Christmas is coming, and before the hectic holiday season hits, it may be a good idea to consider what gifts you’ll give your employees.
Depending on your employees, you may provide Christmas gifts, an end-of-the-year gift, a Hanukkah gift, Epiphany, Kwanza, and New Year’s are all gift-giving holidays during the holiday season. The Christmas season overlaps many gift-giving holidays.
You should be aware of a few gift-giving rules of etiquette. As a manager or employer, you can give gifts to your employees, but your employees shouldn’t give gifts to you.
Bottom-up gift giving can be seen as seeking favors in the workplace. Employees can voluntarily contribute to a group gift if everyone’s name is on the gift, whether or not they contributed. And, make sure you put a stop to it if anyone pressures others to contribute.
It’s also important to note that gifts should not be tied to performance or they are compensation, not gifts. And, everyone should get one.
Individual, personal gifts are great for many employees, but others may feel they got a lesser gift if everyone gets a personal one. If your appreciation language is gift-giving, consider one customizable gift, such as a book. Everyone gets a book, but each employee is given a title especially suited to their personality.
A Good Book
Gift your employees a great book that can inspire, uplift, or motivate them. An audio version of the book can be a perfect choice for employees who don’t read. Choose from classics like Goals: How to Get the Most Out of Your Life by Zig Ziggler, and Strengthsfinder 2.0 by Tom Rath, or choose an inspirational story like Simply Amazing by K.C. Armstrong.
For your manager employees, you can choose from great books such as Drive by Daniel Pink, Time to Lead: The Ultimate Guide to Employee Engagement by Michael Cohen, or Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth.
Gift Cards
Gift cards have been called the best of gift ideas. They are generally loved because gift cards make it possible for employees to get exactly what they want. But, they aren’t as personal, and employees who speak the love language of gift-giving in your organization may feel that a gift card is too impersonal.
But, if you aren’t able to purchase individual, customized gifts, a gift card is an acceptable gift that allows employees to choose the experience or gift they want to take home.
“Gift cards to grocery stores or department stores are nice, in general,” Inc
Bluetooth Gadgets
Several Bluetooth gadgets are on the market, making it easier to find lost items. Give one of these items to assist employees and make finding perpetually lost items faster.
Movie Tickets
Give your employees a good movie to watch with their loved ones. Its a great gift for employees eagerly waiting for the next saga in the Marvel Universe, Starwars, or simply the next release. A movie ticket or gift card can give your employees a relaxing experience.
An Extra Day Off
Give your employees extra time by giving them an extra paid day off. The holidays are stressful enough; an extra day off can give employees time to relax, get caught up on their “To Do” lists, and spend more time with loved ones.
A Quality Steak
Give your employees quality steaks to enjoy with their loved ones. Quality food is often appreciated by everyone, and a shared meal creates memories and builds relationships.
“My husband’s boss gives his managers steak. We have really appreciated that!” Forbes Survey
Essential Oil Diffussers (Or Humidifiers)
Give your employees a humidifier or essential oil diffuser. During the often dry winter months, a humidifier can help decrease nose problems, lessen cold symptoms, and make the air a lot more pleasant. And essential oil diffusers can help to kill bacteria in the air while adding a pleasant scent.
Event Tickets
A fun play on a company party, Send your employees and their families to a local event. A comedy show, concert, or sporting event are popular venues where employees can relax with each other and spend quality time with family or friends.
Gadget Charging Station
Give your employees convenience by gifting a gadget charging station. A charging station can help employees to reduce the clutter of cords and chargers on their desks. Or, consider a portable charger, such as a solar charger for employees. Active employees who travel a lot for work can charge devices on the go. Solar chargers make it easy to charge in stores, while waiting for appointments and while walking.
Personalized Snacks
Giving your employees a personalized snack is a great, low-cost way to show them you value their individuality. Snacks are a great way to personalize a gift without many costs!
Baking Classes
Let your employees choose from a local baking class or offer it during the workday as a way for employees to relax and build a new skill. It makes a great Christmas gift or Summer gift.
A baking class can be a great team activity or it can be gifted to employees (in a set of two) for them to share with a family member or friend.
Audible One Month Subscription
Give your employees a one-month subscription to Audible. It can help them to pass their commute faster or give them a chance to listen to their favorite book.
A Soft Blanket
In the winter, a warm blanket makes a great gift. Employees are likely to use a warm blanket, whether it’s soft wool, fleece, or a fuzzy blanket.
Music
Gift a music gift card so your employees can enjoy music they love. Since they work from home, no one else will be bothered by it. Spotify, Pandora, or Apple Music all provide subscription music.
A Nice Pen
For many people, a nice pen is something worth fighting over. Give your employees a quality pen that will write without scribbles and is weighted for a nicer feel.
Gift Baskets
Gift baskets are fun because they can provide an experience for employees to share with their loved ones. You can include hot cocoa, marshmallows, and a warm blanket or hot dog roasters in the winter. Or, include charcoal and lemonade for a summer experience. Either way, employees can enjoy the items in a curated experience with their family.
A Desk Light
Inadequate lighting can make concentrating difficult. A desk light can provide increased lighting to employees who need it without requiring all lighting be adjusted. Employees site desk lighting as a tool that could make their jobs easier.
Winter Touchscreen Gloves
During the cold winter months, touchscreen gloves are a perfect gift for employees to keep them warm and functional.
Phone Charger
Phone chargers are one small item, but adds up in cost. And without a charger, your employees lose productivity. Consider giving employees a charger to their personal phone or providing a place where employees can charge their phones at work. Stock it with chargers for the phones used in the office.
Family Portrait
Gift your employees a professional family portrait. Many families get busy and forget to take an annual photo. A family portrait can be a great way to tell your employee and their family members “Thank You!”
Noise Cancelling Headphones
Noise distraction is one common condition that keeps employees from focusing on their job. Link Noise-canceling headphones can combat office noise.
Group Games
Whether it’s a board game, like Monopoly, or a group game, like Poetry for Neandrolthols, a game can provide your employees with quality time with their loved ones. You can opt for a traditional game like Battleship, Chess, or Chinese checkers or a newer game like Ticket to Ride, Five Crowns, or Skull King.
Desk Plant
Plants have been shown to reduce stress. Plus they increase the levels of oxygen in the air. Gift your employees a desk plant and hire a watering service so employees don’t have to worry about their plants when they are super busy or take time off.
Conclusion
Giving your employees gifts shouldn’t feel like an obligation. It’s a fantastic way to express appreciation for all the hard work they give. It’s a way to help build a culture of appreciation and is a great way to recognize your team.
About Thanks
Thanks is a leading provider of a recognition-based platform that increases communication, builds teamwork, and makes recognition a part of company culture. Fast, easy and simple Thanks makes it easy to bring data-driven employee recognition to your entire organization. O.C. Tanner purchased the Thanks platform in 2019 to fulfill the recognition needs of smaller businesses.
Thanks customers benefit from the same decades of research in employee motivation and company culture that O.C. Tanner enterprise clients enjoy, but in a product that is geared for fast, easy and simple deployment. Whether you’re starting a recognition program or improving and expanding on what you already have, Thanks has everything you need to engage your people with effective, scalable recognition.