Gifts | The Best Way to Reward Your Staff This Christmas

The office Christmas party has long been a staple of the festive season. A time for junior and senior staff to mingle as they celebrate on the company’s dime. But it’s not just a nice thing for businesses to do, celebrating staff can have tangible effects. A report by McKinsey has shown that workplace recognition increases effectiveness by over 20% and can improve overall company engagement by more than 50%. At the same time, happy staff will stay in jobs seven times longer than unhappy staff, while also providing customers with better service.

But times are changing – now, Blackhawk Network finds just one in ten employees says they want a Christmas party. The cost of living is also rapidly rising around what is traditionally one of the most expensive times of year. In other research from Blackhawk Network it found that almost all consumers (97%) are concerned by the cost of living, and 70% are going to be cutting back this Christmas season compared to last year.

But with Christmas parties out and businesses and employees alike having to cut costs, how can they show employees they are appreciated while both gaining during this difficult time?

The importance of the right gift

What staff really want is a meaningful gift – something their employer has put thought into, rather than an obligatory handout at the end of the year. Blackhawk Network’s research reported that 86% of employees felt valued when they received rewards like gift cards. Unfortunately, the research also found that 60% of employees thought their employers were bad gifters – with some handing out empty hamper baskets, out-of-date food, and even toilet roll.