Manager Skips Work After Co-manager Insists They Buy 3 $60 Cakes for Coworker Birthdays and Split the Cost Between Them

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

Jun 2, 2026 7:45 PM EDT

Is it a manager's job to cover the cost of celebrating their employees?

Any successful boss who is worth working for will tell you that morale is one of the most important parts of a harmonious workplace. People are more likely to make an effort in what they do if they feel their efforts are appreciated, and, by extension, so are they. A bad manager is one of the key reasons that decent employees leave jobs, and one who seems to value their well-being is somebody who might get them to stick around.

At the same time, there is only so much time, money, and motivation that most managers are willing to spend on making their colleagues feel good about themselves. After all, that usually isn't the main reason that we come into work every day. For the most part, employees are concerned with being paid and treated fairly, not all the fun extras that should just be the cherry on top of a decent job.

Almost everybody with enough work experience has suffered through an awkward secret Santa or teambuilding day that reminds them that it isn't always so great to be a part of a workplace that does the most. A manager may feel that even more strongly.

via Ivana Cajina (Unsplash+)

_{^{A representation of a sheet cake with candles and 'Happy Birthday' written on it}}
In this story, a government employee leading a small team was feeling increasingly pressured by his co-manager to make a financial contribution to the birthday celebrations of colleagues in their office. Whenever she bought a birthday cake for somebody that they worked with, she expected him to contribute—and the cakes often cost in excess of $60.
With a day coming up where there would be three birthdays and the expectation to pay for three cakes, he was considering calling in sick just to avoid the obligation. He felt like it was overkill and put too much pressure on management to pay out of their own pocket.
Obligatory birthday contributions are making me call in sick tomorrow

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_{^{Models represent four colleagues gathering around a desk at night, taking a selfie while wearing party hats}}
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