Christmas Gifts for Your Employees



Posted: Wednesday, June 09, 2010

by Jennifer Landers
Christmas Tree For Me

Employee gifts are a tricky business. You don't want to play favorites, yet you care for them and want to show your appreciation for all their hard work; more appreciation than a simple signed card from a box can express. Your gift should be universal enough to please your diverse staff; yet personal to show you care. It can't be too feminine, too masculine, too cheap or too taste-specific. That's a lot of criteria for one gift. No wonder we get some awful office gifts sometimes. However, there are a lot of great employee gifts out there. Once you determine your budget and needs, you can find a great gift your office will love.

Make it Personal

The best way to make your employee gifts personal is with a personal note. If you do much more than that, you risk looking like you're playing favorites. Thoughtful written notes (not in the form of an e-mail of text message) are rare in today's world. It's a breath of fresh air to read a thought-out note; especially if it's from someone we respect. In your card or note, show them you notice their efforts. Thank them for their hard work, and give one or two specific examples of how they specifically went above and beyond the job. They will know it isn't just a generic note you sent to everyone in the office, because you made a personal reference.

Another way to make your gifts personal while still making each gift equal in value is by engraving a gift. You can engrave everything from watches to key chains. If you want to keep your gifts work-related than you could engrave a cardholder or a pen. Since you will be buying in bulk, ask your local engraver or personal gift shop if they will give you a discount. Most are happy to work with employers, and they might even be able to suggest a gift to fit your budget and unique needs.

Great Gifts

Your employee gift should be something you would enjoy receiving or would actually use. If you wouldn't like it, its likely most of your staff won't like it. Everyone's forced a "thank you" for a cheapy office Christmas gift that they end up donating or throwing away (or worse, re-gifting). Here are some good gift ideas that are sure to please a crowd:

Anything useable in an office, gift cards or food items (everyone eats, right?) make great employee gifts. Just be sure to accompany your gift with a personal note and you will be set. Until next year.

This Christmas reminder brought to by Christmas Tree For Me.

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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by MIchelle S. 1 year 337 days ago.
I agree- employee holiday gifts can be tricky- trying to keep it personal while aiming to please all of your employees? Holiday gifts have a greater chance of being “successful” if the gift is something the employee actually wants. It may be helpful to have an array of options for your employees to choose from, such as various gift card brands among other merchandise. The variety creates a better chance for your employee(s) to receive something they truly want and makes the gift more personal. As a member of the gift card sales industry, I may be a bit biased towards offering gift cards as employee gifts, but after watching the growth and seeing the successes of using gift cards in the corporate world, I can't help but share!
» left by Jennifer Landers 1 year 337 days ago.
Michelle - I agree, gift cards are not the most personal but it provides the receiver the ability to get what they want which in the big scheme of things is what matters. In our hyper fast business world, picking individual gifts for each employee is not practical.
 
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