Let's not forget
our own backyard and fail to give a corporate gift hamper to each of our
valuable employees and support group members. If you're an owner of a business,
you should give more than just the bonus to your staff if they're gone over and
above what's required of them at work. If you are a team leader, treating them
to coffee and pizza is just not the same as giving each a corporate gift hamper
to show your appreciation of their support.
While any time is
a good time to say "Thank you" with a corporate gift hamper, it is
extra special if it's done during the holidays. Your employees must be
celebrating on a budget so anything extra that's given to them as a gift would
be most welcome. It could save them some money which they could spend instead
on buying better gifts for their spouse, children, or parents.
The corporate
gift hamper has always been assumed by many to be exclusive for clients and
vendors. No one really thinks of employees as beneficiaries of the corporate
gift food basket unless they are officers and executives. Thus, imagine their
surprise if you swing by their work place and bestow a corporate gift hamper
for everyone.
The corporate
gift basket for support staff and employees is not just one way of showing your
appreciation, it is an effective confidence booster and very good for the
morale of everyone working for you. If you're not good with expressing your
gratitude, then let the corporate gift basket do the talking for you.
It would be
better if you stayed away from the remote greetings and write a personal note
instead to each employee. If you have a lot of staff working for you, that may
be difficult and time-consuming, but don't you think they deserve it? The
personal note is like a pat on the back without the innuendos that can come
with any kind of physical contact, so it's politically correct, and along the
lines of proper manners and office etiquette.
As an authority
figure giving corporate gift basket to employees, there are certain food items
that you should avoid giving. One would be alcohol since you do not want to
encourage drinking. Another would be gambling items like poker chips since that
also encourages a vice that's also potentially addicting. Instead, focus on
food items like sweets, baked items, candy, cakes, coffee, tea, cheese and
biscuits. For those you know are having budget problems, you could add a nice
ham, pasta with sauce, or some cold cuts to help them out with their Christmas
dinner menu.
You could turn
this into a team bonding activity with a budget allocated to each department,
and with that budget, they plan and prepare corporate gift basket items for
another department. They can do it themselves or hire professionals to do it
for them. Of course, surprising everyone on the last day of work before the
holiday vacation is going to be extreme. It's satisfying for you when you see
their surprised faces and happy smiles as they troop home. That would be
infinitely more satisfying than just greeting them because a corporate gift
basket can certainly lift spirits and make people feel important.
