“Great news – The company wants to get appreciation gifts for the staff, and you get to run with it! Oh and by the way, we need it done in two weeks. Have fun!”
That kind of news can be as stressful as it is exciting. This is supposed to be a good thing, right? Finally, you can get something nice for the folks who keep your company running, but now you have to figure out how to make that happen.
You probably have some unanswered questions: What do you do first? How do you come up with something for a whole team that makes everyone feel appreciated? And how is this all going to fit in your office (and your calendar!) while you’re organizing it?
This might seem a little daunting at first, but don’t worry, you can handle it. And it’s well worth the effort when you see how a thoughtful gift to your coworkers brightens their day.
We put together this brief guide to help you through the process, reduce your stress and give your coworkers a thoughtful gift that they’ll appreciate.
Define the purpose. What is this gift for? Are you buying an event gift, like for the annual holiday party? Something motivational for a remote WFH staff? Or is this a thank you gift for hitting a big milestone or completing a project? Maybe there’s no specific event or purpose – the company just wants to do something nice for the employees – it happens.
Know your recipients. Are you buying something for the whole office or a single department? For smaller groups you might be able to customize or personalize the gift in some way. Themes can be helpful here. Got a hard-working group that needs to de-stress? A wellness kit could help them unwind. Do you have a really sociable crowd? Maybe something for entertaining and parties. Do you want to engage your employees and bring them together? Games might be the way to go.
Stay in your budget. You probably don’t have a blank check to work with, so you want to make every dollar count. How much can you spend on each person’s gift? And remember to include shipping if you’re sending these to your team!
Think about the presentation. Will they open their gifts in the office or at home? Do you want to include anything personalized or individual notes? Any wrapping on the package? Even a small touch can have a big impact.
Be realistic about your time. Doing it all yourself might seem rewarding at first, but this is probably not the only thing you’re working on. This gift is meant to boost morale, and you want to make sure you keep yours up, as well. It might be worth it to have the fulfillment handled by an expert so you can focus on finding the perfect gift.
Don’t settle. Once you’ve fleshed out your guidelines, you can relax a little and get to the fun part of browsing for creative, quality gifts that your coworkers will love. When looking for a gift, look for something unique or useful that will stand out.
We’re here to help! If you want some advice or assistance, you can reach our corporate gift experts at corporategifts@uncommongoods.com or give us a call: +1 (646) 713-1842. We’ll walk you through the whole process and make sure your team has an awesome experience.