Christmas gifts for employees
Every year not only are your loved ones happy to receive Christmas gifts but gifting employees and customers is also part of good manners for companies. However, topics such as the budget for employee gifts or the right selection for different tastes are always hotly debated.
We have compiled the ultimate gift guide for employee gifts and top original and sustainable gift ideas. These Christmas gifts are guaranteed not to end up in a drawer or wastebasket immediately.
Content:
Why Christmas gifts for employees?
Gifts for employees: How expensive can they be?
The most important criteria for original employee gifts
- Sustainability is the key
- High quality, just like the employee
- Durability instead of disposability
- Personalization makes the difference
- Fancy, but not over the top
Top Christmas gifts for employees and customers
- Wellness gifts: relaxation for soul and body
- Gadgets galore: gifts for technology enthusiasts
- Practical gifts for the office and home office
- Giving experiences and doing good
- Individual and diverse
Conclusion: Gifts for employees and customers pay off
What is the point of Christmas gifts for employees?
The question of employee gifts for Christmas usually comes to the end of the to-do list in the company's end-of-year spurt and is dealt with at short notice. At some point, entrepreneurs ask themselves: Is the effort for employee gifts worth it?
The answer, in short, is yes. Whether you celebrate it or not, Christmas symbolizes community and appreciation of fellow human beings. These factors are also significant for team cohesion and a good working atmosphere. Even a small token of appreciation conveys your employees' recognition for services rendered, motivation for the future, and an interpersonal "thank you".
There are also pragmatic reasons for the employee gift: In times of a shortage of skilled workers and high fluctuation rates in companies, additional bonuses and benefits can positively affect employee loyalty and boost satisfaction. In addition, social media postings about gifts, Christmas parties, etc., strengthen your employer's brand among applicants, strengthen your employer's brand among applicants.
Gifts for employees: How expensive should they be?
Opinions differ regarding the budget for Christmas gifts for employees because, in principle, every company is free to decide how much it spends on gifts. A good guideline, depending on the location and country of the company, is the upper tax limit for "non-cash benefits". In Austria, for example, individual gifts of up to 186 euros are tax-free, while in Germany, the upper limit is already 44 euros. On average, companies internationally spend between 15 and 100 euros on employee gifts.
The budget you ultimately decide on depends on the company's size, financial resources and individual aspects. However, every employee must receive a gift of equal value.
The most important criteria for original employee gifts
To ensure that your employees get both pleasure and benefit from the Christmas gift, you should pay attention to some basic points.
- Sustainability is the trump card
In addition to running a green office, you should also pay attention to the central cornerstones of sustainable products regarding employee and promotional gifts: environmentally friendly materials, CO2-saving and fair production, recyclable packaging and regional production wherever possible.
- High-quality, like the employees
Giving employees a mass-produced promotional product or an inferior product for Christmas also signals their interchangeability. With qualitative gifts carefully selected and produced, you reflect the value of your staff.
- Durability instead of disposable products
Make a statement against the throwaway society by choosing gifts that have a longer use or can be reused.
- Personalization makes the difference
For larger businesses, it will be hard to know each employee's personal likes or dislikes. Nevertheless, give gifts a personal touch; a handwritten dedication or handing the gift personally with a few appreciative words will do the trick.
- Fancy, but not excessive
Gifts to everyone should make the company culture and identity visible, as unique and original as it is - sports-loving, gadget-fanatic, coffee-addicted, playful etc. Be careful not to go too overboard with the creativity; commonalities of the team and benefits are the main focus.
Gustav for businesses: access our Christmas promotion for businesses
Top Christmas gifts for employees and customers
We have collected the best ideas for original Christmas gifts with added value to save you headaches and long research.
Wellness gifts: relaxation for body and soul
The last few years have taken a lot out of us, all the more reason to invest in the health and mental well-being of colleagues:
- How about a yoga class or massage treatments? Feel free to give team members a choice to find their personal wellness experience.
- A care package for self-care in between - individually compiled with tea, fascia roller, bath salts, scented candle, healthy snacks, sleep mask, etc.
- Just take a break from the chaos of work. The original products from Ostrich Pillow make it possible! For example, the "napping pillow" creates a small sleeping cave on the go; the ergonomic neck support is less noticeable.
Gadgets galore: gifts for technology enthusiasts
You don't have to be an IT nerd to enjoy useful and chic electronic tools - the right gadget exists for every occasion:
- Noise-cancelling headphones are worth their weight in gold in noisy office environments or public transportation.
- Motivate your employees with fitness tracker wristbands to top athletic performances - or at least to more walking in everyday life.
- Powerbanks for cell phones and tablets are affordable, handy and stylish nowadays. Ideally, you'd like to have several of them at home, in the office, on the road, etc.
Practical for the office and home office
Mobile tools are essential in desk sharing, activity-based, and hybrid working. On the other hand, small details and personal items create a unique feel-good atmosphere.
- The portable Office Toolbox by Gustav is a laptop stand and multifunctional desk organizer. Thanks to durable materials and minimalist design, your team can use the toolbox for many years and easily personalize "their Gustav" in the process. Gustav for businesses: access our Christmas promotion for businesses
- A bonsai tree provides a different kind of greenery. This beautifies the room and improves the air quality - according to Japanese tradition, pruning the mini trees is like an artistic practice.
- Digital photo frames combine the wide selection and mobility of digital photos with the nostalgia of personal pictures in classic frames.
- Plastic packaging and disposable containers were yesterday - sustainable water bottles and lunchboxes made from materials such as steel, glass or renewable resources are the future.
Giving experiences and doing good
It doesn't always have to be a materialistic gift; after all, Christmas is also the time to think of fellow human beings and spend moments together.
- Team events create community and deepen relationships - the spectrum ranges from a joint cooking class or excursion to a cultural evening with a visit to a restaurant.
- The Rest Day, i.e. an additional day off per year, is becoming increasingly popular as a gift. Every employee can choose their well-deserved break.
- Professional development should be offered by the company anyway, but a nice gift is a course for personal development. It is best if your employees choose from various courses offered by an institute - from pottery, sewing or music making to language courses or digital coaching.
- Donation gifts are high on the list in the current time of crisis. Organizations such as the Red Cross, Caritas or CARE offer a wide range of options, from sponsorships to care packages for those in need.
Individual and diverse
If you want to give something that is individual yet suitable for a large group of people, you don't have to reach for a gift certificate. These ideas are personal yet versatile:
- Personalized notebooks are the insider's tip for Christmas 2022. Each employee can create their personalized notebook from a selection of cover bindings, lettering, paper types and extras like calendar overviews.
- Awaken the creative and exploratory sides of your employees with DIY sets. Depending on their preferences, you can order such things as sets for do-it-yourself beer brewing, soap making, herb garden growing, origami folding, etc.
- If you have a team of travel enthusiasts, a scratch-off world map is a right choice. By scratching off the countries, the decorative poster gradually shows which places you have already travelled to.
Conclusion: Gifts for employees and customers pay off
What is often forgotten in the pre-Christmas rush: Giving presents is at least as much fun as receiving them! And even small gifts to employees, customers and business partners have added value for long-term relationships and a good working atmosphere. Well then, happy gift-giving!
Gustav for businesses: access our Christmas promotion for businesses which is valid until 20th of October 2022.
