Benefits of personalising employee Christmas rewards

2020 has without doubt been the strangest of years. When the bells chimed to see in the New Year, the situation the country was going to face for the next 12 months, was something none of us could have expected. Business owners have faced the most extraordinary circumstances to trade in, experiencing a troublesome and challenging time. But let’s not forget who have been with them every step of the way… the employees.

Staff themselves, have continued to ‘show up’. To be present. To show support to their employer. Working on the frontline so the business can continue to trade day-to-day, even though they have added external pressures they are experiencing themselves from their work environment, family demands, mental health, surviving a pandemic or anxiety around job security, for example. They have changed to adapt to their new situation, so shouldn’t they be recognised for this?

The season of goodwill

Christmas is a time for showing goodwill. Providing a gesture of kindness, compassion, thoughtfulness and understanding. The festive season is also a time for stopping to reflect and appreciate what support you have.

As recognition experts, we know the power that a simple thank you can have on a person. Such a small word yet yields big impact. The power of saying thank you to employees brings benefits such as:

• Increased job satisfaction
• Boosted morale
• Creating a thriving workplace culture
• Improved motivation to be productive
• Enhances mental well being
• Building happiness

This year has most likely seen the usual employee benefits such as bonuses and salary reviews been put on hold. In the winter months, a third of the workforce experience feeling demotivated and less engaged than usual. When staff feel under-appreciated, lacking morale and mood is low, how can this be turned around?

Give the gift of employee rewards

This festive season give the gift of an end of year Christmas reward. These rewards will show teammates that they are valued as an employee, that their hard work and commitment is appreciated and are placed in high regard for their loyalty. This token of thanks, will be investing in the future of a positive workforce, motivating them to start the New Year with a boost in being productive and engaged.

When giving staff Christmas rewards, it is difficult to find an award that will be suitable and preferable for a whole workforce. That is why giving employees a choice is best, let them choose what is valuable to them.

But having to source individual rewards is time consuming and costly. That’s the benefit of working with a corporate rewards supplier, who have taken the pressure off of businesses by working with suppliers to negotiate the best price for global reward fulfilment, to create a catalogue complete with over 10,000 products, experiences and gift cards to choose from.

Importance of making employee rewards personal

To make the reward impactful and truly valued by the employee, give them what they really want. Rather than cash in the payslip as it will easily be overlooked at Christmas, give employees the power to choose what reward they desire from a pre-defined catalogue, which won’t leave them feeling disappointed.

By providing a personalised choice for employee rewards, it enables the staff member to choose a reward that means something to them; whether they would like an award for themselves or use the opportunity to provide a gift for a loved one instead.

Plus, by providing choice to employees, shows that the company is acknowledging staff as individuals, understanding that they have their own needs and interests. This in turn, will encourage employees to boost morale, enhance job satisfaction and improve retention, because their employers are showing that extra step in staff appreciation.

An employee could utilise the reward for something they might not be able to usually afford or to provide a real treat for themselves as a well-deserved end of year celebration.

Employees can choose their Christmas reward from big brand products such as Apple, Bose, FitBit, Ray Ban or Veuve Clicquot.

Christmas rewards can be selected from:

• Technology: ipads, TVs, smart tech, gaming – for all your tech needs
• Toys and Games: the must-have wish list of toys this year
• Food, Wine and Champagne Hampers: great gifts or a luxury indulgence
• Cooking and Homeware: helping contribute to a fabulous festive spread
• Health and Beauty: perfect pampering skincare, fragrances and beauty
• Experiences – ideal for those looking to have fun and have something to look forward to next year as a change of scenery with family and friends
• Gift cards: choose a reward from the country’s favourite high street and online stores

This year could be seen as exceptional, but for all the wrong reasons. It’s one that won’t be forgotten easily. However, that doesn’t mean that the year can’t finish on a high. Appreciating and recognising staff loyalty and performance, will set your business up for a successful New Year. Receiving a reward will re-focus employees to improve productivity, because they recognise, they work for an employer who values their worth.