5 questions to ask when choosing the right corporate gifts for your employees
When attending a conference, a team building, or a corporate party, employees almost always expect to have something to take home after the event. Employers or corporate hosts can meet employees’ expectations by preparing gifts beforehand.
It is easy to pick something generic and budget-friendly, but there are a few things to consider when selecting tokens for company events. The following tips should help companies find the best corporate gifts for their employees. These are applicable all year round, too!
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- Is it useful? When listing ideas, try to keep in mind whether the item is functional. You do not want to give your employees something that will gather dust at home. Or worse, something that they will throw into the bin. A lovely but practical gift is something most people will appreciate. It can be an object they can use at home, for work, or play. If the gift is practical, employees would be more likely to keep it.
- Does it look like an ad? Too often, companies have their gifts emblazoned with their logos and taglines that are all the recipients see when they receive them. That may be good for promotional items, but that’s not the case if they’re supposed to be gifts for employees. Therefore, your corporate gifts should be tasteful and well-made and not plastered with your company logo, name, or tagline all over. That way, employees won’t feel like you’re handing out promotional items instead of giving gifts.
- Are you being stingy? When setting a budget, stay within your means but do not be cheap. This is most applicable when you have an event with employees who have been with the company for several years. Of course, you also do not want to come across as too lavish. Thus, you have to determine the right amount to spend on employee gifts. As a rule of thumb, you need to spend at least $50 on a corporate gift though you have to cap it at $200. This budget range gives you plenty of room to find plenty of room for more customizable quality corporate gift options.
- Is it packaged well? Yes, they are employees. Yes, there are a lot of them. Nevertheless, the packaging is as crucial as the gift itself. After all, what employees see first is how well the gift is presented. Presentation is key to making employees feel excited about the gifts.
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Does it have a personal touch? It is not customers or clients alone who like a personal touch, employees like it too. Even if you cannot cater to each person’s preferences when it comes to presents, companies can at least add something personal like a handwritten note. Your employees will be pleasantly surprised and delighted by the thoughtful gesture. Of course, one or two persons alone cannot do the monumental task of writing notes for a large group of people. In that case, asking for the assistance of managers or group leaders would be a good idea, as they would be more familiar with the members of their teams.
One more thing, do not leave gift buying at the last minute! The handwritten notes alone will take a while but so would making sure every item is wrapped well. If you are ordering gifts in bulk, the supplier will require some time to meet your demands. As such, consider planning corporate gifts at least three months before the event.