If\nyou’re in charge of buying holiday gifts for your employees, you may face a\nseemingly insurmountable problem. You will understandably want those gifts to\nfeel personal, but also something where you don’t have to spend a lot of time\nbuying an individual gift for five, 10, 20 or more people. You will also want\nthose gifts to be of high quality without spending $50 or more per item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s a delicate balancing act, one that requires a lot of forethought into various considerations ranging from tangible things like price and quantity to the intangible factors of what will best convey just how valued each worker is. And while there is no one-size-fits-all solution to finding the ideal holiday gift for every employee<\/a>, there are a number of do’s and don’ts to keep in mind about these purchases. Following them will help ensure you can get your message of appreciation<\/a> across as clearly as possible – without breaking the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following are many of the most common issues you will likely face as you try to choose the perfect holiday gifts for your hard-working employees:<\/p>\n\n\n\n One thing you should try very hard to avoid is that feeling of an employee opening their holiday gift<\/a>, using it for a little while (or not at all) and just putting it away in a desk drawer never to be used again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only does that mean they didn’t like the gift or find it useful, but it also means you wasted your money and didn’t get the proper sentiment across. To avoid this issue, one great strategy is simply choosing a gift that has a practical purpose. For instance, something to help them with desk organization at home or in the office or a set of high-quality pens could be nice choices. The same is true of a gift basket loaded with fruits or candies that are more likely to be eaten than thrown away, personalized barware<\/a> to accompany a nice bottle that also comes as part of the gift, or a coffee mug that’s useful just about anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you are choosing gift baskets or gift boxes<\/a> for your staff, it might be wise to make sure you buy a variety of different options so that if you know one worker doesn’t like pears or dark chocolate, you don’t give that person an item loaded with them. Likewise, wine glasses aren’t a great gift for people who don’t drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In\nshort, you want a practical purchase to come across as a thoughtful gift that\nconsiders the employee’s needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One\nclassic mistake that comes with employee holiday gift-giving is that\nsupervisors want to really wow the recipients. That impulse is understandable –\neven commendable – but it does lead to the classic situation where the budget\nfor such gifts runs out quickly, especially if you’re a small business that\ndoesn’t have a lot of financial flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fortunately, there are many opportunities to buy gifts that will go over well without spending more than $25 per item<\/a>. These can range from high-end personalized tumblers that allow workers to take their chosen beverages on-the-go to functional office products that make them more productive. Even smaller items can meet the same end goal of a more expensive and lavish holiday gift: making an employee feel like a valued member of the team. That may be especially true if your gifts aren’t just being given out during the holiday season, but may be presented at various times throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s\nalso important to note that high-quality items aren’t out of reach just because\nyour budget is limited. In fact, many things that can create the feeling of\nluxury may be obtained for relatively small amounts. For instance, few people\nmay take the time to enjoy a nice, warm bath where they can relax for a little\nwhile, so when employer gifts encourage them to do so, they may really\nappreciate the opportunity they hadn’t considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For\ninstance, essential oils, bath bombs, high-quality soaps and more can be\npurchased in bulk for relatively low prices, and come with personalized or\nbranded carrying cases that show the more individualized thought you put into\nthem. While not everyone has a bathtub in their homes, the mere thought could\ngo a long way toward helping your employees feel a lot more valued in their\nday-to-day tasks, and if they take advantage of these products, they may also\nfind their stress slipping away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same is true for the above-mentioned customized wine glasses and a nice bottle of wine, which can be a great way for people to unwind after a busy day at the office. These, too, don’t have to cost an arm and a leg to come across as a bit of a luxury and a welcome change of pace from the usual corporate holiday gift<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Branded\ngifts have become quite common in recent years and for good reason: Many people\nare proud of their jobs or employers and want to show off their affiliation in\nstyle. However, if something comes across as being too generic, or too\npromotional, the thought you put into such a present could be lost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Put\nanother way, if your holiday gift comes off as being more akin to a promotional\nproduct – even a nicer one – that you might have already had lying around, your\nemployees may not like that very much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, if you just give away a cap or sweatshirt with your corporate logo on it<\/a>, employees might not really appreciate them even if they do provide some utility. However, if you take that a step beyond and, perhaps, get each individual’s name printed or embroidered on those items, or otherwise make them a touch more personal, you might only be adding a small fraction to the price but making them feel priceless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because\nworkers often receive the same old cookie-cutter kinds of holiday gifts many\ncompanies may give employees, those who go an extra step or two beyond those\nstandards can really stand out. Some fun, creative ideas for holiday\ngift-giving usually aren’t too difficult to find, but that little bit of added\neffort to find something that breaks the mold can go a long way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After\nall, your entire goal with holiday gifts is to make employees feel like a part\nof the family, becoming more engaged in their work and engendering a sense of\ncollective power that can make the next corporate goal that much more\nachievable. On the other hand, if you seem to put relatively little effort into\nshowing your appreciation for their hard work, they might not be as inclined to\nwork hard toward that goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With\nthat in mind, finding something creative that seems to more specifically the\npersonalities of the people on your team – or your corporate culture as a whole\n– can go a long way toward helping you take the next step as an organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When\ncompanies are trying to branch out from the traditional year-end employee\ngift-giving so that they can help their workers feel more appreciated all year\nlong, they may wonder, “During which holidays is it common to give\nemployees gifts?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nholiday season is a great time to make sure your employees receive gifts that\nmake them feel special and valuable to the organization, but that shouldn’t be\nthe only time of year when that happens. Other occasions, such as a birthday or\nthe anniversary on which an employee joined the company, could be ripe for\ncelebration as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, you can even go beyond that. Any time there’s a national holiday with festive themes around it – such as Independence Day – you may find that employees like receiving a small gift to help them celebrate in style. This can also be true of Thanksgiving, which technically kicks off the holiday season, as well as Labor Day, Halloween and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When\ncompanies want to give inclusive gifts during the holidays, it’s important to\nremember what inclusivity means. It’s broadly understood that not everyone\ncelebrates Christmas, but as mentioned above, there are also some employees who\ndon’t drink alcohol or don’t enjoy coffee, so some common holiday gifts might\nend up being useless to them. Or, worse, they could come across as insensitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With\nthat in mind, you have to truly know your employees’ likes and dislikes – or,\nalternatively, speak with a colleague that might know a little more intimately\nwhat people want or not want. Certainly, because these gifts are given in a\ngood spirit and to encourage a sense of belonging and care, even a small\nmisstep can send the wrong message and lead to upset. As with putting the right\nresearch into creative gifts, it’s also vital to ensure you’ve done your\nhomework to be inclusive as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Should\nemployers give employees gift cards?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n As long\nas gift cards – and before them, gift certificates – have been available, many\nhave asked this question. The same is true of social circles – should you give\nfriends or family members gift cards? While it may provide little in the way of\nclarity, the answer is: It depends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some\ncases, employees may love gift cards for specific things, such as to a local\nmovie theater if they’re known in the office as a film buff, or a nearby\ndepartment store if they’re true fashionistas. One type of gift card that will\nget pretty much universal use is one for the grocery store, because people will\nalways need food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However,\nmaking these decisions on a case-by-case basis when you’re buying individual\ngifts for every employee is one thing, but it’s entirely another when you’re\nbuying for an entire department or everyone at a small business. This is\nbecause the issue at the heart of the question about giving gift cards in the\nfirst place is whether it shows you care enough; simply put, not everyone will\ntake a well-meaning gift like this the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\ntruly think you don’t have the budget to wow your employees this holiday\nseason, a small gift in addition to something a little less tangible could be a\ngreat idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Extra\ndays off that can be used at any time, for example, could prove to be a useful\nsupplement to a relatively small gift because it might not cost your company\nmuch in terms of productivity overall. However, that extra day or two of paid\ntime off it can mean the difference between a five- and seven-day vacation that\nhelps promote a healthy work-life balance and makes employees even more\nproductive when they come back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\nmay be other ways to treat the entire office to some fun flexibility in\naddition to holiday gift-giving, such as hosting a holiday party, creating an\nearly-release schedule one or more Fridays per month, increasing work-from-home\noptions and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They’ve\nbeen alluded to above, but it’s difficult to overstate just how much employees\nappreciate personalized gifts more than they do generic giveaways. Again, it’s\nthe simple act of showing employees they’re more than just a name on a payroll\nspreadsheet, and that they’re truly valuable to the organization. That doesn’t\nmean just giving gifts that are more precisely in line with what they do or are\ninterested in – something related to football for a big sports fan, or a gift\ncard to a local tackle shop for an avid fisherman, as examples. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\ncould mean something as simple as making sure everyone receives the same gift,\nbut that this gift has their name printed or embroidered onto it, or otherwise\nseems to take their personal preferences into consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if\nyou don’t have the financial flexibility to get into that type of\npersonalization, something as simple as including a note with every gift about\nhow much that employee has meant to the organization in recent months or\nthroughout the years could help people feel like they’re being recognized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fact of the matter is that when you’re buying employee gifts<\/a> for any holiday, there’s a specific reason behind it. That’s not just the feeling of obligation you may have – as most other companies give out holiday gifts as well – but also the fact that you truly value your employees collectively and individually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As an added bonus, when employees feel valued, they’re also more likely to be All it may take to realize that kind of value, then, is to simply put a little more effort into researching your options and determining the gift items that will go over the best for as many employees as possible. The time you put into such an effort will likely be reflected in your employee engagement and retention levels<\/a>, as well as a more positive workplace culture overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking for new gift and award ideas to reward your star\nperformers? We\u2019re constantly adding to\nour product line and have got you covered with a ton of great new options. Take a look at some of our new arrivals!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have a candle lover working for you, this attractive candle holder makes an ideal gift. Featuring a glittering gold star floating above a cement base, the stock option comes bearing the message: \u2018The brightest stars shine for the benefit of others. Thanks for all you do.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you prefer, you can swap this out for your own, totally\ncustom message or logo. It\u2019s cute, it\u2019s\nfun, and it\u2019s sure to be appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Appreciation tokens are all the rage this year, and these silver medallions are a fantastic, low-priced way to acknowledge your employees.\u00a0 They come imprinted with a variety of affirmation phrases, and each is paired with a 2\u201d x 3\u201d note card with another message of appreciation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This stylish lunch tote is a great, low cost gift option\nthat features a 22\u201d carrying handle and is large enough to hold up to eight\ncans of the recipient\u2019s favorite drink in its double zippered main\ncompartment. On the outside, you\u2019ll find\nthe phrase \u2018Thanks for Being Awesome\u2019 with plenty of space left over for your\ncompany\u2019s logo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking for an actual award for an upcoming ceremony? Our new Blue Vortex design is absolutely\nstunning! It\u2019s offered in three\ndifferent heights: 5,\u201d 6.75,\u201d or 8.5\u201d\nand your choice of either a clear or blue base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inside the teardrop crystal body, you\u2019ll find a one of a kind blue vortex made from blown glass. They\u2019re extraordinary and extraordinarily beautiful. They are guaranteed to spark a conversation. Best of all, there\u2019s plenty of space to customize a message to the recipient. This one\u2019s not to be missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a fun and fabulous gift set, perfect for anyone in your office who loves baking and the holidays. The set includes just about everything the recipient needs to whip up a batch of delicious chocolate chip cookies, including a pair of festive holiday themed cookie cutters. A simply delightful option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n10 Employee Holiday Gift Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Do: Think ‘useful’ first<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don’t: Feel like you have to go overboard<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Do: Consider a touch of luxury<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don’t: Make it purely corporate<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Do: Get creative<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don’t: Only give around Christmas and New Year’s<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Do: Be inclusive<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don’t: Rely on gift cards (necessarily)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Do: Think outside the box<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don’t: Forget about personalization<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Do: Remember what it’s all about<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
engaged on the job<\/a>, which makes them more productive and, in the end, improves your bottom line. In this way, you could consider a great holiday gift to be something that pays for itself – potentially many times over – throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\nEmployee Holiday Gift Ideas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Personalized Candles<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Making A Difference Appreciation Token<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Thanks For Being Awesome Heather Lunch Bag<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Blue Vortex Art Glass Award<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Sugar Cookie Mix And Cutters Gift Set<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n