Company Gifts Every Employee Hate

Managers often overlook the fact that their business gifts to their employees mean more than just a giveaway. Coffee mugs, water bottles emblazoned with the company’s logo, and even gift cards to stores that employees never visit. It lacks personalization and, often, doesn’t entail any sense of genuine care or thought about them. That’s why we have collected some ideas here to help you when thinking of the right workplace gift-giving. 

Almost 3 in 4 workers don’t prefer getting business gifts with their company logo on them, according to a survey conducted by Snappy, a New York City-based employee engagement company. Employees ultimately feel when receiving such gifts that they are a walking billboard, with the company being the main focus, not the recipient. Thus, they end up feeling less cared for and less appreciated.

In research conducted of 100,000 employees by Paul White, the co-author of The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, president of Appreciation at Work, and a Ph.D. in psychology, White clearly states that leaders need to be interested in the meaning of their gifts. Instead of focusing on what he calls a thoughtful process, managers should understand that the thought behind the gift is what really counts. So, adjusting their gift-giving practices will do a lot of benefits than one would think.

Very often, managers give their employees things they don’t really need or know how to use. For example, they gift them pins, plaques, or a gift card to a store they had never visited before. Instead of doing that, leaders should choose something practical or multi-function for employees to utilize happily and feel cared for. That doesn’t mean it has to be very expensive or limited-edition gifts. Instead, it can be a multi-purpose backpack, a personalized water Thermo bottle, a gym pack, or even a mini pouch. 

Leaders need to understand that gifts carry a deeper meaning for each employee and worker. So, by giving the business gifting the proper thought, you can definitely get your people something they love, appreciate, and, above all, feel cared for.