Would you rather $150 bonus or be gifted a knife of similar value?

[Gshep91]

Hey Chefs!

I recently started working at a resort with its own restaurant as a FOH manager and we’re getting close to our busy season which starts in May-October and since we’ve had a pretty strong off season the senior managers (my boss and other department equivalents) are planning to give employees $75-$150 based on position/tenure with the company.

At the end of the season we usually give $1000-$1500 bonus’ along with a holiday bonus of $300-600 (again depending on position/tenure).

Most of the staff considers themselves knife enthusiasts but almost all of them use Dalstrong or other similar over priced instagram stuff.

This brings me to my question - would you rather the small cash bonus now or a gift that you could use in the kitchen, at work or home? My thinking is that most of the BOH team has been here a while, gets the top ends of the bonuses and gets paid pretty well (think $22+/hr for the newest guy in there who’s been here a year) so a usable gift would be a nice change for them.

I’m not sure what kind of knife it would be but probably something along the lines of a Chomax Takamura gyuto or something similar and stainless so no one ruins it in a week.

Thoughts? Good idea or terrible idea? I’m really trying to continue building on the culture we have here and continue to keep the staff happy and in return keep the company happy

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Nice of you.

The economy sucks. Give 'em cash and let them decide how to spend it. That could be gas, daycare, birthday present, etc.

 

[blokey]

Let them try a good knife then let them decide.

 

[tostadas]

I found that most prefer the flexibility of cash. Not everyone values a specific gift in the same way.

If I get something special for someone work related, it usually just involves treating them to a meal instead.

 

[Gshep91]

Alright cash it is! I had a feeling but figured I’d get input from the people who know what’s up

 

[BillHanna]

Gimme the loot, gimme the loot!

 

[M1k3]

Cash.

Or Ashi Honyaki (that they'll probably trade for a Dalstrong).

 

[tostadas]

Cash.

Or Ashi Honyaki (that they'll probably trade for a Dalstrong).

Will need to be at least 2 dalstrongs to make it fair. And one of those needs to be a serbian

 

[gentiscid]

Cash.

Or Ashi Honyaki (that they'll probably trade for a Dalstrong).

I’d take cash so I could buy me a nice set of Kamikoto japanese knives.

 

[blokey]

Cash.

Or Ashi Honyaki (that they'll probably trade for a Dalstrong).

brb buying dalstrongs now

 

[M1k3]

Will need to be at least 2 dalstrongs to make it fair. And one of those needs to be a serbian

 

[bahamaroot]

Cash is King

 

[spaceconvoy]

Yeah honestly if my boss said, "here's your bonus - a tool for doing your job better!" I wouldn't be too pleased

 

[Gshep91]

Yeah honestly if my boss said, "here's your bonus - a tool for doing your job better!" I wouldn't be too pleased

Lol that’s fair. I just know it’s going to be a bunch of “why is the bonus so low?” When they normally wouldn’t be getting anything this time of year.

Where I worked before they gave out lots of gifts instead of just cash bonuses because it helped alleviate some of the Ill feelings towards the amount

 

[tostadas]

Gift cards are also good. But if you do, give real gift cards that people will use normally like Amazon, Target, Costco etc. No dumb ones like where you go to some site to trade in your "$100 giftcard" for $20 worth of overpriced candy or Christmas ornaments.

 

[M1k3]

Cash.

Or Ashi Honyaki (that they'll probably trade for a Dalstrong).

Honestly, if it's called a "bonus", I want money.

But if it's called "kitchen supply allowance" or something like that, I'd want to be asked what I need that's not over $X amount. Not just assumed what I need or want.

 

[ian]

.

 

[Michi]

.

^ Very eloquent, yet concise

 

[cooktocut]

Yeah honestly if my boss said, "here's your bonus - a tool for doing your job better!" I wouldn't be too pleased

This!!! I’d say a good middle ground is to offer $150 cash or a knife at slightly higher value… like say $175 or $200.

If that’s a possibility, of course. Either way, it’s nice of you to be thinking of them in this way, so good job!!

 

[ModRQC]

Make them try a good knife, THEN give them the money bonus.

I fail to see how someone who uses knives a lot WON'T instantly want one of the good stuff - and then, tada, here's a nice bonus, I wonder what you guys will do with it...

 

[Dan-]

As someone who has managed fairly large teams, and is lucky enough to not have to right now, at least directly, you should position this as a “spot bonus.” Recognize each person for a specific achievement or contribution publicly, tell a short story about it, and hand out the cash in $20s (maybe $10s?) right there. Announce the awards in order of contribution, but everyone should receive one. The first gal will feel like a million bucks, but the last guy will still be happy.

Now back to shitposting.

 

[ModRQC]

As someone who has managed fairly large teams, and is lucky enough to not have to right now, at least directly, you should position this as a “spot bonus.” Recognize each person for a specific achievement or contribution publicly, tell a short story about it, and hand out the cash in $20s (maybe $10s?) right there. Announce the awards in order of contribution, but everyone should receive one. The first gal will feel like a million bucks, but the last guy will still be happy.

Now back to shitposting.

Just sounds plain weird to me.

I'd rather build team spirit and announce that the team reached such goals and make everyone feel like a million bucks... and then add that the bonus is a percentage of income - the same percentage for everyone, and as such everyone feels valued in the same way for the same position occupied and the same seniority - which where there is a large difference someone feels unfair, is still expected as a standard. Especially, this will just further reinforce someone already positive about their salary and the role they feel they contribute to success, while someone critical about his/her salary and/or position is not gonna be moved so easily by any bonus that goes with such salary/position... but again, will still appreciate the bonus and not being left out, and if it sorts of make him/her bond more with the team spirit, which team is assembled forcibly of such advantages of position and senority, then it will help both the notion of the business's salary scale and awarding policies seem at once "fairer" than such a person would expect.

Anyways I'm sure to be fired down for this, but I don't see any sense to your proposition unless considering humans for dumb numbers. Like, in your example, that first gal that feels like a million bucks, she'll hearsay surely that everyone got the same treatment, and just feel like everyone else does in the end about it.

 

[Dan-]

It’s fine to disagree. What I think you are missing is that it’s the acknowledgment that matters and not the dollars.

 

[ModRQC]

What I think you are missing is that the OP is talking about a team bonus and that such a team would be aware that everyone on the team got the « closed door » session and that there’s a sheer salary/seniority binding into it.

Which as I said is considering people for dumb numbers.

Unless perhaps we’re even mistaking about such notions simplistic as people or teams?

 

[Dan-]

I’m not sure. I interpreted it as “each person would get $150”. I do think they should all receive the same amount. I might have left that out. The cost impact is truly minimal vs seniority-based. If not, then the language and approach becomes “your spot bonus will be included in your next paycheck.” The narrative portion stays the same.

 

[ModRQC]

Typical HR…

The OP is right there for you to see it. If you need help it’s… you know… the reason for the existence of this dicussion… and USUALLY (or something…) the first message.

Into which tenure is made clear by the beginning of second paragraph and reiterated by the third… there was no being mistaken there.

But of course I’m not questioning your IQ… just seems to me you didn’t read it at all and seem in jargon like only remotely aware and mostly uncaring about such notions as people or team.

Typical HR…

 

[Gshep91]

Going with “cash” would mean a bonus on the next paycheck. Of course we would have a meeting and let everyone know they did a great job and would of course keep the dollar value out of the meeting.

Someone getting less doesn’t need to know publicly that they got less