Christmas is the ideal time to reward staff for doing a great job. But what are the best gifts for employees? It’s a well-known fact that when you show gratitude to staff, you’re helping to build a positive workplace culture. What’s more, by ending the year on a high, you’ll help to make sure staff come back refreshed and incentivised for the year ahead.

We asked candidates what they’d most like to receive from their employers this year: nearly 70% of those asked said they’d prefer more flexibility over a salary increase. It just goes to show that some gifts aren’t always the tangible kind that you can touch and feel. Nevertheless, a little appreciation by way of a gift* can go a long way to inspire and thank staff at this time of year.

So what should you give to staff over the festive season? A lot will depend on the type of organisation you’re in, but generally, there are some fool-proof options for gifts for employees. Just remember, whatever you opt for, you should try to put a personal mark on it where possible.

Gift ideas for employees

Wine

When you buy wine by the case, it can work out to be quite a reasonable present. It’s also the perfect time of year for people visiting family and friends to bring a bottle along with them. So this kind of gift can help employees to cut costs at Christmas as they start to wind down.

Craft beers

You might even opt for a selection of craft beers which are also hugely popular these days. Of course, not everyone may want alcohol, due to religious or personal reasons, but if you have a close-knit team, you will likely know if this is the case.

Food hampers

A food hamper is a classic Christmas gift and can be personalised with all sorts of edible treats. Choose chocolates, preserves, cheeses, biscuits, cooking meats, sauces, relishes, snacks and other delicious goodies.

You could go even further and brand the basket or hamper with your company logo and add a personalised card, just to help engage with employees a little more and create a positive feel-good factor as they dive into your festive goodies over the Christmas period.

Gift vouchers

This is a positively received gift that can help employees to stretch their final pay packet a little further at this costly time of year. Choose high street vouchers that can be used in a variety of shops or pick a well-known, reputable store with mass appeal like John Lewis.

The latter option gives staff a broad selection of gifts to choose from. It means they can choose something for themselves or to put towards their Christmas Day expenses like the festive dinner.

Gadgets and tech

Employees who use their own gadgets and tech are said to be more productive at work. You can always opt for affordable options like a mobile phone dock, power banks, wireless phone charging pads or bigger ticket items like wireless headphones. If your employees have long commutes, a gift like this could be very useful and shows you take a personal interest in their wellbeing.

Personalised gifts

When you add the personal touch, a gift takes on new meaning. There are lots of food products on the market that can be personalised, from personalised pork pies to drinks bottles, cakes and biscuits.

Again, if you add in a card that you’ve signed yourself, the gift will feel more thoughtful and have a lasting positive effect. When you recognise employees in this way, you can create impact and can even boost employee engagement.

Rewarding experiences

Christmas can be a stressful time of year for employees, so you could even reward staff with a pampering experience like a massage. If that’s not an option, you could give employees a half-day off or a holiday shopping day that doesn’t come out of their holiday entitlement.

This is actually a very cost-effective way of rewarding employees and creating feel-good factor, instantly boosting positive workplace culture.

Flexible working can play into this, but it should never be viewed as a company benefit, but rather a necessity to help people work and balance their other commitments.

Cash bonuses

Some companies give cash bonuses at Christmas, which can have tax implications. These are often well received but whether they have the same impact as actual gifts remains to be seen. Many psychological behaviourists state that while money satisfies, it doesn’t always have impact on daily behaviour. There will also be tax obligations for Christmas bonuses for staff.

New year, new staff

If you’re looking to hire staff into the year ahead, please contact flexible and part-time recruitment firm Ten2Two. Now is the ideal time to open up your talent pool to professionals seeking a new start for the new year.

Flexible workers can be a cost-effective way to build up your business without paying a permanent full-time salary. To find out more, contact us today. We look forward to hearing from you.

*Tax charges may apply.