image http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-worst-holiday-gifts-ever-pg,0,7874961.photogallery via OMAR VEGA, December 11, 2007
Every year, I get asked by managers what to do about holiday gift giving. And every year, in every company, I see different practices from department to department.
Last year, I was definitely down on it, as you can tell from my holiday post this time last year! (have I been doing this blog that long?! I have!): http://bit.ly/f8babs.
The gift giving thing at work is tough. How much should you spend? Does everyone get a gift, or only your direct reports? Should it be personal or generic?
First of all, you should consider how well you know these people…For example, don’t give a bottle of wine to a teetotaler, it will only annoy them and make you look clueless. In general, I recommend erring on the side of NOT giving gifts in the traditional sense. And honestly, who needs another box of See’s candy or a Starbucks card...or a dreaded fruitcake? Right. Instead, think about some of these meaningful and business appropriate ways to recognize your team during the holiday season:
- Take the team to a holiday lunch (not dinner, especially during the holidays… your employees don’t really want to hang out with you on their precious free time, but they are happy to get away from the office at lunch for a couple of hours!).
- Give each person a personal holiday wish, whether via email or in a card.
- Something the team has been wanting for the department (fridge, foosball table, whatever).
- Something fun and work related, like pay for a limo or fun transportation to and from a company event, like a company holiday party.
- Best gift of all: Let them go home early one afternoon.
Whatever you do, be true to yourself. Don’t give everyone a cutesy ornament if you aren’t the cutesy ornament type. It’s going to come across as phony and trying too hard. Better to do nothing at all than try to be someone you’re not.
And in case you were wondering, my team will probably get an e-card, because that's how I roll ;)
tracy
