do's and don'ts around christmas?

[Amar]

Guys, most of us like to ensure that we have a good relationship with the client and their staff. This topic is regarding being friendly, celebrating birthdays, special holidays etc with the client and their staff without being labelled as being part and parcel of the organisation.

So here are the questions.

How do you go about celebrating Christmas? Should cards have company name or the contractor's name or both? Is it acceptable to give gifts? What about giving gifts to the managers who approve extensions?

Folks at my client site are doing all sorts of things, secret santa, bringing food items one day to have a buffet etc. So how do I as a contractor (had my contracts reviewed for IR35 and passed, hardly any control on my work by client etc) make sure that I dont get labelled as being part and parcel of the client organisation, without being left out of celebrating with people who I see every day.

[Platypus]

Cards and presents? I didn't do that even when I was a permie. Totally inappropriate IMO.

Although I believe in some cultures buying colleagues and especially your boss a pressie is the "done thing".

[The Spartan]

Simple really, don't celebrate Christmas

[TheFaQQer]

How do you go about celebrating Christmas?

With my family, as far away from my clients as I can be.

Should cards have company name or the contractor's name or both?

Neither. Don't send them. Tell people that you are making a charitable donation instead. Then act like a contractor and keep the money.

Is it acceptable to give gifts? What about giving gifts to the managers who approve extensions?

Waste of time and money. If your extension is based on whether you give a present at Christmas, I'd suggest you save the money and invest in some kind of training. That way, you may be judged on ability rather than presents.

Folks at my client site are doing all sorts of things, secret santa, bringing food items one day to have a buffet etc. So how do I as a contractor (had my contracts reviewed for IR35 and passed, hardly any control on my work by client etc) make sure that I dont get labelled as being part and parcel of the client organisation, without being left out of celebrating with people who I see every day.

Eat their food, drink their drinks, contribute nothing.

[Notascooby]

do as the locals do

so if there's a secret santa, join in. If there's a night out - go! But don't do anything above and beyond, i.e start handing out myonemanbacnltd gifts, you'll look like a knob.

yours hungover from xmas party...

[Amar]

If your extension is based on whether you give a present at Christmas, I'd suggest you save the money and invest in some kind of training. That way, you may be judged on ability rather than presents..

That was a kind of a joke. I have had 2 extensions and been on the same project for 1.5 years. As a software developer there is no where to hide when it comes to deliverables. So I don't think I need to give presents to get extensions.

Anyway, I hope there are more replies to this topic as so far its mixed messages.

[Platypus]

so far its mixed messages.

No it isn't - nobody has agreed that giving cards and presents is a good idea

[cojak]

I took the Senior Programme Manager out this week and Cojak Ltd picked up the bill (as well as a round of drinks for the team before they went onto the Company Do last week).

Otherwise I've told everyone else I'll man the phones while they toddle off for their Xmas lunch next week.

(I used to send cards with 'Greetings from Cojak Ltd' printed on them, I might do that again next year for obvious reasons..)

[NickFitz]

My current ClientCo seems more over the top about Christmas than anywhere else I've been in years. They even have a team Christmas decorations contest; the judging is this afternoon, and the team that have done the best job of decorating their part of the open-plan office wins tins of Quality Street and such

Luckily I'm in a real office with a door, which I share with two senior permies. They have declared our office a Christmas-free zone, which is a great comfort

[TheFaQQer]

Luckily I'm in a real office with a door, which I share with two senior permies. They have declared our office a Christmas-free zone, which is a great comfort

Nick, we all know that you're secretly longing for watching the Christmas Day Coronation Street special with your family.....