Gift-giving is an age-old tradition that promotes harmony and establishes strong relationships. Giving gifts to employees helps them feel appreciated and seen as a member of your team. But there is a way to go about it that ensures that everyone is happy without breaking the bank.
Keep reading to answer the question we’re all asking, ‘how much should you spend on employee gifts?’
What are the best gifts to give?
Psychologically the two best types of gifts to give are experiential gifts and personalized promotional gifts. These gifts create memories that last a lifetime. These make people feel special and foster a sense of belonging.
As an employer, it’s difficult to offer experiential gifts on a regular basis, especially if you have a very large team. These gifts are best held as events every 4-6 months. Personalized gifts are easier to offer when you want to show your team some appreciation. They also come in handy during team events.
Our website offers small items that you can engrave to personalize like keychains, awards, and stainless steel water bottles.
In a survey by Office Depot, 80% of employees believed it was the thought behind a gift that mattered most. This means, as long as your intention is to offer something unique that you believe employees will love, you can’t go wrong with your gift.
How much should you spend on employee gifts?
The amount you spend on gifts for your employees depends on how many employees you have and your relationship with each. Gifts that are too budget/economical may come across as impersonal or “cheap.” Gifts that are very expensive may inadvertently make employees uncomfortable.
Typically you want to spend more than $25 per employee but less than $100. An exception to this is for team members you work closely with like an assistant or other management. This price range offers a myriad of quality options that still fall within your company budget.
Our website makes it easy to shop 100s of branded gifts for your team by product or price range. From kitchen items to health and wellness gear, you’ll find something for everyone in one spot.
Gifts to Avoid
Avoid gifts that are overly personal like body care products, perfumes, lotions, etc. Gifts that are for an individual employee however may be different. For example, you may want to get a personal or heartfelt gift for a retiring employee, as a wedding gift, or as a baby shower gift. In these circumstances, customized gifts are welcome and more accepted.
You also want to avoid getting gifts that suit some employees but not others. For example, we carry an assortment of golf-related promotional gifts. All of your employees may not be into golf. In these situations, you should consider gifts that will be beloved by many. Alternatively, you may opt for a gift everyone can use like notebooks, planners, and pens.
Gift giving is a time to show employees that you value them. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to do that but you do want to take price into consideration. If you have a smaller team, you can spend more and offer more personalized touches and consider higher-priced options. For large teams nearing 100+ employees, it’s reasonable to spend less. In those cases, less expensive items with your logo and their name engraved can go a long way to creating a sense of belonging. How much do you spend on employee gifts?