5 Christmas Gifts for Staff that Boost Morale and Engagement
While many of us don’t like thinking about Christmas until it’s just around the corner, it’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas gifts for your staff and colleagues. A sizable 86% of employees report hoping to receive some form of festive gift from their employer, so it’s important to ensure that your company doesn’t leave a legacy of disappointment after a long year of hard work and accomplishment.
Rewarding your workforce with staff Christmas gifts is a great way to boost morale, strengthen your office culture and improve employee satisfaction. However, finding thoughtful gift ideas that elicit a positive reaction can be tricky. Luckily, we’re taking the hard work out of this difficult process with a list of 5 staff Christmas gifts that are guaranteed to get your employees feeling appreciated, motivated and full of festive spirit.
Contact us today for more memorable gift ideas, and to learn more about how Red Letter Days Corporate can maximise employee engagement at every level of your business.
Why Employee Christmas Gifts Matter to Your Business
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that staff Christmas gifts don’t impact the strength and bottom line success of a business. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Extensive HR research has shown that recognising your employees with gifts, rewards and non-financial incentives has a positive impact on motivation and performance within any professional organisation. This boost in engagement and productivity comes from offering meaningful gestures of appreciation on a regular basis, but few better opportunities exist than December’s giving season.
It’s well known that a happy and motivated workforce is essential in creating a strong organisational culture, but many leaders underestimate the impact it can have on a business’ bottom line. One report from Gallup found that companies experience a 23% boost in profitability and 18% greater sales productivity when their employees feel engaged at work, only strengthening the argument for practising due consideration when selecting Christmas gifts for your staff.
What Staff Christmas Gifts Do Employees Actually Want?
In today’s competitive landscape of strong company cultures and enviable employee benefits, recognising your employees in a thoughtful and individualised way is crucial to retaining top talent. Recent surveys report that almost 70% of employees have received a gift from their employer that they didn’t want or use, contributing to feelings of resentment and workplace disengagement. This can potentially be disastrous when observed on a company-wide basis, emphasising the importance of taking a diligent approach to your staff Christmas gift ideas.
Today’s employees value Christmas gifts that reflect their unique tastes, interests and personalities. Generic and mass-produced items generally fail to convey an adequate level of appreciation, while gifts that are not practically useful or relevant often go unused. Rewarding your employees with meaningful, personalised items and experiences should be your top priority when selecting staff Christmas gifts. As many as 66% of young-to-middle-aged workers prefer experience gifts over physical items, due to their unique ability to create powerful memories that tend to outlast the use of tangible presents.
5 Staff Christmas Gift Ideas to Engage Your Employees
We know how important a careful selection of staff Christmas gifts can be, but what fresh ideas can you bring to your business this giving season? From unforgettable experience days to charitable donations, here are 5 Christmas gift ideas that guarantee an original, authentic and meaningful festive season for your workplace.
1. Experience Gifts
Unique, memorable and easily tailored to any employee’s interests — personalised experience gifts tick all the boxes of what a great staff Christmas gift should be. From unforgettable attractions and tours to show tickets and short breaks in some of the UK’s finest hotels, we offer a range of experience gift vouchers that are rooted in the power and joy of making memories.
If you need employee Christmas gifts for a large group of people or simply want to streamline the buying process, head over to our corporate Christmas gifts hub for a full breakdown of our festive offering.
2.Thoughtful Gestures
Christmas is the one time of year when acts of kindness and generosity are at their most meaningful, so why not subvert expectations by swapping out the standard physical gifts for a thoughtful gesture?
Whether it’s an extended period of office shutdown, extra paid time-off or a personalised workplace awards ceremony, extending a touch of kindness is a great way to make your staff feel appreciated over the festive season. If you’re struggling to come up with the perfect gesture to treat your team, check out our inspiration section for a full range of new and trending gift ideas.
3.Personalised Gift Boxes
Personalised gift boxes, baskets and hampers are classics among staff Christmas gifts for good reason. They’re affordable, widely-appreciated and can easily be personalised with all of your employee’s favourite festive items. From local delicacies to luxury self-care products, customised wine bottles to a copy of their favourite book — there are endless ways to fill a festive gift basket with treats and trinkets that let your employees know you care.
If you’re looking to get really creative, our experience gift boxes can be filled with vouchers for thousands of different experiences and come with an extensive two-year validity period — ensuring that your employees get exactly what they want for Christmas, and giving you plenty of time to plan and prepare.
4.Charitable Donations
Christmas is a time for generosity and giving, so it should come as no surprise that almost half of employees appreciate some of their festive gift funds going to charity. You can personalise this employee Christmas gift by selecting a charity which aligns with your company values, or has a close connection to one or more of your team members.
You could take this festive gift a step further by orchestrating a company fundraising event, and donating proceeds to your chosen charity. Holiday trivia nights, gingerbread house decorating and Christmas carol sing-along sessions are all a perfect fit for the festive season, and present a great opportunity to promote cooperation and friendship among your employees.
5.Gift Vouchers
While the ideas discussed so far will undoubtedly make your employees feel appreciated, giving your staff the chance to select their own Christmas gifts is often the most effective option. One study from a leading HR consultancy found that 78% of employees feel more motivated and engaged when rewarded with a gift card from their employer, and the associated sense of freedom and choice is often the best gift of all.
From fancy restaurants to high street retailers, travel companies to specialty stores — just about every business offers some kind of voucher programme, many of which allow you to purchase and personalise your gift card online. At Red Letter Days, we offer £50, £100 and £150 gift cards which can be used flexibly on any of our experience gifts.
Find Meaningful Christmas Gifts for Your Staff with Red Letter Days Corporate
Finding the perfect staff Christmas gift isn’t easy, but it’s an essential part of ensuring that your employees stay engaged and motivated. Every engaged business leader wants to end the calendar year on a high note, and there’s no better way to celebrate your employees’ work and achievements than with meaningful gifts that make them feel appreciated.
From gift vouchers and baskets to charitable contributions and personalised experience days, the ideas listed above present the perfect opportunity to give your employees a truly unforgettable festive experience in the workplace. Get in touch with our friendly team today for more creative Christmas gift ideas, and to learn how you can forge a satisfied, engaged and loyal workforce that thrives in every season.