Ask Ash
Dear Ash
Our boss has an attitude akin to Scrooge and does not see the point in making a big deal around Christmas in the office. He has made it clear to everyone that there will be no paid-for staff Christmas lunch this year and no Christmas bonus for staff. We were all disappointed by this, especially as we have been working really hard throughout the year.
However, we have now decided to arrange our own departmental lunch – but some of the team are threatening not to go if our boss is invited. Although I can understand their frustration, I don’t think it would be very fair to exclude our boss!
Ash replies:
“Bah humbug!” I can imagine how annoyed the team must be, especially after working so hard for most of the year. However, at the end of the day, he is still your boss and you do not want to jeopardise your relationship with him. It may be that your boss was advised of the decision about cutbacks from higher up the management chain and had little choice but to relay the message?
Whatever the cause of the cutbacks, it is important that you still maintain a certain level of professionalism and decorum in the team and that you do not cut off your nose to spite your face. I suggest that you perhaps advise your team that it would be difficult to justify, for example, having a staff lunch within office hours if your boss was not invited? You may also want to suggest having a separate drinks night after work, without any management, in order to appease the more disgruntled members?
Whatever you decide, remember that despite your boss’s attitude, you still need to maintain a good working relationship, Christmas or no Christmas and, therefore, try to ensure that you engage in the festive spirit!
Send your queries to Ash
“Ash” is a solicitor who is willing to answer work-related queries from solicitors and trainees, which can be put to her via the editor: peter@connectcommunications.co.uk, or mail to Studio 2001, Mile End, Paisley PA1 1JS. Confidence will be respected and any advice published will be anonymised.
Please note that letters to Ash are not received at the Law Society of Scotland. The Society offers a support service for trainees through its Registrar’s department. For one-to-one advice contact Katie Wood, manager in the Registrar’s department on 0131 476 8105/8200, or KatieWood@lawscot.org.ukIn this issue
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- Buying from a housing association: why consent matters
- Harassment: a civil claim?
- A welcome abroad: EYBA in London
- Reading for pleasure
- Opinion: David Faith
- Book reviews
- Profile
- President's column
- ScotLIS gets the green light
- People on the move
- Storm over Safe Harbor
- Light on a murky world
- Southern horizons
- Mediation minefield
- Migrants: no way to turn?
- The technological edge
- As our suppliers see us
- More rules to grapple with
- Fraud and divorce – a Scottish Sharland?
- What future for employment tribunal fees?
- Heading for a showdown on hard won human rights?
- Taxing question of relief
- Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal
- How far can we rely on the register?
- All part of the game
- Law reform roundup
- From the Brussels office
- Poverty: a new front in the war
- Damage limitation: working it out
- Ask Ash
- A lawyer's lament
- Appreciation: Michael Scanlan