With Thanksgiving just around the corner, managers start thinking about what gifts to get their employees. (And for the record, presents only flow downward, not upward. Your employees should not be expected to purchase you a gift and you should put a stop to it if one of your people is trying to bully their peers into getting something for you.) But, what to buy? What do people actually want?
Well, money. Most people want a raise and a bonus. The latter is not seen as a present, and bonus may or may not be seen that way. If the bonus is tied to performance, it’s not a present. It’s part of a compensation package.
Nevertheless, people like money. If your budget is too low to give people meaningful raises, here are some ideas, gleaned from real, actual humans, and not marketers. You’ll notice some are contradictory. This isn’t bad editing on my part. It’s reality. Get to know your employees!
To see the list, click here: What Do Employees Want for Holiday Gifts? We Asked Them
Either money, or time off! A crappy gift voucher to a store I don’t usually shop at, which expires in 12 months and is loaded with strict terms and conditions, is rather worthless.
My boss (and his wife) usually give me something small with no cash value, like chocolates or cookies. I’m not a big fan of sweets, but I don’t mind it. What I would appreciate more, though, is a card expressing some nice sentiments. My boss couldn’t even be bothered to sign the card this year – it came solely from his wife (btw, she doesn’t work for the company).