Why It’s Good Business To Give Employee Christmas Gifts
The employer-employee relationship has received a lot of attention in the media recently. The pandemic forced many companies to adapt to working from home and many debates have risen concerning the pros and cons of this. Despite some resistance, mainly from businesses, it does seem likely that many will have to adjust to employees working from home or requesting more flexibility and this has drawn attention to the employer-employee dynamic.
Obviously, buying employee Christmas gifts is not going to solve any real problems with HR. However, the gifts you give staff can say a lot about how much value you place on their contribution. So it's worth some thought.
Unsurprisingly, protests against home and flexible working are loudest from those who may have reason to believe their employees are not loyal enough to work as hard if given these privileges. It is usually businesses that view their company as a collaboration of creativity and ideas, as opposed to a more parent-child relationship between them and their employees, who are far keener to adapt to unconventional working practices. In short, respect, trust and genuine care go a long way to building loyal employee-employer relationships. So, how can you reflect this in your gift-giving?
A luxury gift once per year will not make up for a salary that does not honour talent or tackle a toxic work environment. However, the right Christmas gift box for an employee can help to draw attention to your appreciation of them and nurture the relationship.
Why Give Employees Gifts At Christmas?
Employers often gift employees at certain milestones, such as employment anniversaries or after periods of hard work or success. Christmas falls at a particularly good time to reward hard work and loyalty. To be clear, we’re not promoting gifting in any way as a bribe. Aside from being unethical, it is also not effective.
January though is a popular time for finding a new job. Many hiring managers would have received new budgets and reshuffles often take place in the New Year. In addition, January is one of the most popular months for us to review our life choices and make all kinds of resolutions. So it's an important date in the calendar to remind employees why they chose to work for you.
Employee Christmas gifts therefore should not be given with reluctance. They should be measurable against the size and profit of the company and they should be somewhat personal. A business that gifts its employees with company-branded paperweights is not demonstrating a sense that they view their staff as whole people with lives outside of the office. We recommend using the Christmas gifting tradition to connect with those who keep your business going.
Why Employee Christmas Gifts Should Reflect Your Values
Younger generations are becoming increasingly determined that their work reflects their values. Choosing companies who do good, operate sustainably and are ethical is important in choosing where to work and if they choose to stay in their roles. Often, as companies grow and become answerable to investors, it can be easy to drift away from values. Yet, they must be present in all that you do, especially if they have ever attracted clients or talent. Employee gifts, therefore, should reflect your values.
If you operate sustainably, this must extend to the gifts you give at Christmas. Out Of The Box specialise in sustainable corporate gifts with a focus on self-care and ethical luxury .
However, even if sustainability is not relevant to what you do, it is worth ensuring your gifts are eco-friendly, in case these are values members of your staff hold. Check out our Reusable Coffee Cup, made out of single-use coffee cups.
Other values might include supporting small businesses or buying local, in which case, you will want to incorporate this into your gifting choices. Or, perhaps you support a charity from whom you can purchase gifts so that profits made are pumped back into causes you and your employees care about.
How Do You Make Employee Christmas Gifts Personal?
It’s not always easy to make gifts personal. Especially with fixed budgets and an honourable resolve to be financially fair. Yet, let’s not mistake personalised for personal.
Personal gifts lift our mood. They are nurturing and make us feel valued. They are, basically, a gift for the person. Desk calendars, branded merchandise and vouchers do not, therefore, make the grade.
Instead, focus on something to gift your employees with that does not have anything directly to do with the workplace or their job. Recognise that your employees have a life outside of the office and that the holidays are a time for them to enjoy this. If your gift can assist them in doing this then it’s not only going to make them feel appreciated, it’s going to help them return refreshed after the holidays.
Uplifting gifts that promote self-care are a wise choice. These gift types include candles , chocolate or wellbeing gifts such as our Positivity Planner . They feel personal and yet are gratefully received by everyone.
Can’t choose just one gift? We offer bespoke wellbeing gift boxes that are eco-friendly and ethically sourced. There is no minimum order, we can incorporate your branding and we will even plant a tree for every purchase made. Get in touch today to talk about the gifts that will make your employees feel truly valued.
