Employee Gift Giving Etiquette Guide

A gift card, really? Your employees love getting gifts during the holiday season, but there are reasons why giving a store gift card is not the ideal way to go. Why not give them something that looks like you spent some time considering what to buy? You'll get points for being a caring boss, and they'll enjoy a holiday gift.

Choosing a thoughtful gift for your employees can make for a great holiday season, but you must carefully decide what will be both appreciated and appropriate. Don't buy overly pricey gifts. This can make employees uncomfortable and look like you're trying to ensure their loyalty, according to CBS Money Watch. Be thoughtful with useful and personalized gifts, but don't go too personal. A hand-knitted sweater probably isn't the best idea.

Fun Experiences

Instead of giving out physical objects, give the gift of a fun experience. If you give everyone the day off to enjoy it, you'll turn your gift into a team-building exercise. If your local team is doing well this year, buy everyone a ticket. You'll turn rooting for the team into a company-wide obsession. Give everyone a taste of the good life by buying them a gourmet cooking classes. Most cooking schools hold weekend classes for the general public, and some include wine tastings, as well. For a relaxed and serene staff, get everyone a massage right before a big sales push or busy season.

Gender Neutral

In today's sensitive times, it's smart to choose gender neutral gifts. The days of giving perfume for women and whiskey for men is long gone. The odds are good that half of your staff would like different, anyway. Choose something that everyone can love, like Christmas gift baskets. Skip the traditional basket full of holiday cookies and go for something more fun, like a DVD and snacks, wine glasses and a couple of bottles, or even kids' toys and retro candy. Electronics such as MP3 players or eBook readers are always popular choices, and good for men and women alike.

The Gift of Giving

If you've had a particularly good year, your people may not actually need another holiday gift. Why not take the money and make someone else's holiday special? Check with local charities to find the name of a couple of needy families, and give each employee a gift card so they can shop for family members. Plan a holiday party including Santa, decorations, and lots of good food, and invite the families as well as your team members. The feeling everyone will get from making the kids happy on Christmas will be a fantastic gift.

Dinner With the Boss

The most valuable commodity in some companies is access to upper management. Make total access to you part of a memorable gift. Work out a schedule so that you can take every one of your employees to dinner one night in the next month or two. Give a card with the date and name of the restaurant. In the designated date, you and each single employee will enjoy a nice meal, and you'll listen to anything the employee wants to bring up with you. Whether it's scheduling problems, HR issues or workplace suggestions, treat every idea with respect and promise to do what you can to find an agreeable solution to his or her problems.

About the author

Nancy left the nonprofit world to write full-time about small business management.

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