Perfect Christmas Gift Ideas For Your Employees
If you run a company that has had a successful year you might want to share the success and purchase some Christmas gifts for your staff.
Christmas shopping for employees is not always easy and there are many things to consider.
The number of staff is one factor, if you have a large number of employees then it may be difficult to settle on a gift idea that will be suitable for everyone.
If you choose to select items especially for each person then you may risk them talking about the gifts and getting jealous if they think someone has received a more expensive gift than they have.
In this article I'll discuss some of the issues and how you can overcome them.
Issue 1 - Favouritism Favouritism is the cause of many issues in the office environment and something all bosses should carefully consider when Christmas shopping for employees.
You should assume that any gift you buy will be discussed and compared, so be careful not to select any gifts which could be seen as favouritism.
One way to avoid this is to buy the same gift for everyone.
While this may seem impersonal office politics should take precedence over sentiment.
You may opt to buy more expensive gifts for the senior management team but this is acceptable.
Try and make sure that each group of employees receives the same gift, or a gift of the same value.
Issue 2 - finances Unless you've had an especially bumper year Christmas shopping for staff can become expensive, especially if you have a large number of employees.
In this case you may consider giving token gifts, especially if you are paying for them out of your own pocket.
Some companies allow their managers to expense the purchase of staff Christmas gifts as it is considered positive for morale.
You should check your policy before buying the gifts to determine the acceptable amount that you can spend.
Issue 3 - making sure it's appropriate Another difficulty you may face is selecting a gift that would be appropriate for all employees.
Bottles of wine have always been a popular option, but what if the recipient does not drink for personal or religious reasons? Baked goods are also popular, but you may have employees with various food allergies.
A gift certificate to a local restaurant or retailer may well be the best option as they are likely to be appreciated and valued by all employees.
Christmas shopping for employees is not always easy and there are many things to consider.
The number of staff is one factor, if you have a large number of employees then it may be difficult to settle on a gift idea that will be suitable for everyone.
If you choose to select items especially for each person then you may risk them talking about the gifts and getting jealous if they think someone has received a more expensive gift than they have.
In this article I'll discuss some of the issues and how you can overcome them.
Issue 1 - Favouritism Favouritism is the cause of many issues in the office environment and something all bosses should carefully consider when Christmas shopping for employees.
You should assume that any gift you buy will be discussed and compared, so be careful not to select any gifts which could be seen as favouritism.
One way to avoid this is to buy the same gift for everyone.
While this may seem impersonal office politics should take precedence over sentiment.
You may opt to buy more expensive gifts for the senior management team but this is acceptable.
Try and make sure that each group of employees receives the same gift, or a gift of the same value.
Issue 2 - finances Unless you've had an especially bumper year Christmas shopping for staff can become expensive, especially if you have a large number of employees.
In this case you may consider giving token gifts, especially if you are paying for them out of your own pocket.
Some companies allow their managers to expense the purchase of staff Christmas gifts as it is considered positive for morale.
You should check your policy before buying the gifts to determine the acceptable amount that you can spend.
Issue 3 - making sure it's appropriate Another difficulty you may face is selecting a gift that would be appropriate for all employees.
Bottles of wine have always been a popular option, but what if the recipient does not drink for personal or religious reasons? Baked goods are also popular, but you may have employees with various food allergies.
A gift certificate to a local restaurant or retailer may well be the best option as they are likely to be appreciated and valued by all employees.
