Company I work for being cheap - how would you deal with it?

[slackerinabox]

So I have a team of interns working under me and their internship ends on Friday. I emailed the CEO of my company for approval for an internship wrap up lunch - I wanted to take them to a moderately prices restaurant as a thank you for all their hard work. My CEO, oddly, replied with the following:

I want to provide cake and some fruit for the whole office Thursday afternoon (we'll be out Friday) -- involve everyone in thanking the interns that way.

Thanks

In other words, instead of lunch he wants to give the entire office cake and fruit (which he planned on doing anyways)..

I feel this is a total cop out and am annoyed, but want to word my email to him properly. I feel that they deserve more than the usual friday office treat. I was about to say - "That's OK, I'll take them out on my own dime" but think that's too confrontational.

Any advice on how to deal with this?

 

[waggy]

hmm choose your battles. this is not one i would fight on.

 

[vi edit]

Got a middle manager type person that you are on good terms with that might have a bit more of a "petty cash" fund that they could dip out of?

 

[BKLounger]

like waggy said pick your battles. This is a very small thing and yeah it sucks but it's not worth going to war over.

 

[ITJunkie]

Actually, I can see where the CEO is coming from. He's just thinking kill 2 birds with one stone. When you made the request, how did you word it? He may not realize that you really want this to be personal thank you to your interns. You know what I mean?
You may just want to follow up with something like, "Hey that's a great idea but I was really hoping to show them how much the company appreciated their efforts and use the lunch as potential leverage when they enter the job market post-graduation." Tell the CEO you're investing in the companies future...sort of. You get the idea?

 

[vi edit]

Define team? Is this three interns? Ten of them?

If these interns really were that good to you personally, just take them out on your dime if the group isn't too overly huge.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: waggy
hmm choose your battles. this is not one i would fight on.

yup , the CEO told you not to spend his money for this

 

[slackerinabox]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Define team? Is this three interns? Ten of them?

If these interns really were that good to you personally, just take them out on your dime if the group isn't too overly huge.

Three interns. I'm guessing I should, and I totally would. But I think that doing so would be viewed as an act of defiance.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Speak with someone below him that you know well and see if something can be worked out. Maybe you can have a small amount catered from a restaraunt for them?

Don't create issues that don't need to be created and don't tell all your interns that the CEO is a bad guy either, be careful with these small things.

 

[zixxer]

not worth fighting. He is, afterall, the CEO.

What you might not realize is he might want to thank them personally or something

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Define team? Is this three interns? Ten of them?

If these interns really were that good to you personally, just take them out on your dime if the group isn't too overly huge.

Three interns. I'm guessing I should, and I totally would. But I think that doing so would be viewed as an act of defiance.

Given that situation then, I would just go outside of work hours and just have them meet at a bar for cocktails and appetizers (on your dime) after their last shift. That's what I would do if I really wanted to give them a bit more personal of a send off.

 

[slackerinabox]

Originally posted by: zixxer


What you might not realize is he might want to thank them personally or something

Nope... I invited him along and he also mentioned that he won't be in the office on friday, their last day.

 

[HN]

if you feel strongly about it, take the team out for lunch on your dime BUT no need to rub it in the CEO's face, or even to bring it up.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212
So I have a team of interns working under me and their internship ends on Friday. I emailed the CEO of my company for approval for an internship wrap up lunch - I wanted to take them to a moderately prices restaurant as a thank you for all their hard work. My CEO, oddly, replied with the following:

I want to provide cake and some fruit for the whole office Thursday afternoon (we'll be out Friday) -- involve everyone in thanking the interns that way.

Thanks

In other words, instead of lunch he wants to give the entire office cake and fruit (which he planned on doing anyways)..

I feel this is a total cop out and am annoyed, but want to word my email to him properly. I feel that they deserve more than the usual friday office treat. I was about to say - "That's OK, I'll take them out on my own dime" but think that's too confrontational.

Any advice on how to deal with this?

Take them out to lunch on your own dime anyway if you feel that strongly about it and don't bother sending that email to the CEO. In fact there's no reason he even has to know about it. Just do it. If you want to do it on your dime there's absolutely nothing you need his approval for so don't even bother risking fueling a fire by sending that email.

 

[Syrch]

take them out for lunch, call your CEO while you are at said restaurant, then Monday morning have an expense report sitting on the CEO's desk of the lunch and an attached picture of you guys there. That should get you fired for sure!

 

[Geekbabe]

go with the cake and fruit, pass the hat and a nice card among the others in the office or suggest that the others join you in taking the interns out for lunch and split the bill.