Christmas 'Bonus' & Opening hours- What do you do?

[jimreidvehicle 255]

As our accountants finish early for the festive period I sat and carried out our Payroll Run yesterday, and like every Christmas I made my ALL my employees a Christmas Bonus!

Now excluding Gail and Myself we have 9 FULL time employees and 3 part time, so this year has been the largest year we have paid out on! Although I did question this payment this year it still feels RIGHT and PROPER paying a Christmas Bonus and I do genuinely feel that it is appreciated and I little thank you for our Team's hard works during the year. Is it an old fashioned thing? Can it be replaced with an annual performance payment?

But what do you do? Do you pay a Christmas Bonus or take you staff out on an all inclusive meal and drink night?

Also I would love to get an understanding what everyone has decided to close this year for Christmas and are your sales guys back in to the showroom in between Xmas and New Year?

For the note book We are closed 25th, 26th, 27th (then sales guys back 28th&29th) everyone back 30th & 31st, then all off again 1st, 2nd, 3rd, with the sales guys back again the Sat & Sun, with complete staff back on the 6th. 

Many thanks for your input & Merry Christmas

Jim

 

[umesh 336]

Bonus ! A great idea to keep everyone motivated and as a THANK YOU for all the hard work during the year .
But I hear of so many people who moan about getting bonus‘s in the fact it was only a small amount or if their colleagues got more.. It’s a BONUS!
Some base it on performance individual or department or simply set amount for everyone in the business, will they expect it automatically next year regardless of the ‘business performance’?
Parties are great for bonding excise but think people seem to appreciate money in the pocket more so !
I’m opening between Christmas & Newcastle year : Closed 25th/26th – Open 27th & 28th Closed 29th –open 30th/31st – Closed 1st .!
Merry Christmas to everyone – THANK YOU for all your support & help guys!
Wishing you a very Happy , Healthy and prosperous 2014.

[Gavin@Rousdon 137]

I only have a small team of myself and 2 mechanics. The mechanics get a monthly £100 bonus if the workshop takings hit a certain target but I don't offer a Christmas bonus as such.

As for a Christmas party I will take one mechanic and few close business people  to the football, this year it was hospitality at Villa v's Man Utd last weekend, last year Arsenal v's Villa. The other mechanic isn't a social person so I allow him unpaid time off to spend with his family in Spain (They are English but there is no work over there for him).

 

Opening hours over Christmas, personally I would open Christmas day if I thought I could do a deal !! but this year I'm closed on the 23rd and reopen on the 28th main due to Childcare and my son's birthday, but I'm on the end of the phone if anyone wants to make an appointment to view a car. My workshops are closed 23rd December to 2nd January.

[Ian 15]

We'll close Christmas and Boxing Day but that's it. We had a lovely night out last week - me and my gaffer and the ladies.

[Lusky 3]

We close on Monday night, for 24/25/26, then open 27/28/29/30 and 31 but only to 2pm, then everyone is back on the 2nd. We do weekend hours on 27 and 30 and the workshops admin parts just have a skeleton staff.

As for bonus, party etc, that used to be easy when we only had one franchise and less than 20 staff, but now we are 40, but we had the same party, hotel in Leeds with other companies, and I offer a room at the hotel free or pay for the taxi home, and have a good night, I think we all deserve it, and for a bonus this year I spent a few quid on a prize draw and everyone got at least a drink or a big tin of chocs, and the lucky ones got an I pad, TV, hamper etc. They should all get a bonus at our year end too. I cant do it without them, so I share it about.     

[Ian 15]

Flippin' heck, can I came to your party next year please?!