Give Gifts That Count

by Kathryn Tyler

Last year, what did you give your employees for the holidays? Mugs? Turkeys? Nothing? According to a Lands’ End Corporate Sales Employee Gift Survey, 58 percent of employees feel their employers put in a minimal amount of time and effort selecting their holiday gifts. The survey lists some of the most thoughtless gifts employees say they have received, including a ruler, can of prunes, lottery ticket, and an eraser.

In contrast, the right holiday present “shows that your employees are valuable assets to you,” says Vicki Spina, author of Success 2000: Moving Into the Millennium with Purpose, Power, & Prosperity and a consultant from Palatine, Ill.. Hilary Kleese, marketing manager for Lands’ End Corporate Sales in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, agrees: “It’s an opportunity to show employees how you feel about them and the work they’re doing. In an employee-driven market it’s important for managers to take opportunities to retain employees.”

However, many managers feel overwhelmed selecting holiday gifts for their families, let alone for their employees. And most companies don’t offer any guidance. “In the absence of well-defined gift-giving guidelines, managers are left to muddle through holidays, birthdays, and a host of other gift-giving occasions,” says Sherri Athay, co-author of Present Perfect: Unforgettable Gifts For Every Occasion and co-owner of Present Perfect Gift Consultants in Hyde Park, Utah.

So how can managers tangibly express their appreciation?

Makin’ A List, Checkin’ It Twice
Good gift-giving requires preparation. Just like Santa, make a list of the employees you need to find gifts for and brainstorm. “Shop early. You’ll save time, money, and frustration,” recommends Darcie Conran, national sales manager for the corporate gifts and incentives division of Dayton’s Hudson’s Marshall Field’s in Minneapolis, Minn. If you wait until the last minute, you may be unable to find 25 identical umbrellas.

“The main problem is managers don’t know the people they’re buying for,” says Spina. “They don’t know what their employees want.” How can you discover your employees’ hobbies, interests, and preferences? Observe employees’ work spaces. “What kind of things do they have on their desks?” asks Spina. Pictures of sailboats or a golf calendar? Enlist help. Conran recommends “asking co-workers or assistants” for suggestions.

Listen to what employees do on the weekends. Do your employees attend hockey games? Rent movies? Garden?

Pay attention at company functions. “If you have company picnics, get to know the employees’ spouses and children. You’ll learn a lot about people just from that,” suggests Spina.

Note where employees vacation. Do they go skiing in Vail? Boating on Lake Michigan? Backpacking through the Grand Canyon? “The real key is getting to know your employees beyond the workplace. Know the things that are going to be meaningful to them,” recommends Gerry Hodges, regional HR team leader at Schreiber Foods in Smithfield, Utah. Hodges annually exchanges gifts with the employees that report to him. “You can show by the gift that you’ve done some research into the kinds of things they would like.”

Or, ask the employees themselves. Larry Athay, co-author of Present Perfect, suggests that HR professionals survey employees for suggestions. “If the supervisor is asking directly, it’s awkward. The employees may be afraid of offending the supervisor. But if they can respond in anonymity,” such as through a HR professional, they can hint at what they would like to receive.

A Lump Of Coal
“A manager wants to be very careful not to unwittingly give an inappropriate gift,” cautions Cynthia Yates, author of The Complete Guide to Creative Gift-Giving. Thus, avoid gifts that are too intimate, such as perfume or toiletries. One manager, for instance, gave his female employees lipstick. Also, “clothing is not appropriate,” says Spina. The only exception is work-related clothing, such as a sweatshirt embroidered with the company logo.

“Avoid anything that seems sexist or racist. In other words, don’t give the guys in the office an expensive pen-and-pencil set and give the woman a new coffee pot,” warns Yates. Avoid “gender-specific gifts. There’s too much chance for misunderstanding.” She adds, “Gag gifts and cards with lewd jokes are inappropriate.” Sherri Athay agrees: “Bad gifts are anything that embarrasses the recipient, such as a singing telegram.”

Other gifts to avoid include tobacco, alcohol, and any food the individual abstains from for health or religious reasons. For example, a bottle of wine may be offensive to an employee who struggles with alcoholism, while a ham is not appropriate for an employee who eats kosher.

Aside from these taboos, you also want to shun gifts that appear generic or thoughtless. “The typical pens, calendars, and coffee mugs show no creativity,” says Spina. Employees ranked mugs and work-related items last in the Lands’ End survey of items they would like to receive. And, warns Larry Athay, “don’t give gifts that hint at self-improvement on the job, like a course in typing.” Additionally, be cautious of gifts featuring the company logo. “Some gifts emphasize the company more than the individual. Be careful that the logo is discrete, not plastered all over the gift,” says Conran.

Happy Holidays To Me
Gift catalogs, where employees select their own gifts, can be a good solution when you have a large number of employees of different ages and lifestyles on your list. “The advantage of the catalog is a recipient can always find something,” says Conran. “It’s low-risk - the manager doesn’t have to worry about it being inappropriate. And it’s very easy.” She adds: “A lot of people make it a fun family activity, figuring out what they want to get.”

However, it probably isn’t the best solution if you have only a handful of individuals on your list. “It saves time on the part of the giver, but it suggests that the giver didn’t care enough to take the time to find something,” says Sherri Athay. “It’s not as memorable if you pick it out yourself.” Moreover, the selection and quality of the products in gift catalogs vary drastically.

For Good Girls And Boys
What are good gifts? “Things employees typically wouldn’t buy for themselves,” says Spina. According to a survey by Present Perfect Gift Consultants, women ranked money, travel, flowers/plants, audio/video equipment, and food or candy as the most preferred gifts to receive from an employer; men ranked money, computer software/accessories, travel, tools, and audio/video equipment as their top five choices. “The things that got high scores had to do with their lives outside of the office, not something they expect as part of their employment, like an ergonomically-correct chair,” says Larry Athay.

Although cash ranked number one with both sexes, “cash doesn’t give you that residual, remembrance of the gift,” says Conran. “People use cash to pay bills and they forget about it.” To avoid this, Sherri Athay recommends presenting the money in a memorable way or to give gift certificates which “create a stronger memory bond.”

Moreover, gift certificates are easy. “Gift certificates to stores, catalogs, and restaurants are nice ideas,” says Yates. “Also, memberships in gyms, spas, or at golf courses.” An annual membership to a zoo or museum might be appreciated if the employee has children.

Tickets to a sporting or cultural event are excellent gifts. “Parking may be a real hassle for some employees. Picking up the monthly fee at the parking garage would make a great gift,” suggests Yates. Larry Athay recommends personalizing the gift. “Taking a one-size-fits-all approach gives the message that you’re just a number.

A well-thought-out gift recognizes the employee as an individual.” One way to do that is by having the gift monogrammed. “People like things with their names on them, not just the company name,” says Spina. Or, she suggests, “A well-thought-out book is really personal. Sign and date it.” A subscription to a professional or hobby-related magazine may also be appreciated.

Gift baskets can be personalized around a theme. For instance, a backpacker may enjoy a compass, water bottle, trail mix, nylon rain gear, and a bird identification book. Each employee could receive a basket related to his or her interests. You can also give gourmet baskets filled with cheeses, crackers, or chocolates. “Candy is a fairly safe gift,” says Spina. “Always give a variety with nuts in it, too, in case they don’t like sweets” or are diabetic.

The best gift, however, may be time. “Offer time off as a gift,” says Yates. Conran suggests another time-related gift: “What’s gaining in popularity are the spa packages. People are so stressed and time-starved today, it makes a wonderful, unique gift. And it benefits the employer, too, because when someone comes back after a massage over lunch” they’re more productive.

Chris Fink, vice-president of Hired Hands Massage Specialists, Inc. in Chicago, Ill., agrees. Last Christmas, she sold 150 chair massages, mainly to managers for employees. With a chair massage, which costs $45 for half an hour, the recipient sits fully clothed in an ergonomically-correct chair while the therapist rubs the neck, shoulders, and arms. “It’s a thoughtful gift that leaves a memorable impression. It helps relieve” job stress and boosts morale.

A few years ago, Al Wasserberger, president and CEO of SPG, a high tech company in Chicago, Ill. gave chair massages to the employees that had to work on Christmas Eve. The gift was a hit. He recommends, “Show the employee how much you value their individuality by choosing a gift only they would appreciate.” For instance, “I had an employee who had a fascination with mob movies, so for Hanukkah I got him the ‘Untouchables’ video and a Nerf baseball bat. Carol collects hats, so I got her a hat. Another employee is a computer engineer and likes bass fishing, so I got him bass fishing software. I didn’t spend more than $50 on any of those gifts, but the impact was huge because the people understood the gifts were specifically picked out for them.”

How much should you spend? According to the Lands’ End survey of 600 employees:

32 percent expect their employers to spend nothing

17 percent expect them to spend less than $25

18 percent expect them to spend between $25 and $45, and

31 percent expect them to spend over $45 on a gift.

Whatever you spend, be sure the gifts appear to be of comparable value. “The number one guideline is the importance of equality. Sooner or later everyone knows what the boss gave everyone else and a smart manager will keep the playing field level,” suggests Yates. But, the cost of the gift is less important than the emotional value. “If you’re looking for stuff with impact, you don’t have to spend a lot of money,” says Wasserberger.

Savvy Santas
When you need to buy for a large group of employees, gift-giving can get expensive. To save money without seeming like Scrooge, Sherri Athay recommends, “Plan ahead so you can comparison shop and avoid priority shipping charges.” And look for discounts, such as bulk discounts. “A lot of retailers offer corporate or early-bird discounts,” says Conran. Or, Spina suggests, “Check with the purchasing department to see if they have discounts with any vendors.”

Finally, Conran recommends, “Work with a corporate gift professional at a retailer to see what you can get for your money.” Corporate gift professionals or personal shoppers can save time, give you ideas, and tell you when the items you want will go on sale.

Present Presentation
One of the most obvious—but often overlooked—aspect of gift-giving is the importance of presentation. Some managers, in a rush, fail to wrap their gifts. But, “presentation is everything,” says Conran. “Gift wrap gives it that extra touch. It shows that you care and have invested some time in making it look nice. Most retailers will provide gift wrap. Some of them do it for a fee, but some will wrap for free if you purchase ‘X’ number of dollars.” Whether the store wraps the gifts or not, “keep presents as equal looking as possible,” to avoid employees feeling favored or short-changed, says Yates. “The best way to do this is to present the gift in an attractive, but simple gift bag, lined with tissue paper.”

To make your gift memorable, “present it at a time that is different from everybody else,” suggests Sherri Athay. Most importantly, “present the gift in person and say why this was the gift you chose,” recommends Kleese. If you can’t present the gift in person, enclose a handwritten card.

Concludes Yates, “If a manager takes the time to personally write a note of appreciation—and not just say something boring and predictable like, ‘You have done a fine job,’ but instead, ‘I am so impressed by your ability to handle a crisis’—that would be a gift in itself.”