Some millennials want Secret Santas and other office-related celebrations that involve co-workers “chipping in” for gifts to be banned, according to a new survey.
Results of the research by British job-hunting website Jobsite found that 35% of millennials want to do away with such office celebrations, citing financial and emotional pressures.
According to the survey, workers spend an average of $169 a year on office events like birthdays, promotions and Secret Santas and fork over close to $8,000 over the course of their careers.
However, the survey found that millennials spend 34% more than the average worker, shelling out $258 per year or $12,142 over their careers.
Almost three quarters of millennials say they’ve contributed more than they could afford, with 26% either dipping into their savings or over-drafting their accounts to pay for office celebrations.
Close to a quarter of those younger employees say they were upset with the people organizing the office events, and 17% say they feel judged by their colleagues for the amount they contribute, “resulting in a sense of shame within the workplace,” the report said.
While most workers surveyed acknowledged the morale boast these social events can bring to the office, millennials were more likely (24%) to agree with asking their employers to have dedicated budgets for social events to avoid “chipping in.”
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
