The majority of generic corporate gifts given to employees and clients may ultimately find their way to the dusty corners of closets. But a customized and thoughtfully-chosen corporate gift is something the employees can use in their daily lives.
The intention behind a corporate gift is to praise and acknowledge employees and ensure they remain happy and satisfied in the workplace.
For companies looking to wow and retain their employees, here is the ultimate corporate gifting checklist for your employees!
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Fix a budget
HR managers must fix a budget for corporate gifts. What is their max per-employee budget? There are a variety of corporate gifts available in various budgets. For example, leather wallets for men could cost anywhere between Rs.500 to Rs.1500, while silk ties could cost Rs.1500 onwards.
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Decide on a delivery date for the corporate gifts
HR managers need to decide on a delivery date for the corporate gifts. They need to place the order in advance for it to reach employees and clients on time. Depending on the season, there might be unexpected delays in shipments. Consider that home deliveries might cost extra.
When does the organization need the corporate gifts delivered? What is the occasion for a festival such as Christmas, New Year, or is it because the employee achieved a phenomenal target?
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List of everyone being gifted
Making a list of all the employees, clients and vendors are highly recommended so that no one is forgotten and left out. When everyone is segregated into groups, it will be easier to determine what gifts to send them.
Organizations may even create subgroups; employees who have spent many years in the organization, employees who have spent 1-3 years, etc.The organization must also consider if they are giving the same present to everyone, or are they giving personalized presents?
Employees who have spent 1-3 years in the organization could be gifted a backpack with a bottle, pen, notebook, t-shirt, and cap. Employees who have been around longer could be given gift vouchers and premium hampers.
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Note down the recipients’ preferences
The organization must decide if they will be gifting employees and clients tangible or intangible corporate gifts.
Intangible corporate gifts can be in the form of digital gift cards and digital vouchers from various top-rated retail websites. Here the recipients can buy anything they want.
Tangible gifts can be anything from food and beverages to items they can use in their daily lives. If the organization intends to give food and beverages, they need to understand their employees’ preferences.
For example, with a simple survey, they can easily figure out who prefers alcoholic beverages and what their preferred poison is: whisky, vodka, beer, wine, etc.
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Do adequate research
Organizations must do adequate research before finalizing a gifting list for their employees and clients. Some of the things to look out for while researching for corporate gifts are:
- Quality of the product; it should be long-lasting!
- What are the reviews or client testimonials saying?
- The value and affordability of the gift.
- Is there space for corporate branding, i.e., company name and logo, the employee name on it?
- Does the corporate gift supplier have any delivery limitations?
- How early does the organization need to place an order to receive the gifts in time?
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Request for a quote
Many corporate gift suppliers who sell in bulk have requirements for a minimum order quantity. Based on the number of gifts the organization is buying for its employees and clients, they may be eligible for further discounts. However, there is also a possibility they might charge extra if the minimum order quantity criteria are not met. Hence, it is best to request a quote beforehand. It should include the number of presents across all categories, delivery charges and the customizations required.
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Customizing the gifts with corporate branding
Organizations have the option to discuss customization options for the products they are buying with the corporate gifting company. Alternatively, they can discuss the same with their own design team. Customization options include company name and logo. What’s more, if the gifts are personalized for each employee, it could include their name and favorite colors and artwork as well.
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Approvals
The larger the company, the longer it will take HR managers to conclude and get approval for the corporate gifts from the senior management. The organization may also require approvals on the customization and placement of the company branding on the presents.
This might take a lot of time as well. So, if the corporate gifting occasion is for a festive occasion such as Christmas, HR managers should ideally begin planning everything at least a few months earlier.
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Collect the address of employees and clients
HR managers should collect the residential addresses of all the recipients beforehand. The addresses will be most presentable in an excel sheet. In case the employee will not be able to receive their gift at home, they could ask for it to be delivered to their office location itself.
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Personalized messages
The management can choose to send gift card messages to all their employees and clients. It could be a generic one for everybody. However, personalized notes add an extra touch; the employees will highly appreciate the personal attention given to each of them.
Gift card messages could be added to an excel sheet, which can help with a smooth and easy gift ordering process.
Personalized messages work best when fewer employees work in the company (20-30 employees). If the company has plenty of employees, then personalized cards may not be the best option since it will be a time-consuming process. Personalized gift cards would look fashionable with gift items such as travel backpacks (wishing someone a great vacation on their upcoming trip), power banks (wishing the best for employees working remotely), etc.
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Confirm the order
Once the managers and associates receive confirmation from the upper management, they can go ahead and confirm the order with the corporate gift supplier. Many gift suppliers allow organizations to mail them with their requirements and specifications well in advance.
They compile it into an excel sheet that needs to be checked and approved by the organization placing the order. Once it is approved, they can place the order, including the corporate gifts, personalized messages, addresses, and email the invoice to the finance team.
Gift Your Employees The Best!
This checklist outlines the key factors HR managers should keep in mind when deciding on their corporate gifting strategy. Be sure to have an option to personalize your employee gifts; it is no secret that employees feel valued when they receive gifts, especially those that suit their interests and passions.
Corporate gifts also help retain the best employees, which eventually positively impacts the organization. So, go ahead and use this crackerjack gifting checklist to finalize the best for your employees!
Author’s Bio
Srikanth Acharya is the founder and CEO of OffiNeeds, one of the leading corporate gifting and employee engagement companies based out of India. Corporate gifting is one of the most important parts of employee engagement activities in India.
