It’s unlikely that your boss has plans to give you a cute little puppy like Russia gave France this week, but can you think of some of the best gifts a boss has given you for the holiday season? Also, what would you rather your employer didn’t give you as a token of appreciation? Below you’ll find some of the most popular and least appreciated holiday gifts.
Cash is king.
According to a survey from the Advertising Specialty Institute, in 2014, companies told ASI they planned to spend $50 on each employee and $43 per client gift. CareerBuilder reports that 96 percent of employees would rather receive a cash gift than have to go to a holiday party. So if you’re still considering giving your employees an envelope with cash, it’ll go over better than the gift below.
Don’t bother with the fruitcake.
Photo by Anthony on Flickr
Only six percent of employees surveyed by Gyft, a digital gift card platform, would appreciate a fruitcake for their holiday gift. When it comes to holiday giving, it IS the thought that counts. However, if you’re giving your employees something they appreciate, they’ll feel appreciated in return and will be more likely to start off 2016 in the right way!
Gift Card Please!
In some survey results, gift cards were as desirable as cash. However, the selection of a random, difficult-to-use gift card brought rankings down among other employees. A gift card that is as good as cash can be seen as more thoughtful than a stack of cash. It can also be as appreciated if it’s good at a retailer that has a wide selection of items, or carries a selection of merchandise that your employees love. Gift cards to nice restaurants were also mentioned as a good choice.
Skip the logo’d merchandise
Company branded items ranked just above the fruitcake in terms of gifts that employees would like to receive for the holidays in the Gyft survey. The tote bag with the company logo or the umbrella with the company tagline was reportedly appreciated by 12 percent of employees. It’s ranking improved when the logo’d item was accompanied by another gift like cash or a gift card. When it was given as a standalone gift, employees said they didn’t find it very thoughtful.
If you’re worried that your holiday gift idea will not get you a round of applause, here are some places you can visit to get inspiration on what to gift your co-workers or employees. Here are 15 office-appropriate gifts in all sorts of price ranges to help. Need a gift for your boss? Here are 29 less-expensive-than-rare-wine gifts to consider. Good luck with your gifting and happy holidays!