How to Gift Employees this Festive Season

Struggling to figure out whether or not to present a gift to those with whom you collaborate, superiors, executives, and direct reports—is one of the more stressful activities around the festive season. When you decide to present a gift to the staff, the next question is, “What should We buy?”

While some may believe that providing presents to workers isn’t appreciated at work, many people believe that tiny symbols of recognition go a long way. Each year, companies spend billions on acknowledgement prizes in the hopes of improving staff morale and perhaps raising profits, but does it really work?

Point is, appreciating your employees helps a lot in showing that you recognize their efforts throughout the year and whether you made profits or losses, making them feel appreciated gives them the motivation they need from their superiors.

So, how do you go about gifting your employees this festive season? Keep reading to find out more!

1. Start with Staff Gifts that are Frequently Requested

Food products are, understandably, the most common sort of gift-giving in gestures of individual appreciation. The most requested form of staff gift is stepping from your comfort to fetch a person’s favourite coffee, purchasing doughnuts or muffins, taking the lunch check, baking cookies, or providing gift cards.

If you follow this way, set a goal for yourself to go the additional mile and build something by hand. Your coworker or colleague would cherish it much more if they understand you took the time and effort to make something exceptional for them.

If you want to give out gift cards rather than food, know that some people prefer store-specific gift cards over nonspecific gift cards. However, there is still a sizable proportion that prefers the more generic gift card. Indeed, Visa gift cards, for instance, provide customers the opportunity to buy anything they want.

Whereas many folks like picking their own presents with a coupon, don’t concentrate on providing an employee gift that delivers more “value for the money,” such as passes to performances, films, or sporting events.

2. Get Personal With the Gifts

While your employees may enjoy the general gifts you offer each one of them, it’ll be more meaningful if you would be able to concentrate each gift to an individual level. Now, this may be a bit harder than you actually imagine. Simply put, you’ll have to know each employee at an individual level. If you are an owner of a bigger company, you definitely want to leave this to your HR department.

You can choose to offer gifts based on gender, as it’ll make things easier. Have gift hampers prepared separately? For men, you can include a light jacket, a tie, and some personal grooming items. For women, the gift hamper may include some eyelash tools, makeup brushes, and a phone case. All these are just an example of how you can go about being personal in your gifts this festive season.

Going personal with the gifts is not a guarantee that you will get everything right. But, essentially, you get to understand how your employees feel about you and whether or not they respect or fear you(the latter can be harmful to your company). One thoughtful way to personalize your gifts could be through customized holiday cards, adding a touch of warmth and sincerity to your employee relationships.

3. Have a Meeting With Them

It’s not all the time that your employees will want you to get them gifts. Yes, they may be good, but at times they need someone to listen to them. Hold a meeting with your employees, particularly the low levels. If it’s possible, ban all the managers and supervisors from the meeting.

During the meeting, allow the employees to express themselves. How the year has been. The challenges they are facing or faced, what motivates them in your company, and most significantly, what are their grievances. Know whether or not your company’s working conditions are suitable for them. Get to know how they feel about the company culture, particularly the reward and appraisal procedures.

Taking time to listen to them is rewarding on their side as they know someone is listening and will act upon their requests. Moreover, the essence of banning the managers and supervisors from the meeting is not to disrespect them, but rather, to give the other employees the free will to communicate without the fear of being fired later, especially if they have complaints about their supervisors and managers.

4. Give them Time to Spend with Their Loved Ones

Most families suffer from “work syndrome”. Simply put, the parents or spouse work constantly to provide for them but they hardly get time to spend together. While the year has several weekends that they can be home, the festive season is an essential time of the year where families get together to celebrate.

So, if you are one that has formed the habit of making your staff work through the festive season, this year, make a difference. Allow them to be there for their families. Even if not the entire festive season, at least allow them to be home during thanksgiving and Christmas.

The Bottom Line on Gifting Employees

The festive season is an integral part of most people. Even if it’s not part of your tradition, respect the fact that most of your workers do and show them some appreciation. Do not be the kind of person that sends their staff home late when others are asleep with empty hands. Happy Festive!