11/ 29/ 2005
by Judy Artunian
If you’re like many business owners, you enjoy giving holiday gifts to your employees and customers, but cringe at the prospect of having to select those gifts. And with good reason. Gift giving at work can feel like a minefield. You want your gifts to be memorable as well as affordable, yet you don’t want to seem cheap. You want to give certain colleagues and customers extravagant gifts, but you wonder what is appropriate.
While there is no formula for finding the perfect gift for every business associate, here are some guidelines that can make shopping for one less stressful.
- Before you consider what to give a customer, check his company’s gift-acceptance rules. Some firms don’t allow employees to receive gifts from vendors, while others limit the value of the gift employees may accept. According to the Bureau of National Affairs, 69 percent of businesses surveyed in 2004 said that their policies either forbade workers from accepting holiday gifts or allowed only gifts of nominal value. You can inquire discretely by calling an administrative assistant or another support staff member and ask if such rules exist at the company. If vendor gifts are forbidden, treat your customer to a business lunch at a swankier-than-usual restaurant.
- Even without restrictions––unless you’re in an industry where it is customary to give customers expensive holiday presents––keep your gifts below $50.
- Gifts that are too personal or signal too much familiarity are a no-no. That means clothing and jewelry are off-limits. So is anything that might be offensive. That includes off-color gag gifts. One Midwest manager regrets having given an electric toothbrush to an employee. He later heard through the grapevine that the employee was offended, thinking that the gift was a comment on his hygiene.
- If you plan to give special gifts to members of your inner circle, do so outside of the office so that others won’t feel left out.
- Be sensitive to people’s religious beliefs. For example, don’t give a Christmas tree ornament to employees who celebrate Hanukkah.
- Specialty foods like biscotti or Texas chili can make an excellent gift if you know your recipient’s preferences. Don’t expect all 200 employees to enjoy the same food, even if it’s a box of pricey chocolates. Some workers will see it as a generous gift, but those who are diabetic, on weight-loss diets or are not chocolate fans won’t be impressed.
- Avoid impersonal gift baskets and other presents that seem generic.
- Also rethink handing out coffee mugs or other items with your company logo to customers and prospective customers. This isn’t the time for blatant promotion.
- Even if you have 100 employees, you can add a personal touch to each gift. What employees want most is to be appreciated, not just as workers who get the job done, but also as individuals. A cash bonus will delight most employees, but you’ll win extra loyalty points if you put the check inside a card including a brief, handwritten, personal message from you. Start now, and you can get all 100 written by gift giving time.
- Finally, make note of what you give to each person on your list so that you don’t duplicate your gifts next year. While you’re at it, listen when a customer mentions his interest in scuba diving or Humphrey Bogart movies. It could make your gift buying cringe-free next year.
