The question isn't whether its right or wrong (moral/ethical issue not appropriate for this example) but whether it is good practice and what pros/cons might result. I believe that this is not good practice because there should be funds available for such expenses that are NOT hard earned employee wages.

Additionally, people don't take kindly to being told what to do with their money, no matter what the amount. If not, reconsider the value of such things as office parties which are a luxury and what you are doing to build a healthy organizational culture. Consider having a donation box where staff can contribute anonymously and on their own terms.

Best -
Michael Firth
Joined.com Host

"Feeding the kitty" for coffee or snacks, for birthday cakes for colleagues, or even to collect money for charity as a group, is one thing, but collecting funds this way for the "honor" of wearing jeans at the office? That's ridiculous!

My curiousity is tweeked, however: Does everyone in your department want to wear jeans in the first place? Do the dissenters get to keep their dollars, and still wear jeans? If they refuse to add their money to the proverbial pot, are they excluded from birthday birthday cakes, and made to sit primly in their suits, while you drink punch and eat cookies in your jeans?

I would be more inclined to give a thumbs up to this dollar for dress-down duds day if everyone in your department wanted to collect money for a worthy cause, and were solid on the recipient of the funds...and it was a light-hearted, limited time incentive to get a collection together.. But to arbitrarily decide to assess employees for the joy of wearing jeans once a week, is not just a bribe, it is unethical.

As to paying for group parties, that varies widely by office In large, well-funded companies and individual departments, there is room in the budget for extras like parties, and in some cases, outings that the staff used for bonding activities. But In many of the small non-profits in which I worked in the past, there simply wasn't any extra money for well...these kinds of extras. We all chipped in a little bit, and the parties still materialized, if with less expensive sweets.

Your supervisor or manager can decide whether or not to continue this practice, but if s/he is smart, the decision will be made on whether or not the staff wants to wear casual clothes...without a dollar amount attached. As to collecting for parties. If there isn't any extra in the budget, appointing one person the "event guru " who goes around with an envelope when it's time to party, seems to work.

It really depends on the situation in your office. In some of the companies I worked with, often there was no official budget for fun activities that colleagues could engage in outside of work. So the employees and the head of the department would come up with different and entertaining ways (much like your case) to go about collecting funds for these events/activities. Everyone wanted the events and everyone enjoyed the collection process as well, so it was alright.

The case would be very different though if people were not really interested in the activities and the collection was forced down their throats.

Actually, I will have to deviate a bit from my colleagues. This is actually a great way to build office morale and a team environment. It's good, old-fashioned motivation. Remember, this is a "pay to play" situation. You can opt not to contribute, if you'd like. Your employer is NOT obligated to pay for your coffee habit and your employer has every right to enforce its dress code. However, if it sets up a policy where people can voluntarily contribute on one day to not meet the enforced dress code and instead follow a slightly more relaxed code, that is where the pay to play comes in.

The best way for a company to approach this type of policy or practice is to engage the employees in developing these policies or practices.