We are well into the autumn season and it is time to start planning your employee gifts for the end of the year. When buying gifts for your employees, there are a number of things to keep in mind. Failing to do so, could result in your staff feeling unappreciated or disappointed.
Firstly, you want to make it personal which means that you want to ensure that each of your employees receives a gift that suits their preferences. For example, if one of your employees is on a gluten free diet or if they are diabetic, you should choose a gift that suits this dietary need. If you have employees who do not consume alcohol, it’s important to ensure that their gift does not include alcohol but rather another beverage instead. Remember, just because you are choosing gifts that contain different items, you should always make sure that the value of these gifts are the same. This is the best way of preventing discussions or arguments among staff members.
Secondly, you should always look for something different each year. Think about the gifts you sent out last year and do whatever you can to match or better these gifts. It’s never a good idea to buy anything too extravagent since this will make it increasingly difficult to match or beat in the future. Pace yourself and make sure that you stick to an appropriate budget.
Thirdly, remember that not everyone celebrates the same holidays. If you know for a fact that all of your staff celebrate Christmas, then you can safely go with the Christmas theme. However, if any of your employees are of another religion, you should keep this in mind when presenting their gift. This is not to say that your other gifts cannot have a Christmas theme, but if you are ever unsure, it’s best to keep it neutral.
Finally, have your gift supplier deliver the gifts when your employees are not around. If need be, you might have to arrange for the delivery to be made to your home address. Once you have all of your gifts, you can then address each one personally. Add a name and message to each one and try to think of at least one positive bit of feedback you can give that employee in the card attached. If you need extra time to write your messages, you might like to get a headstart several days or even a couple of weeks in advance. Buy a pack of cards and write your messages out ahead of time to help relieve any pressure.