New hire protests workplace policy that demands employees share every snack they bring to work: 'I've stopped bringing any snacks'

No employee wants to feel like company morale is being built at their expense.

For all that any declaration of 'we're a family' can be totally cringey and incorrect, it is a good idea for those in the workplace to make an effort when it comes to strengthening coworker relationships and improving the workplace experience. From a management perspective, it boosts that all-important morale, and when an employee contributes, it gives them a better chance of getting in the good books of those who matter.

Still, there are right and wrong ways to go about the occasionally treacherous task of coworker bonding. Few employees are willing to make any personal sacrifice to make it happen, and those who volunteer themselves can end up resenting the effort they put in if they feel that it is mishandled or their contribution is not properly recognized.

Every single job out there comes with an expectation that those who work it show a certain level of professionalism. However, it is easy for that expectation to become somewhat ridiculous if the company culture is not moderated correctly. Not every rule or tradition offers an improvement to the workplace, but it can be difficult to realize that.

via Kelly Brito
Advertisement
Ever since the corporate culture we know and complain about today was in its infancy, food has been used to motivate employees. It is a nice boost to an otherwise boring workday if somebody brings in cake for their birthday, or management decides to order pizza. That said, if it is overdone, there comes a point when the sharing feels forced.
This was the issue that one woman was grappling with in her new workplace, where the expectation was that any time somebody brought in a snack, they had to share it between the nine person team. She tried to circumvent this issue by bringing in one bag of snacks to share and one for herself, but one of her colleagues demanded she share the second bag as well. She looked for a solution to this issue.
I don’t want to share my snacks

via HappyAstronaut7
via HappyAstronaut7
via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

_{^{The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.}}
Advertisement
via HappyAstronaut7
via HappyAstronaut7
Advertisement
via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

_{^{The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.}}
via DiscontentDonut
Advertisement
via HappyAstronaut7
via Pantomimehorse1981
via HappyAstronaut7
Advertisement
via otf_dyer_badss
via HappyAstronaut7
via effie-sue
Advertisement
via HappyAstronaut7
via Bubbly-Ad-966
via HappyAstronaut7
Advertisement
via Della-Dietrich
via Important_Count8954
via YoSpiff
Advertisement
via PochaccoBlue