Every team lead and manager understands the importance of employee engagement. The math is simple: people that feel seen and supported do good work. With the holidays rolling in, we’re all asking: how do I give a good gift to my employees to keep the good vibes going?
The classic solution is company branded swag (we all need another mug) or some treats at the office. If your team is lucky, you might have a white elephant party!
Look, this is all good and in line with corporate tradition. We can keep the trashy swag going, but what if there’s a way to actually grow your employee engagement with a holiday gift? We at Generus submit that it’s time to think outside the gift box. Here are a few ideas:
Take the team out for a nice meal
No more takeout or pizza parties. Get dressed up and enjoy a nice dinner away from the office! Your team will feel thought of, maybe a little pampered after a year of hard work, and it provides time to chat and get to know each other better.
Hand out coffee or DoorDash gift cards
If it’s hard to get your team together for a meal in person, sending them a meal on the company can be appreciated and saved for a rainy day. Not to mention, people love to choose which food they get.
Reward them with extra time off
Close the office early or hand out some redeemable PTO days. A little R & R certainly helps us all perform better!
Try a handwritten note of appreciation
A scan of work productivity Reddit forums revealed a surprising amount of people who appreciated the time and thought a card represented. This is a great low budget option.
Plan a holiday party with a bigger purpose
The holidays can be very self-centered. We have busy schedules and are passing out gift lists, so planning a volunteer project to get outside of ourselves and do some good with coworkers might be a refreshing and wonderful time (more on this in a minute).
At the end of the day, people want to feel seen for what they do. There are lots of ways to accomplish this, regardless of budget. We recommend putting in a little thought before planning anything—you know your employees and what they’ve responded to in the past.
Simplify the process with Generus
Want to switch things up this year? Generus can help! Our events bring teams together for meaningful conversations, a bit of fun, and a social impact project on the side. We’d love to help you plan your next holiday party or engagement activity—let’s chat!
