Thursday, September 2, 2010

Meat in the Workplace: A Tragedy

So what would you think a company would get its employees for a job done well in the last year?

A raise? Nah.

A bonus? Nope.

A big box of meat--BINGO.

That may be cool for my meat-eating co-workers, but not for me. I wasn't so much put off by the gift itself; I was PO'ed because they tried forcing it on me THREE TIMES.

First Act: (my manager, handing me a cold box of steak & chicken) "Congrats on a good job this year, here you go!" (me) "Uhmmm...I don't eat meat, no thanks." (my manager) "Oh, ok...does your fiance?" (me) "No, he does not." (my manager) "Well, there's candy in there, too." (I open the box, see the 3 pieces of candy interspersed with meat cuts, and shudder)--end of Act 1--

Second Act: (my manager swings by my desk) "What about your mom, would you take it for her?" (me) "I'm not planning on seeing her soon enough. I'm not keeping that in my house." --end of Act 2--

Finale: (once again, my manager comes by) "Well, don't you have any friends who eat meat?" UGH! Why would I accept a gift for the great job I've done this year if I'm not going to get anything out of it? --curtain close, applause ensues--

It's not the gift...it's the refusal to accept my 'No, thanks.'

I don't usually complain about stuff like this. I don't really care if they bring in lunch for my co-workers from the local BBQ joint. That's fine, I'll usually go out to get something I can eat without a word. But trying to force that on me is total bollocks.

I feel bad for the other two vegetarians here...they are vegetarian for religious reasons. I wonder how it went for them. "What do you mean your religion doesn't allow you to eat meat? Don't you have friends who eat meat? Maybe you can give this to them."

Jes

1 comment:

  1. I felt a comment coming on half way through your big bonus story. That is you and two others who exclude meat from their diet, out of how many employees who were congratulated with meat? Is your manager unaware or just unaware? I wonder if the "gift" was chosen by higher management, who may have been completely ignorant to your lifestyles. The money they spent on the meats would have been a nice gesture for those of you not accepting the gift. Make a suggestion box for future gifts and pack it full of your choice of gratitude. Fruit baskets would have gone over well and so would gift certificates. How about grains in bulk? lol I know you work hard and deserve a bonus like everyone else. Why would you even want to give your bonus away? That was a poor suggestion given you.

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