"

Corporate
gifts present a good opportunity for
employers to express their feelings about their employees and their performance.
Thoughtful presents communicate to employees how valuable they are to their
organizations and can therefore be used as tools for employee retention. Good
gifts are those that people would not normally buy for themselves but would
like to have nonetheless. Tips for discovering employees' preferences and for
gift-giving are offered.

Thoughtful gifts for employees express appreciation for a job well
done.

What did you give your employees for the holidays last year? Mugs? Turkeys?
Nothing?

According to a Lands' End Corporate Sales Employee Gift Survey, 58
percent of employees believe their employers expend minimal time and effort
selecting their holiday gifts. Among the most thoughtless gifts
respondents said they had received: a ruler, a can of prunes, a lottery, ticket
and an eraser.

In contrast, the right holiday present "shows that your employees are
valuable assets to you," says Vicki Spina, a consultant in Palatine, Ill., and
author of Success 2000: Moving into the Millennium with Purpose, Power &
Prosperity (John Wiley & Sons, 1997).

Hilary Kleese, marketing manager for Lands' End Corporate Sales in
Dodgeville, Wis., agrees: "It's an opportunity to show employees how you feel
about them and the work they're doing. In an employee-driven market, it's
important for managers to take opportunities to retain employees."

Of course, many managers are busy enough during the holiday season with
buying gifts for their families, let alone their employees. And most
companies don't offer any guidance. "In the absence of well-defined gift-giving
guidelines, managers are left to muddle through holidays, birthdays and a host
of other gift-giving occasions," says Sherri Athay, co-author of Present
Perfect: Unforgettable Gifts For Every Occasion (Stellar Publishing,
1996) and co-owner of Present Perfect Gift Consultants in Hyde Park, Utah.

So how can managers tangibly express their appreciation?

MAKING A LIST, CHECKING IT TWICE

Thoughtful gift giving requires preparation. Just like Santa, make a list of
the employees you want to present with gifts and then brainstorm. "Shop
early. You'll save time, money and frustration," recommends Darcie Conran,
national sales manager in Minneapolis for the corporate gifts and
incentives division of Dayton's, Hudson's and Marshall Field's department
stores.

"The main problem is managers don't know the people they're buying for," says
Spina. "They don't know what their employees want." How can you discover your
employees' hobbies, interests and preferences?

Observe employees' work spaces. "What kind of things do they have on their
desks?" asks Spina. Pictures of sailboats or a golf calendar?

Enlist help. Conran recommends "asking co-workers or assistants" for
suggestions.

Listen to what employees do on the weekends. Do your employees attend hockey
games? Rent movies? Garden?

Pay attention at company functions. "If you have company picnics, get to know
the employees' spouses and children. You'll learn a lot about people just from
that," suggests Spina.

Note where employees vacation. Do they go skiing in Colorado? Boating on Lake
Michigan? Sightseeing in New York? "The real key is getting to know your
employees beyond the workplace. Know the things that are going to be meaningful
to them," recommends Gerry Hodges, regional HR team leader at Schreiber Foods in
Smithfield, Utah. Hodges annually exchanges gifts with the employees who
report to him. "You can show by the gift that you've done some research into the
kinds of things they would like."

Ask the employees themselves. Larry Athay, co-author of Present Perfect,
suggests that HR professionals survey employees for suggestions. "If the
supervisor is asking directly, it's awkward. The employees may be afraid of
offending the supervisor. But if they can respond in anonymity," such as through
an HR professional, they can hint at what they would like to receive.

WHAT NOT TO GIVE

"A manager wants to be very careful not to unwittingly give an inappropriate
gift," cautions Cynthia Yates, author of The Complete Guide to Creative
Gift-Giving (Servant Publications, 1997). Thus, avoid gifts that are too
intimate, such as perfume, toiletries or cosmetics.

Clothing is not appropriate, says Spina, except
for work-related items such as a sweatshirt embroidered with the company logo.

"Avoid anything that seems sexist or racist," warns Yates. "In other words,
don't give the guys in the office expensive pen-and-pencil sets and give the
women new coffeepots." In fact, it is best to avoid gender-specific gifts
completely. "There's too much chance for misunderstanding."

Gag gifts
and cards with lewd jokes are obviously inappropriate. "Bad gifts are
anything that embarrasses the recipient, such as a singing telegram," says
Sherri Athay.

Other gifts to avoid include tobacco, alcohol and any foods an
individual abstains from for health or religious reasons.

In addition to these taboos, shun gifts that appear generic or
thoughtless. "The typical pens, calendars and coffee mugs show no creativity,"
says Spina. Employees in the Lands' End survey ranked mugs and work-related
items last as items they would like to receive. And, warns Larry Athay, "Don't
give gifts that hint at self-improvement on the job, like a course in
typing." Additionally, be cautious of gifts featuring the company logo.
"Some gifts emphasize the company more than the individual. Be careful
that the logo is discreet - not plastered all over the gift," says Conran.

WHAT ARE GOOD GIFTS?

"Things employees typically wouldn't buy for themselves," are greatly
appreciated, answers Spina.

According to a survey by Present Perfect Gift Consultants, women ranked
money, travel,

flowers/plants, audio/video equipment and

food or candy as the most preferred gifts
to receive from an employer. Men ranked money,

computer software/accessories,

travel,

tools,

golf gizmos and accessories
and audio/video equipment as their six five choices. "The things that
got high scores had to do with their lives outside the office, not something
they expect as part of their employment, like an ergonomically correct chair,"
says Larry Athay.

Of course, a manager is unlikely to give cash as a gift to a direct report,
but a close substitute is gift certificates, which "create a stronger memory
bond" and are easy to buy, says Sherri Athay. "

Gift certificates to stores, catalogs and
restaurants are nice ideas," says Yates, as well as ones for gyms, spas or golf
courses. An annual membership to a zoo or museum might be appreciated by
employees with children. Tickets to a sporting or cultural event are excellent
gifts. "Parking may be a real hassle for some employees. Picking up the
monthly fee at the parking garage would make a great gift," suggests Yates.

Gift catalogs, from which employees select their own gifts, can be a
good solution when you have a large number of employees of different ages and
lifestyles. "The advantage of the catalog is a recipient can always find
something," says Conran. "It's low risk - the manager doesn't have to worry
about it being inappropriate. And it's very easy." She adds: "A lot of people
make it a fun family activity, figuring out what they want to get."

However, it probably isn't the best solution if you have only a handful of
individuals on your list. "It saves time on the part of the giver, but it
suggests that the giver didn't care enough to take the time to find something,"
says Sherri Athay. Moreover, the selection and quality of the products in gift
catalogs vary dramatically.

Indeed, gifts should be personalized if at all possible, recommends
Larry Athay. "Taking a one-size-fits-all approach gives the message that you're
just a number. A well-thought-out gift recognizes the employee as an
individual." One way to do that is by having the gift monogrammed. "People like
things with their names on them, not just the company name," says Spina. Or, she
suggests, "A well-thought-out book is really personal. Sign and date it." A
subscription to a professional or hobby-related magazine may also be
appreciated.

Gift baskets can be personalized around a theme. For instance, a backpacker
may enjoy a compass, water bottle, trail mix, nylon rain gear or bird
identification book. Each employee could receive a basket related to his or her
interests. You can also give gourmet baskets filled with cheeses, crackers or
chocolates.

Conran suggests spa packages. "People are so stressed and time starved today,
it makes a wonderful, unique gift. And it benefits the employer, too, because
when employees come back after a massage over lunch" they're more productive.

Gift Preferences 

 

Here's how men and women ranked gifts from employers on a scale of 1 

to 5 (most to least preferred). 

 

Women 

 

Money                                           4.3 

Travel                                          4.1 

Flowers/plants                                  3.8 

Audio/video equipment                           3.6 

Food or candy                                   3.5 

Books                                           3.2 

Home furnishings/accessories                    3.2 

Computer software/accessories                   3.1 

Kitchen gadgets/appliances                      3.0 

Magazine subscriptions                          2.8 

Fragrance                                       2.7 

Jewelry                                         2.6 

Games                                           2.6 

Photographs                                     2.4 

Sports equipment                                2.4 

Clothing                                        2.2 

Tools                                           2.0 

 

Men 

 

Money                                           3.9 

Computer software/accessories                   3.7 

Travel                                          3.6 

Tools                                           3.6 

Audio/video equipment                           3.5 

Magazine subscriptions                          3.4 

Sports equipment                                3.4 

Games                                           3.3 

Books                                           3.3 

Food or candy                                   3.1 

Kitchen gadgets/appliances                      3.1 

Home furnishings/accessories                    3.0 

Jewelry                                         3.0 

Flowers/plants                                  3.0 

Clothing                                        2.9 

Photographs                                     2.9 

Fragrance                                       2.9 

 

Source: Present Perfect Gift Consultants. 

Chris Fink, vice president of Hired Hands Massage Specialists Inc. in
Chicago, agrees. Last Christmas, she sold 150 chair massages, mainly to managers
for employees. With a chair massage, which costs $45 for a half hour, the
recipient sits fully clothed in an ergonomically correct chair while the
therapist rubs the neck, shoulders and arms. "It's a thoughtful gift that leaves
a memorable impression," relieves .job stress and boosts morale, says Fink.

A few years ago, Al Wasserberger, president and chief executive officer of
SPG, a high-tech company in Chicago, gave chair massages to employees who had to
work on Christmas Eve. The gift was a hit.

He recommends, "Show the employees how much you value their individuality by
choosing a gift only they would appreciate." For instance, "I had an employee
who had a fascination with mob movies, so for Hanukkah I got him the
Untouchables video and a Neff baseball bat. Carol collects hats, so I got her a
hat. Another employee is a computer engineer and likes bass fishing, so I got
him bass-fishing software. I didn't spend more than $50 on any of those gifts,
but the impact was huge because the people understood the gifts were
specifically picked out for them."

DOLLARS AND SENSE

How much should you spend? According to the Lands' End survey of 600
employees:

* 32 percent expect their employers to spend nothing.

* 17 percent expect them to spend less than $25.

* 18 percent expect them to spend between $25 and $45.

* 31 percent expect them to spend more than $45 on a gift.

Whatever you spend, be sure all gifts appear to be of comparable
value. "The No. 1 guideline is the importance of equality. Sooner or later
everyone knows what the boss gave everyone else; and a smart manager will keep
the playing field level," says Yates.

But the cost of a gift is less important than its emotional value. "If you're
looking for stuff with impact, you don't have to spend a lot of money," says
Wasserberger.

Of course, playing Santa for a large group of employees can be expensive. To
save money without seeming like Scrooge, Sherri Athay recommends planning ahead
so you can comparison shop and avoid priority shipping charges. And look for
discounts, such as bulk discounts. "A lot of retailers offer corporate or
early-bird discounts," says Conran.

Spina suggests checking with your organization's purchasing department to see
if it has discounts with any vendors.

Finally, Conran recommends, "Work with a corporate gift professional
at a retailer to see what you can get for your money." Corporate gift
professionals or personal shoppers can save time, provide ideas and tell you
when desired items will go on sale.

PRESENT PRESENTATION

One of the most obvious-but often overlooked-aspects of gift giving is the
importance of presentation. Some managers, in a rush, fail to wrap their
gifts. "Presentation is everything," says Conran. "Gift wrap gives it that
extra touch. It shows that you care and have invested some time in making it
look nice. Most retailers will provide gift wrap. Some of them do it for a fee,
but some will wrap for free if you purchase 'X' number of dollars worth."

"Keep presents as equal looking as possible" to avoid employees feeling
favored or shortchanged, says Yates. "The best way to do this is to present the
gift in an attractive, but simple, gift bag, lined with tissue paper."

To make your gift memorable, present it at a time that is different from
everybody else's, suggests Sherri Athay. "Present the gift in person and say why
this was the gift you chose," recommends Kleese. If you can't present the gift
in person, enclose a handwritten card.

Concludes Yates, "If a manager takes the time to personally write a note of
appreciation-and not just say something boring and predictable like, 'You have
done a fine job,' but instead, 'I am so impressed by your ability to handle a
crisis' - that would be a girl in itself."

Kaythryn Tyler is a Wixom, Mich.-based freelance writer and former HR
generalist and trainer.