Ideation Creative Brand Management is your partner in crafting amazing employee holiday gifts. We ignite creativity and deliver exceptional results. Let's get creative this holiday season.
Happy employees are productive employees. Showing appreciation for your team goes beyond boosting morale. It fosters loyalty, increases job satisfaction, and ultimately drives business success. Investing in your employees is an investment in your company's future. By choosing the right gift for your employees during the holidays or end of the year you are showing you care and understand them. Even a small token of appreciation can have a big impact.
Tip 1: Understanding Your Employees
Understanding your employees is paramount to selecting the perfect holiday gift. It’s essential to identify a diverse range of preferences and needs to ensure everyone feels valued. Gather feedback through surveys or informal conversations. Align your gift choices with your company's culture and values. For instance, a tech startup might lean towards innovative gadgets, while a wellness-focused company could opt for health and relaxation-themed gifts. By considering your employees’ individuality and your company’s identity, you can create a gift that resonates on multiple levels.
Tip 2: Set a Budget
Setting the right budget for employee gifts can be tricky. You want to show appreciation without breaking the bank. Remember, it's not about the price tag, but the thoughtfulness behind the gift. Ideation Creative Brand Management can get creative by offering options that are personalized, have thoughtful packaging and are useful for those receiving the items.
Tip 3: Personalization Can Bring Value
Personalized gifts leave a lasting impression. By incorporating employee names or interests, you show that you truly care about each individual. Technology can elevate this personalization to new heights with platforms Ideation offers like Givee. These thoughtful touches demonstrate genuine appreciation and strengthen employee engagement. I recently got a cup that allowed me to put my name on it with the Givee site and I was so excited when it came in the mail. Who doesn’t love to see their names in print? I also remember a time when we uploaded photos for each member of a team that represented their hobbies to put on a speaker so we have everything from Hello Kitty to a Gardening meme. The point is, it doesn’t have to cost more money to make it personalized and Ideation is here to help with all the necessary logistics.
Tip 4: Consider a Variety of Options
To cater to diverse tastes, consider offering a selection of branded merchandise. This could include practical items like power banks and speakers, or cozy options like sweatshirts and jackets. Balancing traditional logoed apparel with more unique tech gadgets keeps the gift interesting. Remember, the goal is to provide something employees will actually use and appreciate. By offering a variety of choices, you demonstrate that you value your employees' individual preferences while strengthening company unity through branded merchandise.
Tip 5: Focus on Wellness and Well-Being NOT Work
Investing in your employees' well-being is essential for a happy and productive workforce. Show your appreciation with gifts that promote both physical and mental health. Consider options like yoga mats or meditation kits to encourage an active lifestyle. For mental well-being, explore gifts that promote relaxation and stress relief, such as aromatherapy diffusers or cozy blankets. Many years ago I was working with Viking Sprinkler on a gift package that was for their family…otherwise known as their employees. We did a bag that was filled with games that they could enjoy with their family. On the bag it said Work Hard Play Hard to help show the importance of playing and making memories with family. We included a logoed cribbage board in it along with branded playing cards because one of the owners just loved playing cribbage and everyone knew it.
Tip 6: Surprise and Delight
The impact of unexpected and exciting gifts can create a sense of anticipation and excitement for employees. Incorporating playful elements or interactive surprises can make the gift-giving experience even more memorable. For example, you can do a backpack as the main gift but then fill it with a pen, a personalized luggage tag, a notepad, a power bank and maybe even a sweatshirt. It is like a gift that is the package that never ends. There are fun ways to incorporate a little bit of surprise, even with a simple thoughtful packaging option.
Tip 7: Employee Recognition and Appreciation
A personalized thank-you note is a powerful way to show your employees that you appreciate their contributions. It's a great way to recognize their hard work and let them know how much you value them. By taking the time to write a personalized note, you're showing your employees that you care about them and that you're grateful for their work. That isn’t always possible depending on the size of the workforce so we have tricks that can help you give the personalized experience without having to handwrite 1,000 notes for your employees.
Tip 8: Practicality and Utility
When selecting gifts for employees, it's important to choose items that they will actually use and appreciate. Consider their lifestyles and interests when making your selections. For example, if your employees are outdoor enthusiasts maybe you give them a sweet Joey TravelChair with your logo or even better your logo with a message about going outside and enjoying the moments. Ultimately, the goal is to choose gifts that are both thoughtful and practical.
Tip 9: Timely Delivery and Presentation
Timing for employee holiday gift giving is important to consider because:
- There are a lot of activities and busy schedules that are distracting
- Gifts are coming in from all over so you don’t want yours to get lost in the shuffle
- Keep in mind office closures and extended shipping times. We often get told when someone is ordering gifts last minute that they can get them as late as 12/24 but so often offices close that day so really you might as well give them out after the holidays if that is the case.
Presentation is important and will vary hugely depending on distribution. If you want to do gift bags then you need to be handing the items out in person. If you are mailing them then boxes make a lot more sense because they pack better for shipping and you can still make it a beautiful presentation. I have done a lot of gift wrapped holiday gifts for clients over the years and one thing that seems to happen is that if they have to move too many times the wrap gets messed up and the bows have to be just a tied knot so they can stack on top of each other. We do a lot more function packaging these days with the gift bags being replaced with a reusable grocery tote with a nice note gift tag, consider doing a seed paper gift tag for an added touch of usefulness. For boxes we can even do a box that converts to something like this one we did where it converted to a laptop stand.
The moral of the story here is that there is no right or wrong way to do employee gifts because there are so many factors to consider but with the right partner it can take some of the guesswork out of logistics and options that will work best. Let us know if we can help you get creative with your employee or client gifts this year.
