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Christmas Bonus in the Workplace Advice

People use various approaches, they discuss it informally; discuss with colleagues and hope the boss gets to hear; they drop hints here and there to test the water; they ask the boss politely; demand firmly, or go over the boss’s head.

If you want to ask for a bonus this year, here are 10 tips to help you get a Christmas bonus as deserved.

  1. Ask for one it’s the best way for you to get a Christmas bonus. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
    Before you ask, know that you truly deserve a bonus. Approach your boss now, smile and tell him politely that you would like a meeting with him later today or tomorrow.
  2. Plan and control – Don’t wait for your boss to ask you to justify why you deserve a bonus. Take the initiative to plan, document your reasons, control the meeting and show the effectiveness of your contributions. Apply your professional experiences and knowledge to your position, show your boss that you have simplified your boss’ job, or suggested and executed an idea to improve a process for the company.
  3. Show that you are valuable – Have you taken on extra projects or responsibilities that may or may not be in your job scope? Have you helped other departments when they needed an extra hand?
  4. Remember to document your successes this year – Hopefully, you have kept a log documenting what projects you have completed, your accomplishments and extra responsibilities you took on. That way, when it’s time to discuss your bonus or ask for a bonus, show your boss exactly what successes and accomplishments you have made in your job.
  5. Make every success count – If you are sure that you have given 100% to all your projects, big or small, say so. Sometimes the most unattractive projects end up being the ones that save the company thousands in money, making the company a little richer.
  6. Don’t be greedy – Don’t let your eyes be larger than what your organization can give you. Times are hard, be reasonable. If you know that your organization is struggling, be realistic with your demands. Let your boss know about your achievements and be happy with whatever you are offered. In some cases, a big ‘thank you’ speech in front of other managers, directors and your colleagues instead of a monetary reward could be what is on offer.
  7. What if you get nothing – Again, it depends on your boss’s take on this. Did his body language show what he’s saying? Was he truly sorry that the company had no budget to cover Christmas bonuses? Did he respond fairly sensitively and openly? Did he try to understand your needs and feelings before he explained the company’s position?
    1. Your Future – The tips here might not get a Christmas bonus immediately, but these tips will eventually bring a better reward and outcome than doing nothing, or doing something the wrong way. Think about this, it could be that your boss or employer has simply reached the limit of the value that they can place on your role, which is different to your value as an individual.
    2. Take Control – If you work for a company that is not interested in rewarding your present level as a staff, then, take control of your work life. Aside from issues of exploitation and unfairness, if you find that the gap between your expectations and your employer’s limit is too great to bridge, then look to find or develop yourself in a role which commands a higher value, and therefore reward.
    3. Make a commitment – If you get no bonus or any kind of acknowledgement as you deserve, then, focus on how to develop your value further to the employer and the market-place, rather than simply trying to achieve a reward for what you are already doing. Make a commitment to yourself.

Join the discussion 2 Comments

  • Tom Kneale says:

    Hi John,

    Thank-you for the great roof restoration gold coast service. Our Roof looks great, the wife is very happy.

    Best Regards,

    Tom Kneale

  • roofing-admin says:

    Hi Tom,

    Thanks again for the roof restoration.

    John.
    Gold Coast Roofing Restorations.