‘Tis the season for gift giving and as an owner/manager, finding the right way to show your employees you appreciate them can be fraught with questions: How much should I spend? Should I spend the same amount on each employee? And if I don’t know someone well, what’s an appropriate gift that keeps it professional?
The pre-pandemic days were certainly easier; you could simply plan a holiday party or book a holiday lunch and invite everyone to attend. And while doing so is not completely out of the question, as it was during the days of lockdowns, gatherings may not be high on everyone’s to-do list.
To be clear, you don’t have to give your employees a gift. But it is certainly a nice gesture to show that you value their efforts, particularly during a year that has included multiple lockdowns, endless work-from-home days, supply chain delays, and more.
To help you out, here’s a short list of fun gift ideas:
Free days off. Who doesn’t like paid holidays? If business is typically slow in the days between Christmas and New Year’s Day, consider shutting the doors and giving everyone a few free days off. If that’s not possible, then consider giving your staff the opportunity to book a free vacation day or two in the early new year.
A self-care kit. Work life balance can be tough; show you care about your staff’s wellbeing with an at-home self-care kit. You could include everything from cozy blankets, to tea tumblers, a bottle of wine or bath salts.
Support local box. Show your favourite small businesses some love by giving gift boxes of small batch and artisan sips, sweets and snacks.
Extra money in the bank. Sometimes the best gift comes in the form of cash. If sales have been good, consider giving everyone a holiday bonus.
Whatever you choose to give, take the time to write a personal note of thanks. If your staff is small, make the effort to write individual notes; if it is larger, write a general heartfelt letter to all. Your staff will be pleased about the time and thought you put into appreciating their efforts.
From all of us at SFD Professional Corporation…Happy Holidays!