Birthdays, Bosses Day and Admin Prof. Day

[peaches2160]

Do you post your birthday and events such as Administrative professionals day on your bosses calendar to remind him / her, or do you just let it go?  I post bosses family birthdays and special events on the schedule, but never put my own.  Boss does not remember birthdays well but when mine was missed last year he was very apologetic, actually came out of a meeting to apologize and let me know he had "blown it" by not remembering, after receiving a group e-mail announcement sent from another admin that cake was being served in honor of my birthday that day.  One year he acknowledged Admin Prof Day with a nice card and  handwritten thank you.  Next year, nothing.  Maybe these things are little, but it sends a mixed message to me.  On the other hand, I acknowledge his birthday and "Bosses day" just out of respect.  Although these days are "Hallmark" holidays, how much importance do they carry in your working relationship with your boss?  Would like to hear some opinions.  Especially on how to handle the birthdays.  

[Cathy S]

I don't add any personal appointments or reminders in my Boss's calendar - he does them.

Our group of 20 staff celebrate each other's birthday with a card from the group (for 19 of them it is hand made and themed to them - they made me a card last year instead of buying one which was lovely) and we usually have a group coffee with cakes or go for lunch.  My Boss doesn't give me a present for my Birthday nor I for his - we are part of the group and that works for both of us.

I don't remind him of Admin Professional day - I am lucky he acknowledges my contribution during the year which I far prefer to having a special day.

However my Boss and I exchange gifts at Christmas, usually something quite personal - eg last year I had him a notebook made up with featuring a photo that I had taken and he had admired - the book was entitled "X's Doodles" - he doodles extensively and some of them are verging on works of art but he used to doodle on scrap paper or an important memo.  He has taken his doodle book with him on three trips this year, two of them overseas, and is proud to show me the latest contributions on his return, so I think it was well received!

His gift to me was a book on Eco-DIY because he knows I am passionate about refurbishing my old stone cottage with as little environmental impact as possible – most thoughtful.

Cathy

[peaches2160]

That is nice.  My boss does acknowledge me with thankyou's daily, so the Admin Prof Day is really just another day to me.  We do group birthdays, but with the cost crunches going on, I have scaled these back since it was up to the Administrative personnel to buy the cake then go around and collect for it.  I don't have extra cash to go around right now.  Sure not going to buy my own cake:)  

Anyway, thanks for the information.

[Cathy S]

I have encouraged a real group approach to the birthdays - before I organised it we used to all put in £7 each year to pay for a card and a cake each.

I love making cards and see it as a challenge to keep producing themed cards, which are generally kept out on desks for ages.  I don't mind the cost of these since I have a good stash of papercrafting stuff and I have fun playing!

The really nice touch though is we now rarely buy cakes - we take it in turns to bake - two reasons; easier to cater for specialist diets and they just taste better!

If you have a few people that homebake that could start it off? it soon becomes very competitive and you get people volunteering to bake their favourite.

In fact we have a birthday this coming week but I will bake for this - it needs to link to the card theme ... (daren't say just in case any of my secretarial colleagues outwith my group spot it and spill the beans!)

Cathy

[misslynn]

I didn't post the days to my boss's calendar when we first started working together, it just felt awkward like I was saying "Reminder: Buy me a gift".  Then we talked about it and he felt awful when he missed my birthday, he told me to put the dates on his calendar because he has so much going on, that if something isn't on his calendar then it doesn't exist. For Admin Day he usually sends flowers (or, should I say, his wife sends flowers), birthday is a gift card.  Christmas is when we exchange bigger gifts.

[gee4]

I'm not in the habit of being 'personal' with my bosses and definitely would not add my birthday to any bosses calendar.

None of my previous companies ever heard of Admin Professionals Day so that will give you an understanding of how much they know or don't know about the administrative world.

I usually don't work on my birthday and prefer to take it off as a holiday.

[peaches2160]

Great feedback.  Thanks.

[rose.winter1980]

Admin professionals day probably hasn't taken off here in the United Kingdom as much as it appears to have in the States.  My current boss probably hasn't heard of it and I'm not going to remind him.  I certainly don't have to remind him about his family events and he's quite capable of keeping his own diary (well-trained by me, you see).

We have a list of birthdays here in the office.  Work colleagues will give each other gifts if they are on such friendly terms.  The birthday girl/boy brings in cakes if they wish.  Some people prefer to keep things like birthdays to themselves.  Either way is fine.  I certainly wouldn't wish to go back to what I experienced in one workplace where there were collections at least once a week for somebody's birthday, engagement gift, wedding shower, baby shower, particularly in these straitened times.  That probably makes me sound like a skinflint, but I'm quite the opposite.  With a large extended family of my own, adding an even larger extended network of colleagues to my gift list would be prohibitive.  

Winter Rose

Laugh long, sing loud and dance when you get the chance

[mlm668]

I don't put personal info on my boss's calendar either.  But I also work as a contractor and report to multiple client directors so I'm pretty much the red-headed step-admin here.  The department admin has started acknowledging the birthdays of contractor personnel along with client personnel at our monthly safety meeting and for me that is sufficient.  Admin Day is pretty much ignored and again, it doesn't bother me.  Me and my supervisor would take our direct boss out for lunch on his B-day and Boss's Day to acknowledge it but my supervisor was given notice of her lay off last week and with changes they are making that affects my workload, I'm thinking I won't even be here AP Day, let alone Boss's day this year.

I take vacation around my B-day each year.  If it falls right, I can take my B-day, four additional day of vacation and then have 4th of July holiday since they are just a week apart.  It worked that way last year and will again this year.    Something to look forward to if I still have a job come June.

Michelle

[spitfire78]

I don't really like a lot of attention.  Among the 3 of us in my department, we usually just give each other cards for our birthday.  Last year, my boss gave me a paperback fiction book - which was nice and a surprise.  Actually, now that I think about it, the year before that she surprised me even more by telling me to take the afternoon off without charging vacation time because she doesn't feel people should work on their birthday!  That was really nice, although I never minded working on my birthday.

As for Admin Prof. day, I basically told my boss that she didn't need to do anything for me that day.  She is fabulous to work for and tells me constantly throughout the year how much she appreciates what I do.  That means far more to me than flowers or candy on one day.

Big boss usually gives the 3 of us something on Admin. Prof. day.  But frankly I would rather he appreciate us more throughout the year, which he does not.