News

Best Holiday Gifts for Employees

Are you giving holiday gifts to your employees this year? Employees love to be recognized, and holiday recognitions can set your personal or company brand apart while increasing employee satisfaction. It’s the thought that counts!

Here are some time-honored, and some totally different, employee gift ideas:

Compensation

Cash bonus
Profit sharing
Extra holiday PTO

Food

Steaks, turkey, or ham
Wine
Specialty olive oil
Prepared holiday dinner, like those offered at Whole Foods or Sprout’s

Gift Cards

Amazon
Visa
General merchandise, like Target, Walmart, or Kohl’s
Grocery
Travel, like airlines or hotels

Entertainment

Movie passes and a restaurant gift card (better if the gift card includes multiple restaurants—there’s nothing worse than getting a gift card you won’t use!)
Holiday wreath (especially if you get one from Michael’s and embellish it yourself)
Tech, like wireless headphones, an Echo Dot, an iPad or Fire tablet, or a Tile Mate
Personalized office supplies, like a high-quality pen
Catered or restaurant lunch on the last workday before holiday break, and an early release

Appreciation

Year-end wrap-up celebration with a catered meal, offering special recognition for major contributors or employees who went out of their way to get the job done (work in a theme for extra fun)
Team-building activity that includes individuals recognizing their own contributions, one thing they would like to improve in the new year, and what they appreciate about their coworkers
Thank-you or holiday card that includes the things that employee did this year that made an impact on you or the company

Thoughtful holiday gifts show employees that their contributions are valued, giving you the gift of employee satisfaction and engagement. Of course, choosing the right holiday gifts will depend on your company’s policies and your budget (that extra PTO or iPad may be a no-go!). Also be mindful to recognize each employee equally; be careful not to let closer working or personal relationships impact gift giving.

How will you use employee recognition to put a bow on 2019?

YES! News

The “better” way to conduct layoffs

Layoffs are hard on everyone. Even as business leaders and HR professionals, layoffs are one of the hardest things we have to do. Regrettably, many of us remember this from the all-too-recent pandemic layoffs. Layoffs are a reality we may soon face again as the threat of recession looms. And while we may not have […]

Resolve conflict like a champ

We’re hard-pressed to say conflict resolution is a fun or glamorous part of a Human Resources or leadership role, but it’s one of the most critical parts. How you mediate conflict impacts employee morale and retention, and also shows your leadership abilities and your willingness to tackle the tough stuff. Your conflict resolution skills can […]

Stop! and hire this candidate

It’s easy to criticize potential hires and spot reasons why we shouldn’t hire them. That one is too arrogant, that one lacks technical skills, and that one knows nothing about the company. Process of elimination, right? But too often we fail to recognize the positive reasons why we should hire someone. Positive flags can be […]

Client Testimonials

"Kathi has been an extremely reliable, knowledgeable and indispensable resource for our growing business. Anytime we had a difficult issue or needed to refine, replace or upgrade our HR communication, Kathi provided outstanding support and feedback. She is a wonderful person and an outstanding, solution oriented communicator. I can't recommend her enough to businesses who need assistance with HR strategy and support."

"Kathi is reliable, knowledgeable, and an excellent communicator. She has always been readily available to help us with all of our immediate needs, from handbooks to policies, and notices. We highly recommend her. A great team player."

"SPMD has been partnering with Kathi for almost 4 years. She is a fantastic partner to our design firm. Her experience, knowledge, professionalism and ability to problem solve is the perfect package to fit our business. Over the years she has helped us navigate many employee situations quickly and re-wrote our Employee Handbook. Kathi is always there in a heartbeat when a situation arises and has the answers and advice we need. We highly recommend Kathi!"

“Kathi provided Senior Human Resources leadership to Orqis Medical for over six years. Her effectiveness is immediate, her contributions substantial, and her ability to integrate into the employee base as a consultant outstanding. I highly recommend Kathi to any company looking for senior management help in the HR arena, without the ability to hire a full-time manager. This is a go-to person for any small, medium, or start-up company.”

Free Consultation