On Donations In The Workplace

Charity. It is a word that we are all familiar with. Some people choose to give for their own reasons, and others such as myself refrain from such actions. There is nothing to be said of either scenario. People should have the right to do whatever they wish with their own money. I will refrain from presenting my opinions on charity in general. Aside from the fact that I do not consider it relevant to the topic, past experience has taught me that exceptions can almost always be found for any gross generalization. Instead I will confine this writing to the topic of donations at work.

In almost every work environment there are people who ask for donations every now and again. Admittedly, this does not happen often. Nevertheless, it is here that my issue lies. When someone in the street asks for a donation, people that do not wish to give can comfortably decline. The stranger who put forth the request is just that: a stranger. In the workplace, the person who asks for the donation is a co-worker. There's the rub! The claim is usually that so and so's relative died and needs money for funeral costs, or that so and so's relative is in the hospital and needs to pay for an operation. These things put people on the spot, and in my opinion it is just plain rude.

Situations of this type are rather awkward to say the least. One witnesses all of the other co-workers placing money into the envelope (or whatever storage is used for the tender), and then the envelope comes around. Is it possible for anyone to comfortably decline in such a situation? I think not. I have been a victim of this atrocity on several occasions, and I gave out of the sheer awkwardness of it all: principles be damned!

Perhaps you will say that one still has a choice, even in that situation. I cannot argue with that. No one is literally forced to donate. But if you do not admit that someone is practically coerced into giving at work, I cannot concur.

There may be others claiming that only the "weak" ones would fold and violate their principles. But the scenario here does not describe actual conformity. It is rather a weighing of the consequences subsequently followed by choosing the path of least resistance. In other words, this is acceptance. One accepts the fact that the few dollars will not really burn a hole in one's pockets, and that those few dollars save one from harsh judgements and a diminished social atmosphere at work.

In summary, putting people on the spot for donations is something I strongly discourage. It is ill-mannered and discourteous. If you are one of the culprits, please refrain from continuing this behavior in the future.