A restaurant employee recently sparked tension among coworkers after raising objections to using a communal team fund to buy a going-away cake for a departing colleague. The fund, which pools tips from delivery apps, is typically used to buy small treats like birthday cupcakes or popsicles to boost team morale. However, when a supervisor proposed using some of this money to celebrate a coworker’s departure, one employee spoke up against it.
The employee, who prefers to remain anonymous, explained that the coworker leaving—referred to as Sandy—had been difficult to work with. According to the employee, Sandy often dismissed younger staff and shut down their ideas or suggestions. Although Sandy had seniority, many felt she was not a team player and created a challenging work environment.
The anonymous employee stated that while some team members supported the cake as a farewell gesture, they personally felt uncomfortable using shared funds to celebrate someone who made work harder for others. Two coworkers agreed with this viewpoint, but several others accused the employee of being petty and mean. The employee clarified that they did not object to people buying personal gifts or saying goodbye individually, only to spending communal money on a farewell for someone they felt did not deserve it.
Ultimately, a compromise was reached: the team fund was not used for the cake, but a small goodbye event was arranged with contributions from a few coworkers. Despite Sandy’s departure and the resolution, the incident left lingering tension among the staff. Some coworkers have openly called the employee petty and bitter over the disagreement.
The situation raises questions about how workplace funds meant for collective enjoyment should be spent, especially when team dynamics are strained. While the cake was intended as a gesture for everyone to share, not all felt the departing coworker merited such a celebration. The debate highlights the delicate balance between maintaining team morale and addressing interpersonal conflicts in shared work environments.
