Oh, I'm also a big fan of Sugarwish. We've used that site for employee gifts before and people loved it! They get to choose their own treats, coffee, candy, etc. and get a gift box shipped directly to their address.
OP: I am giving my employees money for Christmas, and would like to give a gift with it. What should I give? Please don't say time off.
Everyone: Money and time off.
LOL.
Lol! That’s all I want though. Because last gift I got from work was a pack of animal crackers and GC to the local zoo. It had a cutesy note about dealing with all of us animals. I ate the crackers and gave the gc away.
I didn’t read the post, just the title. Cash, the answer is always cash. But especially this year, with inflation and the cost of every ducking thing going up, money is the answer. Not cutesy crap most people will toss or sit in a closet and never get used.
Maybe you should’ve read, because they already give cash! She’s looking for additional ideas.
LOL my point is just give more cash! Seriously if you have to crowdsource on a random message board to come up with ideas, there’s no way everyone (or possibly anyone) is going to want whenever you give. Most of this company give away stuff just ends up in a landfill. I wish we could stop with the random gift giving as if it’s more thoughtful than just giving people money that they could use to buy stuff they actually want.
I work mainly with women so my answers may not fit but I loved when my bosses have taken us to lunch and then on shopping sprees. Those were the best.
Will you share more about what this was like? This seems suuuuper boundary crossing to me so I’m fascinated.
I worked for a dentist, we went to lunch and then he gave us each a certain amount of money to spend and we went to the mall and spent the money on whatever we wanted. The rule was we had to spend it on ourselves, not our families and we had to give him the receipts and anything we didn’t spend.
OP: I am giving my employees money for Christmas, and would like to give a gift with it. What should I give? Please don't say time off.
Everyone: Money and time off.
LOL.
Lol! That’s all I want though. Because last gift I got from work was a pack of animal crackers and GC to the local zoo. It had a cutesy note about dealing with all of us animals. I ate the crackers and gave the gc away.
Wtf?? They referred to staff, grown adults, as animals? Good grief!
Will you share more about what this was like? This seems suuuuper boundary crossing to me so I’m fascinated.
I worked for a dentist, we went to lunch and then he gave us each a certain amount of money to spend and we went to the mall and spent the money on whatever we wanted. The rule was we had to spend it on ourselves, not our families and we had to give him the receipts and anything we didn’t spend.
So instead of just giving everyone $50 to use on whatever, you had to immediately spend it, provide receipts, and give him back the .12 cents leftover if your item was $49.88?
I am glad that you listed this as something you liked, because the implementation must have somehow been less-weird in practice than it sounds in this thread!
Post by maudefindlay on Oct 7, 2022 11:41:31 GMT -5
I agree add that money to the money you are already giving. More money is great!
If not then a gift of food would be great. If no one is a vegetarian give steaks or a food gift tower from Harry and David. Everything I've gotten from them has been good and fresh.
We've gotten custom Nikes, custom Cotopaxi backpacks, luggage, Beats headphones, cool bluetooth speakers, & the option to instead donate to a non-profit.
OP: I am giving my employees money for Christmas, and would like to give a gift with it. What should I give? Please don't say time off.
Everyone: Money and time off.
LOL.
but it's true. I'd rather have $20 in cash than a $50 gift I won't use or need. It's the same thing as when people ask for teacher gifts. If you don't know a person well enough to pick out a personalized gift than money (or gift card equivalent) is always best. And while a gift card is ok, I even hate to reccomend basics like amazon or target because not everyone shops there.
* I mean, of course do the $50 in cash if you can, just meant that cash is more valuable to me than an equivalent gift.
As far as a gift, this board is probably more bougie and woke than your employees. I would absolutely be into something like a Yeti cooler, a Bose or other fancy sound bar speaker, really nice blankets for outdoors, etc. Maybe pick 3 things of equal value and let them choose which?
OP: I am giving my employees money for Christmas, and would like to give a gift with it. What should I give? Please don't say time off.
Everyone: Money and time off.
LOL.
but it's true. I'd rather have $20 in cash than a $50 gift I won't use or need. It's the same thing as when people ask for teacher gifts. If you don't know a person well enough to pick out a personalized gift than money (or gift card equivalent) is always best. And while a gift card is ok, I even hate to reccomend basics like amazon or target because not everyone shops there.
Same here. I hate knick nack stuff that takes up space, and I'm not a fan of things related to career. The only thing I've liked was a nice fleece that had the logo and dept name as a "thanks for working so hard during COVID", but later found out they were paid for through use or lose budget funds, not really a thank you gift
I know OP said no more cash or time off, but I'll throw my vote to a super nice lunch during the work day, with the afternoon off after. Preferably on a Friday. Signed I literally work the holiday eves so time off is a gift.
I'm also not a fan of spouse work events. May be unpopular opinion but they tend to be boring, at inconvenient times (when he finally gets a weekend off) and then you can't do anything fun because it starts during dinner time.
LOL, my boss donates to real charities in our names for a holiday gift. Nice sentiment and I'm not mad about it, but at least throw me a scratch off ticket in there with it, or a few holiday cookies.
We do get an office lunch followed by the remainder of the day off, the college also throws a big to do with booze and food some december afternoon. After hours things aren't something I'd go to, it would be logistically challenging. I love a during work hours party.
Will you share more about what this was like? This seems suuuuper boundary crossing to me so I’m fascinated.
I worked for a dentist, we went to lunch and then he gave us each a certain amount of money to spend and we went to the mall and spent the money on whatever we wanted. The rule was we had to spend it on ourselves, not our families and we had to give him the receipts and anything we didn’t spend.
omg super hard pass to this. i'm glad you enjoyed it but... OP don't do this.
Will you share more about what this was like? This seems suuuuper boundary crossing to me so I’m fascinated.
I worked for a dentist, we went to lunch and then he gave us each a certain amount of money to spend and we went to the mall and spent the money on whatever we wanted. The rule was we had to spend it on ourselves, not our families and we had to give him the receipts and anything we didn’t spend.
Holy shit, seriously?!? Your male boss took all his female employees to the mall and then made you spend the money with rules about how you spent it and then you had to tell him exactly what you bought with receipts and give him the change? And you don’t see why this is hugely problematic? 😳😳😳
ETA: and the fact that you specifically said this is only a good idea for women! 🤯🤯🤯
I would make a choice board of items of similar value including a few gift certificates to specific places so that people can choose what fits their needs!
We've gotten custom Nikes, custom Cotopaxi backpacks, luggage, Beats headphones, cool bluetooth speakers, & the option to instead donate to a non-profit.
I'm not usually a "stuff" person but I would LOVE this!
If additional money is out then I would choose an outing during the work day. A nice lunch, escape room, etc. My department once went bowling during the work day for a holiday party and it surprisingly a lot of fun. I much preferred it to all the years of after hours/weekend parties that I felt obligated to go to, but didn’t really want to.
I don’t like things outside of office hours because everyone has different circumstances. If you invite kids, it changes the whole dynamic and tends to split the party between families with kids and the adults only groups. If you don’t invite kids, people have to find and pay for babysitters. Depending on where you live commuting after evening parties can be difficult, some people carpool and have to find a different way home or some commuter trains don’t run full schedules after rush hour. The commuting was always my biggest problem when I had to stay late at work for a party.
Will you share more about what this was like? This seems suuuuper boundary crossing to me so I’m fascinated.
I worked for a dentist, we went to lunch and then he gave us each a certain amount of money to spend and we went to the mall and spent the money on whatever we wanted. The rule was we had to spend it on ourselves, not our families and we had to give him the receipts and anything we didn’t spend.
Add me to the list of people who thinks this is weird and even a bit creepy (sorry!)
1) It’s controlling — who gives a gift with that many strings attached?, 2) I’m trying to think of what I would buy at a mall that I would want my boss to see — like was he really looking through everyone’s new shoes, wallets and Yankee candles at the end of it?, 3) it feels so paternalistic, especially with the gender dynamic.
I assume it was fun because it was extra money to spend, and a bonding experience with your coworkers, but wouldn’t the effect have been the same if he just gave everyone cash or a gift card? Or even let the employees shop together without all the stipulations and checking receipts at the end of it?
If additional money is out then I would choose an outing during the work day. A nice lunch, escape room, etc. My department once went bowling during the work day for a holiday party and it surprisingly a lot of fun. I much preferred it to all the years of after hours/weekend parties that I felt obligated to go to, but didn’t really want to.
I don’t like things outside of office hours because everyone has different circumstances. If you invite kids, it changes the whole dynamic and tends to split the party between families with kids and the adults only groups. If you don’t invite kids, people have to find and pay for babysitters. Depending on where you live commuting after evening parties can be difficult, some people carpool and have to find a different way home or some commuter trains don’t run full schedules after rush hour. The commuting was always my biggest problem when I had to stay late at work for a party.
Agree with this, and a Friday midday bowling party or something like that sounds like fun.
Otherwise I agree with the pick between 2-3 gifts thing. My firm has done that with branded items and I really like it. Choices were things like Patagonia/Marmot branded jackets, backpacks/duffels, Yeti merch, etc.
I worked for a dentist, we went to lunch and then he gave us each a certain amount of money to spend and we went to the mall and spent the money on whatever we wanted. The rule was we had to spend it on ourselves, not our families and we had to give him the receipts and anything we didn’t spend.
Add me to the list of people who thinks this is weird and even a bit creepy (sorry!)
1) It’s controlling — who gives a gift with that many strings attached?, 2) I’m trying to think of what I would buy at a mall that I would want my boss to see — like was he really looking through everyone’s new shoes, wallets and Yankee candles at the end of it?, 3) it feels so paternalistic, especially with the gender dynamic.
I assume it was fun because it was extra money to spend, and a bonding experience with your coworkers, but wouldn’t the effect have been the same if he just gave everyone cash or a gift card? Or even let the employees shop together without all the stipulations and checking receipts at the end of it?
My company has a box at every sports stadium, we can get tickets here and there when they aren't being used for clients.
Maybe get a box at Gillette (seems like you are in MA too?), cover food and maybe drinks? Not sure what the budget is, but I would at least let people bring a +1 or their family so they aren't forced to mingle with work people the whole time.
My husband's work has some corporate gift site they work with, then they tell him you have $xxx to spend and he can go on the site and pick out a themed box of whatever he likes.
My work uses Bravo, where we can give kudos to people and award points they can use towards stuff on the site.
Getting people stuff is so hard, so definitely go with an outing or something they can pick for themselves.