While it may seem overly simple, it really is true that happy employees make for a profitable company with a positive work culture. Yet, for many organizations, employee satisfaction takes a back seat when it comes to a business’ goals. Research has shown that employee recognition and rewards lead to greater morale, productivity, and job satisfaction among team members. These motivators lead to increased profits. So, remember that presents for employees aren’t just pats on the back for a job well done. They can positively affect your bottom line.

Reward and Recognition Concepts

Traditionally, employee recognition consisted of a yearly review tied to a raise in a worker’s salary. It was thought that increased pay would then reward and recognize improved performance and motivate employees to continue to work hard. Gift giving in workplaces is a relatively recent concept designed to incentivize employees in a meaningful way outside of their annual review and salary increases. Similarly, employees who appreciate their managers can show their appreciation with gift ideas for employers in today's fluid workspace.

The Effect of The Job Market

Many employers feel strongly that the only thing harder than recruiting and hiring qualified employees is keeping them. With that said, effective recruitment is vital to a company’s success as retention can make or break any team. Consider the time invested in selecting job candidates, onboarding, and training. Now consider all that time wasted if an employee were to leave within a few weeks or months for another job simply because they weren’t satisfied with their work or they felt underappreciated. Job satisfaction is a key consideration for today's employees, with unemployment levels at record low levels and many positions vacant.

So, while gifts alone do not guarantee that employees will stay, they can serve as part of an overall corporate commitment to making the workplace a positive place.

Creative Morale Boosting Concepts

Aside from exchanging presents for employees or coming up with gift ideas for employers, what else can be done to increase overall morale and job satisfaction? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Employees should be invested in company-wide success stories. Many employees work in a single focused element of the company, either on a product or in customer service environment and never get the opportunity to see the big picture. If your company is improving lives, helping others, or simply making something that has that a positive effect on others, share that information and knowledge with employees. Let them see testimonials and realize the value of their efforts.
2. Invest in employees’ interests. Believe it or not, just buying a membership to allow employees to use a gym, go to museums or shows, or pursue their passions in their off-time with a company discount creates a bond between the company and employees.
3. Proactively communicate. If supervisors only communicate with employees when there is a problem, your team will dread receiving emails from HQ. Don't be that boss. Instead, send out positive and inspiring messages. Notice things when they are getting done right and be sure to comment on them publicly. People love to see their hard work validated and a regularly scheduled email that says "Thank you” to various employees identified for their efforts goes a long way.
4. Reward innovation. Companies in today's workforce culture realize that "how things were always done" is no longer the only way to do them and that new and previously unheard of ideas are now not just the future but cutting edge. Listen to employee suggestions and try a few and you'll find that more are made and people feel valued because they've been heard.

Get To Know Your Employees

At first glance this may seem a bit oversimplified, the fact is that getting to know your employees as individuals is the best way to make it clear to them not only that you care about them but to develop a relationship with them. No one wants to be seen as a number so take the time to learn all of their names, regardless of their positions. Talk to your employees and learn about their interests, their lives, and their personalities outside of work. This will make it much easier to find the perfect gift for them should you be in the market for presents for employees.

Match the Gift to the Recipient

In order for presents for employees to be meaningful, they should be personalized to the individual recipients and tied to an accomplishment or achievement for which that individual worked. Sounds simple, right? Only if you have taken the time to get to know your employees as individuals. And the same holds true for employees who are seeking gift ideas for employers.

Say, for example, you have Bob in Sales who has been putting in a tremendous effort to promote a new product line that has exceeded expectations. You've overheard Bob in action making calls after hours, sending emails until all hours of the night, and even coming in on weekends when that isn’t normally expected. Since you've spent time with Bob, you know one of his favorite things to do is spend time with his family on Sundays in the summer at the pool with a barbecue. Wouldn't a customized barbecue grilling set with the company logo be a perfect gift for him to show your appreciation?

Perhaps Sue in Customer Service has been dealing with some irate and unpleasant customers due to a glitch in the company software. She's kept her cool even in some heated calls and always maintained a strict level of professionalism. Knowing that she is a wine enthusiast, you might want to select a wine gift set with matching glasses for her to enjoy on the weekends.

Provide Presents for Employees With A Purpose

If you are looking to not only reward employees but introduce a little more fun into your workplace, you could consider using quality game sets for presents for employees. These can similarly be turned into gift ideas for employers as well and can lead to company game nights or even Fun Friday lunches and can include:

• A 92-piece Dominoes set with the corporate logo proudly emblazoned on the top.

• A Cribbage set with Cards and Pins engraved with the employee's name or company information.

• A Rosewood Card and Dice set for the gamers on your team.

Great Gift Ideas for Employers As Well

For employees, it can be difficult to come up with gift ideas for employers who go above and beyond the call of duty for them. If the group combines their assets, it is possible they could each contribute to the purchase of a meaningful and personal gift for the boss, such as the Rosewood Executive Golf gift set.

Another potential employer gift might include the Mancala set with marbles for the boss who didn't lose theirs on a particularly challenging project.

Or perhaps for bosses whose greatest strength is strategizing, a Rosewood Chess set engraved with their name or the company's information shows an appreciation for their efforts.

Trophies, Medals, and More

Olympic athletes are recognized with medals and awards for exceptional demonstrations of speed, strength, and agility. Perhaps in light of the upcoming Olympic games, you could recognize and reward employees whose efforts have gone above and beyond. Traditional  plaques and medals honoring the Employee of the Week or Month or Year are still valuable opportunities to tell an employee they matter and their efforts are recognized. But in light of the information available related to employee satisfaction, finding meaningful and individualized presents for employees is a far greater investment in retention.

Corporate gift-giving is only one piece in the pursuit of maintaining a positive work environment for employees, but it is a valuable part of making them feel valued. And when employees feel that their efforts are appreciated, their opinions are heard, and their work makes a difference, they are more likely to remain loyal and not seek outside employment. Showing appreciation with gifts is certainly not the same as buying their loyalty, but can make them feel as if the company is invested in them and that investment becomes a two-way street.

Given that happy employees are more productive, it is worth the time and money to find the right gift ideas for employers and employees that show that their personal interests matter. They don't have to be extremely expensive, but simply need to show that the company cares enough to find out who the employee is as an individual and to put some effort into finding a gift that matches their interests.

If you’re interested in creating a positive workplace culture, contact Trophy Outlet for the best gift-giving ideas for employers and employees alike!