Business Christmas Gifts: All Your Questions Answered

Rewarding employees and customers is a key part of good company behaviour. However, topics such as the budget for employee gifts or the right selection for different tastes are always aggressively debated. That’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to employee gifts and added ideas for original and sustainable gifts. These Christmas gifts definitely won’t end up in a drawer or trash bin right away.

What Is the Point of Christmas Gifts for Employees?

Christmas gifts for employees are often at the bottom of the company’s to-do list. At some point, every entrepreneur must ask themselves: Is the effort for employee gifts worth it? The simple and short answer to this question is yes. Whether you celebrate it or not, Christmas symbolises community and respect for one’s fellow man, and these factors are certainly important for team bonding and a good working atmosphere. Even a small sign of gratitude means recognition of your employees for the work done, motivation to move forward and interpersonal thanks.

There are also pragmatic reasons for gifting employees: in times of shortage of qualified workers and high turnover in companies, additional bonuses and benefits can have a positive effect on employee loyalty and increase their satisfaction. In addition, social media posts about gifts and Christmas parties strengthen your employer brand among other candidates and the competition.

Employee Gifts: What Should Your Budget Be?

Opinions about the budget for Christmas gifts for employees differ, as in principle every company is free to decide how much to spend on gifts. A good guide, depending on the location and country of the company, is the upper tax limit for the so-called “non-monetary rewards”. In Austria, for example, individual gifts up to 186 euros are tax-free, while in Germany the upper limit is already 44 euros. On average, international companies allocate between 15 and 100 euros for employee gifts.

The budget you ultimately decide on also depends on the size of the company, financial resources and individual aspects. However, each employee must receive a gift of equal value.

The Most Important Criteria for Original Employee Gifts

Let Sustainability Be the Main Asset

In addition to running a green office, you should also pay attention to the central foundations of sustainable products in terms of employees and promotional gifts: environmentally friendly materials, emissions savings and fair production, recyclable packaging and regional production where possible.

By choosing gifts that have a longer life or can be reused, you can oppose the constant habit of polluting the environment, and you can also make your employees aware of the importance of recycling and reusing certain materials.

Aim for Good Quality

If you decide to give your employees a mass-produced promotional product or a substandard product, don’t be surprised by their disappointment. Such gifts signal their mutual interchangeability. Reflect the value of your staff with carefully selected and crafted quality gifts.

Don’t Forget About Personalisation

In larger companies, it will be difficult to find out the personal interests of each employee, but you can still add a personal touch to the gifts; a handwritten note or a personal gift delivery with a few words of thanks will go a long way than you think.

The Ultimate Christmas Gift List

After learning about all the features of Christmas gifts, you’re probably still waiting for a list of gift ideas, right? Therefore, there are three types of currently most popular promotional gifts in front of you:

Gifts for Tech Enthusiasts

• Headphones are worth their weight in gold in a noisy office environment or on public transport.
• Sports fitness trackers will motivate your employees to achieve top athletic achievements – or at least more steps in their daily lives.
• Portable chargers for mobile phones and tablets are affordable, convenient and stylish these days.

Practical Gifts for the (Home) Office

• A laptop stand and multifunctional desk organiser is ideal for designing your own workspace.
• A bonsai tree beautifies a space and improves air quality – according to Japanese tradition, pruning mini trees is also an artistic practice, so your employees can also develop a new hobby.
• Plastic packaging and single-use containers are a thing of the past – sustainable water bottles and lunch boxes made from materials such as steel, glass or renewable resources are the future.

Personalised Yet Versatile Gifts

• Personalised notes can inspire your employees to come up with new ideas and help them develop their creativity.
• A kitchen apron or oven mitt will convince your employees to test their cooking skills in the comfort of their own home.
• If your employees are passionate about travel, surprise them with these kinds of accessories – a personalised travel bag, a fleece blanket or a theft-resistant wallet are perfect.