyDeleteGuess the grocery store didn't come through with $15 gift cards this year.
The thanksgiving and christmas meals were potlucks (a tradtion) with the publisher providing ham and turkey. Unlike some places, we prefer potlucks to store-bought food!