The Candy Jar

reneeisorym

I thought I would ask for advice after reading the post about the common refridgerator.

I have a candy jar on my desk. For a while I would put candy in it especially around holidays. I kept noticing that it would disappear after one day even though it was full after I left work. (I leave at 4 and the place closes at 5) I buy this candy because I want to be nice to my coworkers and they appreciate it. I only spend about 3 bucks once a month or so. I figured that people were just eating it after I left because they were less embarassed to grab a piece which is fine.

Well, I brought some candy two days ago and this one particular guy kept coming by every 15 mintues and getting 2 or three pieces every time he passed. I was glad he enjoyed the treat even though I did think he was being a little greedy considering that he had eaten half of it by the end of the day.

I got to work the next day and again, the entire jar was empty. I asked him point blank where the candy went and he said he took it home to give to his kids!! Now why can't he buy his own candy? And why couldn't he have asked? And I don't feed people's kids! If they need candy, you can go buy it for them!

Now an easy solution would be to lock the candy up at night but I really think getting him to stop being greedy would be the best solution. Considering the following facts:

We have company dinners a few times a year. He always ends up taking the rest of the food home with him to his family and then we can't eat it the next day for lunch. I remember the last place I worked, we would all eat lunch on the left overs from our dinners the next day. We can't do this here because of him. And also we end up having less dinners because he gorges himself with the food and then takes lots home and management hates dealing with it so they just don't feed us.

I tried to talk to him about it but he just doesn't think he's greedy!

Help.

tnangel73

It sounds to me like he is using his kids as an excuse. I work with a guy like that. At Christmas, we all brought "snacks" like cookies, chips, and things to munch on during the day. There were a couple of unopened containers of cookies. He took them home "for his kids." He wasn't going to work any overtime during when we are off at Christmas and didn't even consider leaving those for everyone else or the people on the other shifts. And we all think that he didn't even bring anything to share with the rest of us.

juni

All it takes is one idiot to spoil it for the rest.

I'd just bend his little finger back til he squeals.........and tell him to keep his F'in hand out of the candy. Don't have witnesses either......

As far as the company dinners and leftovers.......everyone would have to confront him on that as a united front..... good luck w/that though.

Juni

unique1

What I used to do when I had the same proble was the following. Most people won't do that with starlight mints/butterscotch/cinnamon discs, etc. I would buy several bags of those for $.50 a piece and fill the bowl with it. Then I would keep the chocolate in my drawer and only put out 2 pieces at a time. Once they were gone, I would put two more out an hour or so later. This would allow everyone in the office to at the very least get 1 piece of chocolate. Plus the people that knew the one guy would take it all, also knew I hid it and if there was none out, they would simply ask for a piece which I would happily give them. If he takes tons of hard candy home to his kids then they won't like it as much.

Jim_TX

Wow Renee... tough one. I know how you feel though. We have a candy dish here at work. It mostly gets filled with the bulk type of candy that one fella gets at Sam's.

I, personally don't like Smartee's (or whatever they're called) and Dots, and other candies like this.

When I worked at another company, I went out and bought a small glass candy dish, and then got some Lamb's candies - which are not cheap - but they're yummy! and filled the candy dish with them. I placed the candy dish at the reception area - for visitors who came in. They actually (the visitors, that is) appreciated the candies, and I found that candy is sorta a neutralizer - or equalizer - and also an ice breaker of sorts. (It also puts a smile on their faces - cause the candy is so yummy!)

Anyway... I never had any issues there with folks stealing more than their share. I'd usually have to fill it up once a week or two... which I expected, and gladly did.

Where I work now, they have a candy dish - and it is filled with the candy I mentioned above. I brought in my small glass candy dish, and placed it in the conference room so that folks who just get to the reception area get the cheapo stuff... but folks that get beyond that - and are clients - or potential clients - and get to the conference room are able to get the 'good stuff' - candy-wise.

I usually end up making a trip out of town where the candy store is - about once every six months - so it won't get replenished if they go too crazy eating the candy.

...

A while ago - one of the employees was forever doing like you described - getting a sweet every few minutes. Turns out he now has diabetes. Whether that gave him diabetes (doubtful) or not is not known, but it didn't help. (He also put loads of sugar in his coffee - which put strain on the companies' supply of condiments)

...

Anyway... not much help... but I can feel for you. Good Luck.

Regards,

Jim TX

Finally-Free

One coworker kept coming into my office to grab a few tissues every time he wanted to blow his nose. I especially didn't appreciate his leaving the snotty tissues in my garbage container so I could get sick too. I eventually moved my tissues into a drawer instead of having them on my desk. It was really funny when he came running into my office one day when I was sitting there, and he fumbled very badly trying to make small talk while his eyes darted around, scanning my desk for tissues. After mumbling a few words he ran down the hall.

W

Hortensia

I think the one that would bother me is the kleenex grabber - how selfish to spread your germs around. That is a much more serious issue than candy sneaks.I read an article from our worker's compensation company that said that "presenteeism" costs more than absenteeism - "presenteeism" is when people go to work sick. We have a policy here that anyone who is sick goes home, no matter what. All of us who work in the office haven't been sick in several years, since we instituted that policy.

The Candy Jar

reneeisorym

tnangel73

juni

unique1

Jim_TX

Finally-Free

Hortensia

Anony-Mouse

horrible life

lonelysheep

Share this