It’s always awkward to ask for a bonus or a raise. You’re worried about getting a negative response, potentially putting your job at risk, and, well, no one wants to deal with the uncomfortable atmosphere that comes with discussing money with their boss.
Which is ironic, considering we work to make money. But then again, not all bosses will say no. Some will happily give you that bonus. Others, however, might offer you some… unique alternative perks, if you will. And so, today, we bring you a list of netizens who shared the ridiculous things their bosses offered them instead of, well, more money.
#1
I left my job shortly after receiving this prize for my good work
Image source: Anonymous
#2
Congratulations!
Image source: Lilgermanboy321
#3
Instead of raises we get “Work bux” to use on a “store” for Ramen and granola bars. At least other people get pizza. We get Ramen and granola bars.
Image source: familiar-face123
#4
This “gift” for employee appreciation
Image source: crudolph0828
#5
Just a little employee appreciation
Image source: free_range_discoball
#6
“Flexible work hours.”
Must be in office between 8 and 5, but you can show up even earlier or stay even later if you want.
Image source: WritingImplement, Mizuno K /Pexels
#7
This was in 2004. Our ‘Christmas bonuses’ were hyped up for months. We got a pizza party in the breakroom with a DJ (the guy who ran the mailroom) and they handed out envelopes to everyone.
It was a Target gift card with $5 on it. My department was so angry we decided to pool our cards and buy supplies for a chemo care package for one of our people who was fighting breast cancer. That made us feel a bit better.
Image source: Time_Ocean, Kelsey Wilkerson / Pexels
#8
The Monopoly Money My Job Gave Me Instead of a Raise in 2018
Image source: TrashbagTatertots
#9
This banana my boss gave me to celebrate 1 year of work
Image source: MR_CeSS_dOor
#10
What my company gave us instead of raises
Image source: Anonymous
#11
Employee appreciation gift. This was what our company gave everyone for employee appreciation week. A rock. I’ve been here 4 years and haven’t received a raise since 2021. A rock.
Image source: nhge
#12
Who needs a pizza party when you get a pizza cutter??
Image source: twashbud101
#13
The place I work at gives a “bonus” as an incentive for higher production rates. Let me introduce you to my departments bonus
Image source: CradleOfCranch
#14
instead of raising wages, this is the reward, I can’t name the business or location due to consequences if this pic links back to me in real life lol
Image source: exoticats
#15
Employee “Appreciation”. The company I currently work (pawn industry) for is having an employee “appreciation” day this week. Here is a comprehensive list of all the “prizes” we can earn on said day. To earn a spin on the wheel we have to make a sale of over $100 or a pawn of over $300. For the balloon pop it’s a sale of over $500. This company is worth over $100 million and THIS is how they “appreciate” the employees that make them their money.
Image source: meatkazoo420
#16
Free beanies instead of raises for employee appreciation
Image source: TwilekVampire
#17
They call this a candy drawer at work. I hate my job
Image source: Foreign_Lifeguard_10
#18
A dozen donuts for a staff of about 200. I feel so appreciated.
Image source: Interesting_Sky_7847
#19
They signed a deal with a gas station chain, employees would get a certain amount off on gasoline/diesel. This was paraded out with a full company meeting and everything.
The price reduction was less than normal customers that got a card with that gas station chain.
So they had spent months working out a deal that was worse than what anyone could get by signing up at the gas station chains website.
Image source: Evil-Bosse, Getty Images / Unsplash
#20
They got a food truck to come out and park behind the building for us. They didn’t pay for any of the food or consult us on the type of food we wanted. So basically the benefit was “you can pay for your lunch if you happen to like this food” but they hyped it up as some grand gesture.
Image source: NewApartmentNewMe
#21
For teacher appreciation week, the school gave us a ‘gift card’ to Chik-fil-a, to be redeemed for a free breakfast sandwich. Also, it could only be used at one specific Chik-fil-A near work, and it had an expiration date.
A coupon. That’s called a coupon.
They also fired me a few weeks later, which was honestly a much better gift… because that school is really bad.
Image source: Grombrindal18, Jace Miller / Pexels
#22
Free pizza parties if everyone chips in 5 bucks.
Image source: anon, Yan Krukau / Pexels
#23
We got an email telling us to click on a link for a holiday appreciation gift from the company. If you clicked on it, you had just fallen for a phishing test to see if you would click on links in emails. Your gift was three hours of mandatory security training.
Image source: frowawayduh, DTSoft Official / Pexels
#24
Paying me on time. It’s not optional… You have to pay your staff on time, they have bills to pay?
Image source: BayrischeBreze, Getty Images / Unsplash
#25
A vacation to a lake in Kansas (didn’t know there were lakes there) where I would cook for my bosses friends in a waterski tournament. That guy hated me forever for calling him out and declining the vacation.
Image source: cerealfordinneragain, Ron Lach / Pexels
#26
I get free gym access at a local gym, but it’s not walking distance from the office and the free access is only up til 3pm weekdays… during which time I am working.
Image source: Sealeydeals93, Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels
#27
My job just sent me a congratulatory pdf for my 5-year anniversary.
Image source: FIXPRESUB, Getty Images / Unsplash
#28
This is the “thank you” our ER got for the horrible month we’ve had. One of the worst.
Image source: /Low_Signature_7771
#29
Boss brought in drumsticks for employee appreciation
Image source: StrangeQuark1221
#30
It’s employee appreciation week and this is what my girlfriends employer gave her. She’s a PA at a community health center in the city
Image source: Anonymous
#31
My reward for 5 years of not being late and never calling out. Frick you, I quit.
Image source: Ushan_De_Lucca
#32
I work at a college dorm. This week is freshman move in where I’m working a 12 hour shift. I was told not to pack a lunch because a free one is provided. This is my free “meal”
Image source: AngryRaccoon44
#33
Meals (1 per person) we get at my job for shifts up to 12hrs
Image source: revo_kid
#34
Meijer Cashier Incentive
Image source: moneyfish
#35
Instead of getting a raise this slice of pizza was used as a motivation at my last job
Image source: Anonymous
#36
Employee Appreciation from my employer who generated 27b profit in 2022
Image source: Nearby-Bedroom7652
#37
My “reward” for going above and beyond
Image source: Vast-Membership3581
#38
This prepaid AMEX card that doesn’t work at any retailer at all so far – was given to me for 5 years at my job
Image source: Eagle4523
#39
Here’s a new one. If our store makes the most sales competitively we earn a pizza party not for ourselves but for our bosses
Image source: Spiritual_Eye_4645
#40
A record week. but we don’t get a bonus nooo. just a root beer float party
Image source: patriarchalrobot
#41
The company I work for is asking us to pay them for the Christmas dinner they are hosting for us
Image source: caribbeanrumcake
#42
Employee appreciation lunch – one of the top medical centers in the tristate
Image source: Anonymous
#43
Work tells us we have to pay for the snacks in the office. The packets on the chips says not for resale and the box they come out of is a 20 pack worth $5
Image source: Anonymous
#44
Why is nobody partying? I specifically requested it?!
Image source: anon
#45
My jobs lazy way to celebrate employee appreciation day. A candy bar with a printed sticker on it
Image source: Golifr4u
#46
Feeling the #appreciation my employer is showing to our dwindling overworked nursing staff
Image source: Personal-Pound-2260
#47
This is our “employee appreciation” gift. a first aid kit, complete with a children’s activity book, and CRAYONS. I work at a factory.
Image source: TheRealEggness
#48
I found out today that it’s employee appreciation week at my work. Apparently we’re not even worth a pizza party anymore…
Image source: shberk01
#49
No raises this year, but they gave us this for “employee appreciation day”
Image source: nandudu
#50
“Employee Appreciation, provide your own lunch”
Image source: YeOldeBilk
#51
This is what we have to eat at work during 12h day/night shifts.
Image source: Anonymous
#52
My job brought us “treats” for employee appreciation
Image source: fern469
#53
Took one of those employee surveys at work today, and they gave me this as a gift bag. 3 pieces of candy from 1972 and a pen that doesn’t even work. Sure feel appreciated!
Image source: PapasBlox
#54
Happy employee appreciation day! 🤡 I feel so valued 🙄
Image source: not_a_type_of_fruit
#55
“Free water for the employees”
Wow thank you!
Image source: myhamsterisajerk
#56
I worked at a radiology clinic where they would
Provide a single bread roll for staff for lunch on Wednesdays. No fillings or spreads. Just a plain white bread roll.
Image source: Milled_Oats
#57
Staff appreciation bbq where all the staff was invited, but we still had to cook for all 300 employees. Everyone got to go but the kitchen staff and they never made it up to us.
Image source: anon
#58
I was working at a shop and was actively pursuing a job as a teacher, which was not a surprise to anybody. I got the job with the understanding that when I finished my degree I’d be pursuing a teaching job.
I needed to come in late one day due to an interview. Literally just needed to be an hour late. Boss said “go ahead and take an extra 15.” I thought he was being nice. Turns out, dipping below 7 hours was what he needed to deny me a lunch break that day.
Image source: anon
#59
Worked crazy OT for a month to get vital computer security updates done (every computer had to be touched individually). Those of us who were salaried were promised we would be taken care of for the 20+ hours of overtime each week.
Hourly people earned time and a half.
Salaried people got a company embroidered baseball cap as a ‘thank you’. Oh, and so did the hourly people.
Image source: greenjelloland
#60
A $15 gift card for 15 years of service as a Nurse in LTC.
Image source: mimijane73
#61
I worked for a big Chinese corporation that offered ramen noodles packet if you stayed till 9 pm.
Image source: anon
#62
We had a Christmas lunch party, on premises kinda deal. There was a raffle for prizes. A full 75% of the “prizes” were fire extinguishers. The small kitchen and vehicle ones.
Image source: HeithWithAnI
#63
At the major bank, they told us they would allow us to turn our cameras off during meetings on Fridays.
Image source: TOKERJOKERSWAY
#64
Reward I get at my 13$/hr job for finding over 15 million in missing funds
Image source: dontcommentreed
#65
My brother works for AT&T, this is what he was given for working through the pandemic…. A silver coin.
Image source: katrinamelissa
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