Taylor packaging and promo experts highlight best tips for holiday giving

North Mankato, Minn. – Eggnog, trees, ornaments and gifts all are hallmarks of the holiday season. And while it’s a nice gesture to offer to share some eggnog with employees, more often than not, they are hoping for or expecting a token of appreciation from their employer during the holidays.

Holiday gift-giving can be a minefield for employers. Competition for talented employees is high and it’s important to ensure that your staff feels recognized and appreciated. Giving the right gift that is authentic and meaningful can ensure employees feel valued.

But what to give? The experts at Taylor, a marketing communications company with divisions that specialize in promo and packaging, have rounded up some tips to help:

• Employees want honest, authentic and individualized recognition for their hard work.
• Impactful does not equal expensive. A thoughtful gift or a gift of time can make employees feel appreciated — even more than cash rewards can.
• While appreciated, employees can come to look upon cash holiday bonuses as part of their compensation package rather than a special gift. Cash also can be automatically rolled into a family’s budget and not truly appreciated or used for a special gift.
• Making sure the gift is presented in beautiful, unique or interesting packaging is important. The way a gift looks can impact how the recipient feels about the package.
• Personalized gifts — a session with a golf pro for a golfer or a cooking class for an employee who loves to cook — reinforce that their employer knows and values them.
• If the budget doesn’t allow for a gift of significant value, consider a handwritten letter or note to show appreciation.
• If your workforce is large, consider incorporating technology to allow employees to choose a gift that is meaningful to them. Incorporating unique delivery technology will heighten the value of the accompanying gift. For example, allowing employees to choose a gift on a mobile device using a dial feature can incorporate haptic technology. This haptic technology increases emotional engagement by recreating the experience of touch or motion for the recipient.

“Giving gifts at the holidays is an important way to show appreciation,” said Mark Keeton, President of Promotional Products at Taylor. “Many employees work diligently throughout the year and this is the ideal time to say thank you.”

Ensuring employees to feel valued and appreciated is critical to ensuring a strong workforce. Taking the time to develop a thoughtful and well-presented gift can drive deeper employee engagement and is an important building block for a more engaging culture.