Field notes
from the floor.
Workplace culture, group gifts, and the occasional honest story from inside Hey Friday.
Gift Cards: Why Group Collections Beat Buying Solo
Discover key UK gift card stats and why group collections fund more meaningful, higher-value cards than buying solo. See how HeyFriday makes it easy.
7 Reasons a John Lewis Gift Card Makes the Perfect Group Gift
Discover 7 reasons a John Lewis gift card is ideal for group giving, from dual-store use to 24-month validity. Learn how to organise a collection in minutes.
Collection pot fees explained: what you're actually paying when you chip in
You typed £10 and the screen says £12.00. We measured the pre-selected "top-up" across six contribution sizes — it runs at five to six times what card processing actually costs.
How much should you put in a work collection pot?
The honest answer to the question everyone has and nobody asks. What's actually normal to chip in for a colleague's leaving do, birthday or retirement — and what you can safely ignore.
Best gift cards for UK employees in 2026: an HR-friendly guide
Which gift cards UK employers actually use for recognition, milestones, leavers and Christmas — and how the HMRC £50 trivial benefits rule fits into all of it.
How to collect money for a group gift in the UK (2026 guide)
Five ways to pool money for an office collection — envelope, bank transfer, PayPal, spreadsheet IOU, or a proper platform. Honest comparison and what actually works in 2026.
Leaving gift ideas for colleagues: 40+ ideas by budget and the kind of person they actually are
What to actually buy with a £50, £150 or £300 office collection — sorted by budget and by the kind of leaver they are. Skip the generic listicles.
The tipping problem: why group gifting needs to grow up about fees
The 'free to withdraw' claim is doing a lot of heavy lifting across our industry. Here's why we don't ask contributors to tip — and why we think the whole category should move on.
Farewell messages to colleagues: 80+ examples that don't sound like everyone else's
What to write in a leaving card without resorting to 'all the best in your next chapter'. Organised by relationship, tone, and how well you actually knew them.