Collaborative Posts¦ Whether there’s an incoming holiday or a reason to celebrate, giving corporate gifts to your colleagues would always be a great idea. It allows you to show your appreciation for their efforts and displays how much you value them.
While there’s generally no fixed rule when it comes to corporate gift-giving, there are some tips you can keep in mind to ensure you and your colleagues enjoy the experience. To help you out, below are some do’s and don’ts for giving corporate gifts to your colleagues:
Do: Check Gifting Policy First
There are various corporate gifts to give you can choose from, from food, accessories, plants, office supplies, and even personalized stuff like custom lanyards. But before you finalize your plans, it may be best to check the gifting policy first of your company.
While giving them something as a token of appreciation sounds nice, if it’s not allowed in your company, you might lead yourself and your colleague to a bigger consequence. It also applies to gifting a client from a big company or government organization. And, so, if you’re unsure, you can always check with your HR department or ask the person you’re giving to if they have specific policies and limits regarding giving gifts.
Don’t: Use Company Branding
When giving corporate gifts, many companies might tend to use their company branding as they double it as a marketing strategy. While it helps to spread the word about your brand, this may not be something everyone would appreciate as it looks more promotional than heartfelt. And in some cases, it may result in ineffective gift giving as your colleague might think you’re just giving them unused merchandise or you ran out of ideas on what to give.
Unless you’re giving your gifts as a giveaway from an event, as much as possible, avoid using your company branding and look for something your colleagues would want and could use.
Do: Personalize The Experience
Nothing feels better than personalizing a gift, especially for your colleagues. If you know your colleague well enough, you can opt to personalize their experience by customizing an item. You can check MeowPrint.sg or other similar websites to see what kind of products you can curate that would fit your colleague’s personality.
Alternatively, you can also choose their favorite items and put them in a box that screams everything they want without having to print their name all over the place.
Don’t: Cheapen The Quality
Not everyone is comfortable spending too much when buying a corporate gift for a colleague. And in some cases, some people may settle for a cheaper option as their main focus is the thought of giving someone a present. However, you might deliver a different message if you choose items of poor quality. It might make them think that you’re not trying to put too much thought into the gift or that you’ve rushed the gift preparation. With that, you can look for affordable items that don’t compromise their quality and look fancy and sturdy.
Do: Plan In Advance
If you’re looking to customize a gift or order it from a distant place, know that it may take time to arrive. As such, you’ll need to consider the timeline to prepare your item and the shipping schedule.
To avoid delays, it is best to plan at least two weeks before the date you intend to give your gift. This allows you to have sufficient time to prepare and see if the items are acceptable enough or if you might need to look for a quick alternative.
Don’t: Overspend
Some people want to impress their colleagues by giving them something expensive and fancy. While it can be something they’d appreciate, it may not be wise to overspend on a gift. Not only because it can burn your pockets but because it might appear inappropriate. Some people might feel uncomfortable receiving an expensive gift because they feel obliged to give something back or think of it as a bribe. And so, you may need to be careful with your prices and opt for less lavish gifts.
Do: Check Product Longevity
If you’re planning on giving a perishable item, you should check its longevity before gifting it. This way, they can decide if they are keeping them inside their fridge or pantry or consuming them immediately.
Ideally, you can give them a perishable item that can last for at least a week so they can take it any time they want without the added pressure of spoiling them inside their home. You can also indicate on the container when they should eat them to prevent food poisoning and ensure they consume them to their best taste.
Don’t: Give Multiple Gifts
Similar to giving expensive gifts to your colleagues, it’s also discouraged to give multiple gifts. While it might seem nice to create a gift box for them, if their total price is hefty, it may be best to start looking for alternatives. Aside from increasing expenses on your part, giving multiple gifts can also overwhelm your colleague. In some cases, it could also be considered as inappropriate, especially since you’re still in a corporate environment.
Do: Prioritize The Presentation
When giving gifts to your colleagues, the presentation also matters. While what’s on the inside is the star of the show, putting them inside beautiful packaging can also help boost its appearance and make it look more worthwhile. You can explore different gift-wrapping ideas or purchase a paper bag and colored paper to make it more presentable.
Don’t: Use Standard Gifts
Some people would like to save time and effort looking for a corporate gift and usually proceed with buying standard items, such as pens, wall clocks, planners, and mugs. While useful, you can guarantee they already have one at home. And so, if possible, avoid gifting such common items as they already have them and can be easily picked up from their shelves.
While they’re a lot quicker for you, it’d be nice if you could go for items that they don’t have that would serve a great purpose. For instance, it could be a wireless phone charger, compact tracking device, or vouchers and gift cards.
Takeaway
Giving corporate gifts to your colleagues is always fun and exciting. However, with the many items and products available in the market, it can be a challenge to choose the perfect corporate gift to give them. But as you learn some of the things you need to do and shouldn’t do in this article, you can narrow down your gift list and decide which one will be more appropriate for your corporate environment.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.