SINGAPORE: A Singaporean employee took to social media to vent their frustration after receiving a gold-plated coin as an “appreciation gift” from their boss, saying the item was essentially useless because it could not even buy a simple plate of “cai png.”
In a post on a local Reddit forum on Thursday (Jan 1), the employee explained that while they appreciated the gesture, the gift itself left much to be desired. Gold-plated coins and gold foil notes, they argued, are little more than decorative items masquerading as something valuable.
As they bluntly put it, these items are just “basically glorified paperweights; they look atas, shiny shiny, come in nice box, but in reality? Zero practical value. Cannot eat, cannot use, cannot sell.”
They continued, “If one day, touch wood, I kena financial trouble and need quick cash for daily necessities, I look at this thing and can only sigh. The pawn shop won’t even take it. Gold shops also don’t want it. They’ll just tell you: ‘Sorry ah, this one decorative only.’”
The employee also criticised how such items are often marketed, saying the packaging and sales pitch can easily give the impression that the gift is worth far more than it actually is. “They advertise it like it has ‘24k gold’ or a ‘999 gold finish’,” they said. “But finish only lah. The gold layer is thinner than kopi O kosong. Might as well be a chocolate coin.”
Rather than ostentatious tokens, the employee suggested that managers consider gifts with actual resale or practical value, such as a small solid gold bar, vouchers, or cash.
“If any of y’all are thinking of buying gold-plated coins or gold foil notes as appreciation gifts for your staff, please ah… just stop. Don’t,” they said.
“Gold-plated coins and gold foil notes are not gifts. They are corporate white elephants. Nice to look at, but damn useless in real life.”
“They should choose something that shows their understanding and appreciation.”
The post resonated with other Singaporean Reddit users, many of whom shared similar feelings about receiving impractical gifts at work.
One commenter said they would rather their boss spend the money on something useful.
“I agree with the post author. Totally useless. I would appreciate it more if my boss gave me a food treat or something that is of actual use. It’s not about the cost, but if you are going to spend on something, at least make it useful.”
Another commented, “I fully agree. If the gift is for a long service award, just buy a real gold bar. Does not have to be 100 g. A 10g, 20g, or 50g is a good gesture. These gold bars have their resale value.”
A third wrote, “I think if the boss truly wants to show appreciation, they should choose something that shows their understanding and appreciation for the employee’s finances. The best way for that is cash.”
Not everyone agreed with the criticism, however. Some users pointed out that appreciation tokens are not meant to be sold or cashed out in the first place.
One said, “That’s the whole idea of an appreciation token, bro, for you to appreciate and not sell or use or make profit from it.”
Another added, “If I’m the boss, I’ll give whatever I want; who cares if you like it or can use it? You still have to smile and say thank you. To me, there’s no difference.”
In other news, netizens have criticised a TikTok user after they questioned why a foreign domestic worker had the time to post videos online, with many calling the remark disrespectful and reflective of outdated attitudes towards helpers.
The helper, who has been active on TikTok for the past few weeks, regularly posts short videos showing what she eats while working in Singapore. The clips are simple and often feature her having a modest meal, accompanied by captions such as “What I eat as a helper/maid here in Singapore.”
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