Help! Our HR manager wants to tell everyone it’s my birthday

Dear Aunty B,

Our workplace has recently started the practice of emailing the entire staff when it is someone’s birthday.

Our HR manager obviously knows everybody’s birthdates and has started sending around birthday wishes and letting everybody on staff know of the occasion. I’m a shy retiring type and usually prefer not to make a fuss about my birthday. How do I avoid this public recognition?

Rachel,

Mascot

Dear Rachel,

I have a dear staff member who likes to make a big deal of it in the weeks leading up in order to maximize the amount of cake and presents she receives. She launches a birthday count down and, on the day itself, expects to do no work at all and just bathe in cards and congratulations. 

I am absolutely fine with this although personally I prefer a more discreet approach and just mutter vaguely about being “30 something”. I have, of course, turned 30-something for a number of years now.

In order to minimise birthday publicity just have a quiet word to your HR manager prior to your birthday. I am sure she won’t mind quietly omitting your big day. Then on the day itself book yourself in for a nice manicure or arrange to meet a friend over lunch. I think you will find your shy retiring birthday is just fine.

Be Smart,

Your Aunty B