Showing gratitude through gift giving has long been a method of building relationships and morale between family, friends, and, of course, businesses. Everyone enjoys receiving a token of appreciation, and it feels great to be generous. Very often, a small gift goes a long way, and in the corporate or business world, it’s imperative to keep up with the competition by giving employee gifts regularly. Demonstrating employee appreciation is a key feature to recruiting and retaining talent. One of the best returns on investment is demonstrating that you value every team member, so that your business can flourish.
Here are some of the key reasons why you can’t afford to skimp on the gift-giving this year, and some guidance on when to give gracefully.
1. Increase happiness, joy, and flow at your company with employee gifts
Help your employees show up to work every day with a smile on their faces. Gifts for employees will boost morale and demonstrate that your company values its people. Building healthy and meaningful relationships is imperative to the success of a company, and corporate employee gifts give both the givers and the receivers something to feel good about. In today’s mental health landscape, anything to lift people up and enhance quality of life is priceless.
When employees are happy and focusing on their job, they are also more likely to enter into a flow state with their heightened concentration. Flow state happens when people are working towards a goal and engaging with an activity that is both challenging and appropriate for their skill level. Feelings of happiness and joy have been demonstrated to be associated with flow state. Gifts that demonstrate employee appreciation can create a positive and sustainable feedback loop that increases company health and profits.
2. Increase productivity, engagement, and motivation at your workplace with gifts for employees
An organization’s generosity will generate a happier workforce and in turn, increase positive behaviors such as high productivity, motivation, and engagement. It turns out that when employees are not satisfied with how they are treated, a large amount of working hours are spent complaining to colleagues, being distracted by negative feelings, or just choosing not to work out of resentment. All of that can be prevented by employee recognition shown with gifts! Positivity is a strong motivator. A team member with pep in their step after receiving new swag will engage with their work better and be more productive.
The best part is that cheerfulness spreads! Give the employee gifts that keep on giving!
3. Save money and increase profits
There is evidence supporting that a happy, healthy, and motivated workforce increases company profits. This also leads to fewer accidents and workers’ comp claims. The ROI for showing employee recognition through gifts for employees is undeniable. Students show that $4-$6 is returned for every $1 spent investing in the safety, health, and well-being of employees. Now that’s a lot of extra cash in hand!
4. Improve retention rates and company allegiance
Training and re-training new hires is stressful and will weigh down the productivity of a team. Having a high employee turnover rate and low retention is expensive! Don’t let that happen to your brand and company. Show your workforce that they are valued with employee appreciation gifts.
5. Enhance your brand and show it off
A company that is known for treating its employees well is attractive. That means that corporate employee gifts literally improve your brand. If gifts include company logos, then your labor force acts as marketing and gets your brand out into the world. That means that employee gifts can benefit the workforce and also double as advertising. Social imprints are leading experts in the field and can help you get the best-looking swag around.
6. Demonstrate that employees are valued and appreciated
Everyone needs to know that their company values them. Employee appreciation is necessary to support productivity and motivation. After a major milestone is met or a big deal is closed, show employee recognition. Sending a symbol of their hard work and success will go a long way to support your entire labor force.
7. Increase team togetherness and connectivity with unique gifts for employees
Many people work remotely these days. Finding ways to bring people together and increase connection will bolster teamwork. Celebrate success by giving unique gifts for employees like matching swag, or fun punch lines on a mug. Items with little touches of humor can support relationship building. Turn an otherwise boring virtual meeting into an inspirational rally enhanced with laughter.
Employee gifts can also improve connection and camaraderie between levels of an organization. Allotting funds for managers to give to their staff could catapult productivity into new territories and build stronger teams.
8. Improve company culture
Company or organizational culture is a driving force behind the scenes of every business. Strong culture is a feature of every successful enterprise, and weak culture is often the cause of companies going out of business. Get ahead of the curve and nurture your company culture with unique gifts for employees. Stand out and inspire them to go the extra mile.
9. Cash in on the law of reciprocity
The law of reciprocity is a simple construct – when someone does something to you, you then feel obliged to do it to them in return. This can be both positive and negative. If someone treats you poorly, you are not likely to feel inspired to be nice to them. But if you muster up the strength to be kind to them, they will feel obligated to be nice to you in return. Respect breeds respect. Some even say that this is the most powerful law in human nature. Let years of evolution fall in your favor by treating others as you wish to be treated. Generate respect and prosperity by showing gratitude with gifts.
10. Support employee safety, health, and well-being
The latest in occupational health is support for the safety, health, and well-being of employees. Giving tools, equipment, items, or edibles to support any of these key features of a strong workforce would be a wise investment. Encourage movement by gifting stand-up desks or gym memberships. Try a yoga mat or blender to support a healthy lifestyle. Make sure your workers have the best PPE they can have. Being healthy is in, and you want your workforce to be the strongest it can be, to make your brand shine.
When should you give corporate employee gifts?
In reality, you can show your employees that they are valued any day of the year, and here are some occasions where gifts are traditionally presented.
- Promotions and high achievement: When an employee’s performance has been exceptional and they receive a promotion, presenting them with a plaque of recognition or a gift card for a celebratory meal.
- Birthdays: Birthdays are very important for some, and it is wise to acknowledge employee birthdays and keep track of when gifts should be presented.
- Holidays: The holiday season is another common time to present year-end rewards and appreciation gifts. Be sure to be sensitive to what holidays employees celebrate, or keep it non-denominational.
- Anniversaries: Whether it’s a staff member who has been on board for 30 years, or a 40-year marriage, it is a kind gesture to acknowledge faithful camaraderie with a gift.
- Goal or Milestone achievement: When it’s time to celebrate a job well done, don’t hesitate to show your workforce that their hard work is paying off.
- New hires: Bringing on new talent and helping them to feel part of the team is important for long-term retention and starting things off on a good foot.
- Safety, Health, and Well-being Promotion: You want your workforce to be happy and strong. Ensure that they are headed in the right direction by giving things that support employee health.
Whatever the occasion, it’s strategic and also fun to present something special to your company members. If you need help or guidance on how to have the best ROI for gifts, reach out to Social Imprints at bizdev@socialimprints.com, and one of our product specialists will be in touch!Â