DO consider each employee
|
Thoughtful gifts send a strong message that you value each person enough to put in the time to choose a personalized gift. If your staff is too large for this type of approach, consider buying personalized gifts for your most valued and tenured employees and enlisting the help of other staff members to choose gifts for the rest of the team.
|
|
DO used a tiered approach
|
The level of reward that is right for the recent college graduate who does research three days a week is not the same as what you should consider for your long-standing CFO. In other words, employee gift giving is not one-size-fits all. To keep the process simple, devise several tiers of gifts if your staff is sizable and buy uniformly within those tiers. For example, you might have one type of gift for management, another for mid level and a third for temporary help.
|
|
|
DO start early
|
Last minute gifts can be spotted a mile away. Consider gifts early and buy them before supplies or long delivery times leave you short handed. Chances are you won’t have any more time as the holiday season progresses.
|
|
|
DO write personal notes
|
A brief, personal note expressing your thanks for a job well done, devotion to the company, or other contribution goes a long way toward making employees feel appreciated. This effort highlights each employee’s unique contribution to your business’ success. Acknowledgement of this contribution at holiday time communicates your appreciation even if you may not express this sentiment sufficiently throughout the year.
|
|
|
DON’T market via your gift
|
Drop the company logo from any gift you give. Including your company logo on something you give for appreciation shifts the emphasis from your staff to your company.
|
|
|
DON’T think about yourself
|
You may love fine dining and think that a gift certificate to a posh eatery is an ideal thank you while your young workforce would rather go to dinner at the latest hole-in-the-wall restaurant. If you are struggling to determine what certain members of your staff would like, enlist the help of someone on your team who knows them well.
|
|
|
DON’T get too personal
|
Certain categories of gift are off limits in order to preserve a respectable distant between you and your team. Avoid items such as clothing, liquor, books on controversial topics, personal care items and other gifts that might be taken the wrong way. If in doubt about a gift, don’t buy it.
|
|
|
DON’T be afraid to give gift certificates
|
Even if your mother raised you never to give cash as a gift, there are many forms of cash that make sense at holiday time as a means of rewarding employees. Gift certificates can now be purchased at most stores and often online. American Express offers Gift Cheques and Gift Cards which can be used at a variety of retailers
|
