Stingy bosses and spare change: How much should you give to the office whip-round?

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Office collections for colleagues are a tradition but can raise awkward questionsByAlex TaylorBBC News reporter, Reporting fromLondonLove them, hate them or barely know them, it's a colleague's birthday, wedding or leaving do and there's a collection to mark the occasion.So how much should you give? And if you're the person organising the collection, how do you chase without feeling like a loan shark or exposing unspoken team dynamics?'It depends if I like you'The politics of the office whip-round are so sensitive that everyone the BBC spoke to asked us not to use their real name.For those on a tight budget, the rule is simple: only give to colleagues you've worked with directly.Lucy, a senior therapist in healthcare, says: "If we haven't worked together, my purse is staying shut."There's a blunter unspoken truth beneath the surface. "It also depends on if I like you," she admits."One colleague's whole demeanor annoyed me, so when she moved roles, I wanted to celebrate with my own drink - not give her money."Former music journalist Layla is similar, only contributing if she "really likes" the person.Yet she often avoids office collections on...