Gifting for Work

Eleanor Togneri

December 3, 2019

Every year during the holiday season we create memories and stories with our family and friends. But have you thought about how to thank and gift your employees? Gifts that are personal are very special, and your employees will appreciate that you made the extra effort to think about what they would enjoy. Choose a gift that fits your budget and won’t easily be forgotten.

You can start with a card for each, hand printed and individually chosen. You can give your employees personalized gifts like a luggage tag or key chain, holiday ornaments with their family names, wine glasses with initials, a cutting board, coasters, etc.
Here is a crowd pleaser that won’t be soon forgotten — a day off with pay for each employee. Let each one pick the day from the calendar based on seniority.
How about taking your staff and their spouses and/or partners to a holiday show or to Hopelands Gardens to see the lighted holiday display? Or a gift for the employee’s family and not just for the individual? Tailor each gift to the specific family. They will be quite surprised by a gesture like that!
If you like to give gift cards, keep in mind that everyone appreciates a meal at a local restaurant. Give your employees a chance to relax and take a timeout from the stress the holiday season can create.
Many local merchants give back to the community, and receiving a gift purchased from them can be very meaningful to your employees. So, do a little research and select a merchant who deserves special recognition. Or make a donation in your employee’s name to his or her favorite charity, or give all of your employees a list of several local charities to choose from.
If your office participates in a Pollyanna or Secret Santa gift exchange, encourage your employees to bring gifts to donate to a needy cause in the community. There is no shortage of groups from which to choose!
For many years I invited my staff to my home for a holiday meal and fun activities. It was my time to do something special for them. Inviting them into my home meant a great deal to me and to them. We dressed in holiday attire and took lots of photos. The only thing they had to do was show up and enjoy the celebration. I gave them each a different, personally selected gift. I wrote each one a letter and included lottery tickets for fun. This tradition continued for years and created many fun stories and memories. If you have many team members this can be difficult to do at your home, but the same could be accomplished at an outside venue.

Gift giving is not about how much you spend. It’s about the meaning and how it makes the person feel when he or she receives the gift. Use this time to create a wonderful holiday story that is unique and special. It can take a bit of creativity and time but will be much appreciated and is so worth the effort!

Eleanor Togneri

Eleanor Togneri is the owner of Business ExSellence, Consulting Services and Employee Training. She has over 35 years experience in the business world. In addition to the WIN group she manages a group for business men and women called BEN that has a network lunch each month at Woodside Plantation Country Club. She offers Lunch and Learn sessions on soft skills eight times a year in Aiken as well as custom classes for area businesses.

Eleanor Togneri

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