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When employees feel valued by the company that they work at, they are more likely to pursue opportunities for career growth within the company. Without trust, on the other hand, they start searching for other jobs and preparing their two weeks’ notices. This could leave you in a bind, especially if top talent leaves and you have to scramble to fill the gap. Luckily, this can be resolved by simply sharing appreciation at milestone moments.
Your leadership team needs to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that you care about the people you employ. Display your pride and respect for everything that your employees do, whether they have been working with you for two months or ten years. In order to solidify a stronger company culture, we want to share our best tips for investing in corporate gifts for employees.
When to Celebrate Employee Milestones
There are points in your employees’ careers that you should take the time to award them for. By celebrating alongside them during their milestone moments, you promote a recognition-rich culture. While there is not necessarily a “right” time to share gratitude via corporate gifts for employees, determine the most meaningful times of the year for your business.
First Day of Work
Your turnover rate may signify a lack of employee recognition programs. If you are not offering incentives, the members of your team are going to be disappointed. When you have to keep going through the onboarding process, it is expensive and timely. But providing employee onboarding gifts can make a big difference when it comes to company loyalty. You want to show your team from the very beginning that they belong with you. Immediate appreciation makes your business unforgettable.
Birthdays
One of the most personal times of the year to celebrate is birthdays. For this reason, it is a great idea to keep track of all of the birthdays of your team members. Of course, not everyone is going to want to have a big scene made around their birthday. So, rather than breaking out the giant banners and party decor, invest in 3D pop up birthday cards. This will allow you to make the interaction more intimate and special. Birthdays are always worth highlighting, no matter the age of your employees.
Promotions
As your employees move through the ranks, they know that they are gaining greater responsibilities at your company. The promotion itself indicates what a good job they have been doing. Those team members know that they are deserving of higher status and visibility. But take the time, too, to inform them of how proud you are of everything they have accomplished thus far. With corporate gifts for employees, you can put your thoughts into a personalized item that emphasizes the career milestone.
Reaching Goals
Corporate gifts for employees are a good idea following company successes. Did you finally wrap up a big, long-term project? Has your team been aiming for a particular revenue target this quarter? No matter the case, celebrate hitting and surpassing your goals. Doing so can even attract potential investors and supporters to your company. At the end of the day, once again, don’t let the hard work of your team members go with just a pat on the back.
Work Anniversaries
Employees track how long they have been with a company, so you should, too. Whether a team member has been with you for one year or twenty years, show them how much you care. Keep up with everyone’s work anniversary dates on your office calendar. This way, you have a reminder when those special days come around so that you have enough time to purchase or create corporate gifts for employees. By boosting your culture of recognition within the workplace, your staff feels valued and more involved.
Considerations for Corporate Gifts for Employees
How do you ensure that you are picking the best corporate gifts for employees? The first step is sticking to items that will leave them with a positive memory of your company. With every present you give, it should be evident that you value the hard work of the recipient. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are picking out sentimental gifts.
Recognize Every Milestone
If you honor the accomplishments of one member of your team, you must do so for the rest. Showing blatant favoritism is a sure way to lose the sense of loyalty that you were hoping to foster. Engagement and productivity will decrease when individuals note that they were not acknowledged for significant events when their peers were.
Pick Equitable Presents
Continue to be fair to everyone on your staff by looking for similarly priced corporate gifts for employees. That isn’t to say that you have to stick to a hard number each time. But if you are unable to spoil every employee, refrain from giving massive presents to just one person, unless the circumstance genuinely warrants it.
Get Personal and Creative
Customize your appreciation gifts according to both the milestone and the recipient. Personalized presents are uplifting, memorable, and special. For instance, a custom 3D pop up card with a handwritten note is more capable of bringing a smile to an employee’s face than a standard store-bought card.
Ways to Celebrate Employee Milestones
When it comes to corporate gift-giving, you aren’t limited to things that you can purchase from the store. Once again, your business needs to be considerate of how to deliver memories that will last a lifetime. In an effort to boost morale, consider some of the top options for gifts that anyone will be delighted, impressed, and surprised by.
Give Public Shoutouts
It’s one thing to be recognized for an accomplishment during a meeting with your peers. It’s another to be recognized in front of your business’s audience at large. Put together social media posts that highlight particular employees. LinkedIn is a great space to do this, considering it will be seen by other professionals in your industry that follow your page. Include a photo of the team member and a personalized message about why they have been essential to your business.
Growth Opportunities
Corporate gifts for employees signify that you are happy with the work that has been completed by a team member thus far. But they should also be indicative of how you are looking forward to the work that they will do in the future. You need to invest in their growth. Even if you are unable to give them more responsibilities right at this moment, know that hard workers will be hoping for upward mobility within your company.
Bonuses, Raises, and Donations
Financial rewards are a gift that anyone will appreciate. A raise can open up more doors for them in their personal lives. Good times to provide raises are during the holidays or after your employees have been with you for a year. Small bonuses are also a great way for business owners to show that they care if they are currently unable to afford regular pay increases. And keep in mind that another idea for a financial gift is advocating for an employee’s favorite charity by making a donation in their honor.
Fun Experiences
Not every present needs to be something that you can box up with a bow. Perhaps you have something going on in your area that you feel an employee would enjoy attending. This might be a pop up shop or local fair. Get them tickets, either to go with their family or with the company. There is also no bad time during the year to throw a party. Your staff deserves to have the time to unwind and genuinely get to know one another, which can be achieved with some fun time spent outside of the office.
At Awesome 3D Cards, our mission is to help businesses deliver their messages in unique ways. We do this by providing you with the micro-experiences of kirigami cards. Kirigami is a Vietnamese art form that involves the cutting and arranging of paper. It provides a dynamic product that will undoubtedly earn you a boost in employee loyalty. If you are interested in designing fully-custom employee appreciation cards, schedule a consultation with our team! Awesome 3D Cards looks forward to seeing your corporate gifts for employees come to life.