If planning this year’s gifts and brand experiences feels like a checkbox on your to-do list, you’re going about it all wrong. Tokens of appreciation prove again and again to be effective in engaging your team, boosting morale, increasing productivity and strengthening company culture. But you’ve heard ‘quality over quantity’ or ‘haste makes waste’ and it couldn’t be more true! Slapping your logo on cheaply made, thoughtless products in effort to lift someone’s spirits will likely have the opposite effect. It’ll result with most of what you purchased in the garbage and your valued people feeling like an afterthought.
You probably invest in your technology or advertising. An effective brand experience is an investment in your team and choosing quality products people actually want is the best way to ensure your investment doesn’t go to waste. Quality and sustainability are inherently connected. We’re proud to have a large network of ethical, environmentally-conscious vendors who prioritize leaving a minimal impact on our planet, but fancy, eco-friendly products are still not good enough if they’re not right for your team or on-brand with your organization. There are a few things to consider when narrowing down the best products for your brand experience:
Aligning with Company Culture
Gifts should reflect an organization’s core values. If social impact is an important part of your company culture, selecting products from small or minority-owned businesses is fitting. If creativity is in your core values (like it is in ours), let’s find gifts that foster creativity. If connection and teamwork fuel your culture, there are tons of cool products that encourage friendship and camaraderie. If your company functions virtually, maybe a self care kit would be more useful. You get the point—the gift is bigger than a set of products. It’s a reflection of your organization.
Personalization
Personalization is a small, easy touch that goes a long way. Whether it’s a monogram or a personal message, tailored gifts innately carry more sentimental value and are less likely to be discarded or forgotten about. Going that extra mile reminds recipients that each and every one of them is valued as an individual.
Practicality
Like quality, practicality is a major element of sustainability. Taking extra time to consider the kinds of things people actually need or would use is another sure way to keep your investment out of the trash. Perhaps it’s custom tech to upgrade your team’s WFH setup or personalized travel accessories to accompany your frequent fliers on their business trips. When people use your gift, they will think of you and relive that feeling of being appreciated. So get them something they’ll use often!
The Element of Surprise
National Employee Appreciation Day, the holidays, a work anniversary, someone’s first day, a significant meeting or even National Taco Day if that’s your thing—there are endless opportunities to surprise people with a gift to commemorate the occasion. These gestures can make the biggest difference in someone’s day, week, or potentially their overall employment experience. Plus who doesn’t like an unexpected treat?
Encouraged Social Sharing
When people receive really cool stuff, they tend to show it off. Our clients’ employee appreciation gifts are often shared on social media which is a great sign that not only did people love what they got, but that their organization is a desirable and considerate workplace! Remember: these gifts are opportunities for positive attention both inside and outside the company.
Gift-giving is not a check-the-box effort. It’s what sets you apart from other employers as compassionate and attentive. It’s what makes work feel less like work and more like a community. We’re not mind-readers, but by understanding your culture, your brand, and today’s consumer trends, we can help you make your people feel like they’re exactly where they belong—and we’ll take care of all the logistics behind the magic.