February 20, 2024

Employee Appreciation: A 5-Step Guide to Employee Gifting

As Employee Appreciation Day approaches, I find myself reflecting on my 20’s & the pivotal years spent working alongside a remarkable financial advisor (community leader & former hockey player), and his equally inspiring wife, at an investment firm in Saskatoon. Their commitment to personal development, integrity, work ethic, and discipline left a powerful impression on me during our years together.

While my path led me to pursue a career as a Canadian Country Music Recording Artist, later embracing motherhood and now a Managing Partner of Willows Box & Co., the appreciation I experienced during those years remains. Their heartfelt "thank yous" and acknowledgment of my dedication created a lasting bond. As mentors and friends, they understood the power of appreciation, a sentiment that has kept me feeling privileged & grateful to be collaborating with them on a variety of projects decades later.

As professional gift designers, we're often asked about the best strategy to show appreciation to a team.  We believe it requires a thoughtful & intentional approach.  Keep reading as we reveal our 5-step guide, and share our expertise on how to create a culture of meaningful acknowledgment and connection within your workplace.

1. Budget: Begin with determining your total gifting budget for the year and per-gift. This might depend on the scale & size of your company, but prices can range from $50 to $200 per gift. The cost per gift can also vary based on factors such as the gift contents, packaging quality, and finishing touches. For higher-budget events like executive conferences and retreats, the price range can extend from $150 to $350 or higher per gift. The average cost of corporate gifts really depends on the specific items and branding requirements.

2. Gifting Strategy: Are you gifting an employee milestone, work anniversary, or retirement gift? Maybe it’s a welcome gift for onboarding a new employee, client or holiday gifting? Possibly a company event, incentive trip, or a product launch? What is the experience you want the person opening the gift to have? A feeling of appreciation, an opportunity to refresh their office space, or encouraged to get some rest & prioritize wellness? 

3. Gift Selection: Knowing your brand & core values are key when it comes to selecting the items you are gifting. Locally sourced, sustainable, diversified? As a business deeply rooted in our local community, we take pride in being women-owned and family-owned. We've made it our mission to prioritize local sourcing, with 90% of our products coming from Canada and 60% of those sourced right here in Alberta.  As you source the items for you want to gift, keep top of my mind what’s important to you & your core business values.

4. Personalization & Branding: We believe a gift has to be meaningful; to the person receiving it, the person gifting it, and the person creating it. We make it personal. It’s really important to include a personal message on a card that’s enclosed in your gift. It’s what elevates the gifting experience, and is an absolute must. When it comes to adding your logo, there is such a thing as too much and too little branding. We recommend to our clients that upon receiving the gift, and before even opening the card, the recipient should be able to identify who the gift is from.

5. Production & Delivery: Managing your own gifting project, can introduce a variety of challenges such as the complexities of sourcing gift items, handling customizations, and addressing unforeseen packaging and logistics issues. To ensure a smooth process, it's crucial to designate a key person responsible for the project, securing an adequate space and coordinating staff for the assembly of gifts.

Employee gifting is more than just a thoughtful gesture – it's an investment in your team's well-being and success. By gifting a well-curated, intentionally-designed gift and combining it with the words of appreciation to match, you're creating an unforgettable and thoughtful experience for your employees that will remain with them for years to come. 

Ready to outsource your gifting needs?  Book a call today at hello.thewillowsbox@gmail.com or click HERE.

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