Stock photo
Corporate gifts are meant to recognize the employee. They’re a thoughtful, personalized way to say thank you, and the gesture pays off.
Since the first branded foam finger, company pen and plastic head visor made the rounds at conventions, companies understood the engaging appeal of swag. People love it!
However, that enthusiasm may not carry over when a gift for going above and beyond for a demanding client is the same T-shirt assigned to the sales team covering a corporate booth at an upcoming conference. A survey tracking employee satisfaction found that 83.6% of employees feel that employer recognition motivates them to succeed at work.
Companies don’t need a massive budget for employees to feel valued through simple gestures, but they do need a clear understanding of the purpose of company swag and corporate gifts. Swag puts the company’s brand in the spotlight by boldly plastering it on fans, hats, shirts, towels and water bottles. It’s an effective way to get your company’s name in front of potential customers.
Corporate gifts, on the other hand, are meant to recognize the employee. They’re a thoughtful, personalized way to say thank you, and this gesture pays off. At times, however, gifts can take on a “swaggy” feel, such as promoting an upcoming company picnic by giving each employee a picnic blanket with the company logo. However, the two items are often treated as interchangeable, which may be why managers don’t get the engagement boost they were hoping for from the gesture.
Before you invest in something, ask yourself: Is the goal to promote the company or the employee?
Three conditions ensure that your recognition strategies stay on target: gauging the right time, selecting the right item and fine-tuning the right message.
Here’s how:
The right time
The most obvious time for gifting is when onboarding a new employee. This is when swag and gifts often intersect as employees are introduced to the company’s culture. Being welcomed to the team with the “ceremonial” company hoodie or laptop tote is meaningful. But when “feeling welcomed” evolves into “feeling appreciated,” managers need to keep showing the love.
Employees like it when their employers extend special attention and spotlight their accomplishments. Studies found that 87% of employees feel that recognition for extraordinary effort helps support their job satisfaction.
The right item
Whether or not you get personal with a gift is up to you. If you prefer personalized gifts, a little preparation goes a long way.
A local company started a Question of the Day routine for new interns to get to know co-workers. With questions about favorite movies, restaurants, trips, music, road food and other random questions, the staff gradually created a treasure trove of personal information. When the manager wants to do a little something special for the team or an employee, they refer to the vast list of employee trivia.
What about gift cards? Blackhawk Network research found that over 60% of workers surveyed gave two thumbs up to gift cards used as a means of appreciation.
Interestingly, a survey of remote workers found that most (65%) prefer to receive non-monetary incentives. “A simple thank you or a personalized note can go a long way in making employees feel valued and appreciated,” said Danielle M. Jones, Esq., an HR consultant.
One thing corporate gifting shouldn’t be is a substitute for cash bonuses.
“Remember that the purpose of swag is to extend your brand to your people. It is not meant to supplement cash bonus incentive programs,” said Brittany Davies, head of people and culture at Fullcast.
If you purchase clothing as a gift, Davies says to buy clothing your employees already wear. “It should be something a little more expensive and of high quality — something that feels special or elevated when they put it on.”
The right message
Over a decade ago, a study to examine the connection between employee appreciation messaging and company revenue found that companies that encouraged leadership initiatives and supported employee appreciation experienced 682% revenue growth. Even now, companies benefit from building a positive employee-focused work culture that encourages leadership, flexibility and professional growth. Corporate gifting reinforces that message.
“Corporate culture starts at the top,” says Michael McCarthy, an instructor at Harvard DCE Professional & Executive Development. “The C-suite needs to see the value in having a positive workplace culture and embody the behaviors that support the culture. When people throughout the organization see senior leadership living the values, they will follow suit.”
If it’s been a stressful quarter, a wellness-themed gift showing support and empathy can motivate the team. A flower bouquet offers comfort to an employee feeling low. Celebrate a successful project with a surprise gift card for coffee or a small, indulgent online purchase.
Gifting reinforces how much executives enjoy working for the company, and they hope their teams also enjoy working there. The financial gain is excellent, but its impact on your employees is priceless.
J’Nel Wright is a content writer at Fullcast, a Silicon Slopes-based, end-to-end RevOps platform that allows companies to design, manage and track the performance of their revenue-generating teams.
Newsletter
