It’s almost Black Friday- the start of the gifting season. We know of firms that have long-standing traditions in their employee appreciation this time of year. We also know firms that don’t do anything at all! For those of you in charge of coming up with last-minute ideas, here are a few ideas that we have seen throughout the years.
Wrapping Paper Set: One of the most practical gifts we have seen employers give to their employees is a wrapping paper set. It typically includes different patterns of paper, bows, name tags, and tape. It’s the gift that makes gifting easier for your team.
Car Detailing: We have a client firm that hired a detailing service for their employees. The employees shared the feedback that it was a “nice to have” service that they don’t normally spend on themselves.
Dinner/Party: The holiday dinner or party is still the most common holiday gift we see for many firms and practices. What makes the difference here is whether significant others are invited or not, which, for large firms, may not be feasible. Whether this is hosted at an owner's house or at a restaurant.
Subscriptions Paid: We have seen employers subscribe to “Master Class” memberships for their employees. Netflix and Spotify can be a challenge, but we have seen some practices get creative in other media offerings as gifts to their employees.
Family Day: Some practices will use more family-themed events as their holiday gift to their employees. We have seen practices rent out skating rinks, host a breakfast with Santa, and hold holiday train shows.
Wearable “Merch”: There is merchandise branded for the company that your employees will only wear to bed, and there is Merch that they are proud to wear outside the house. We have seen practices go with higher-end zip-ups, vests, and even customized sneakers.
Holiday Bonus: We have seen more practices move away from a “holiday bonus” in recent years. This is because a firm may have another gift to give its employees. It is also because there are many firms that don’t want to muddy any “year-end discretionary” bonuses based on firm health and growth with a “holiday” bonus.