The Best Employee Christmas Gifts: What to choose for 2022
Christmas is a time for giving, and what better way to show your employees how much you appreciate them than by giving them the perfect gift?
But how can you choose when you might have a team made up of Gen Z, Millenials and even Boomers? (For reference, Gen Z is anyone born between 1981-1996, Millenials between 1977-1995 and Boomers between 1945-1964. As you can imagine, there are likely to be some varying tastes between these age ranges!)
What are the changing interests and trends that you need to know about before you put budget towards Christmas gifts? Let’s jump in.
Online vs Offline Store Gifts – One size doesn’t fit all.
According to a study by Research Retail the top three stores for Millenials were Amazon, Marks & Spencer, and Boots. These results are not surprising, as these are all major retailers in the UK with a wide range of treats and choice. Interestingly, 2 of the 3 are those with a large physical presence in the form of stores. On the other side, Gen Z are known for being digital natives, so it is no surprise that their favourite stores are all online. Amazon (32%), ASOS (24%), and Missguided (21%) were the top three stores among Gen Z respondents in a survey by OnePoll.
Sustainability is a growing concern
While you may have historically had hampers and other physical gifts for Christmas in your working career, there has been a shift. Many of us are much more eco conscious and
Christmas is a huge season of waste. The common culprits are Christmas trees, wrapping paper, Christmas cards and of course all those presents! It is estimated that unwanted gifts account for 100,000 tonnes of waste each year in the UK.
Many employees are now looking for more sustainable gifts, and the most important sustainability factors for consumers where eco-friendly products are concerned are:
· that the product is made from recycled materials (78%);
· that the product can be reused or recycled (77%);
· and that the product does not damage the environment (76%).
Receiving a gift – home working has changed the experience
It is estimated that remote workers now make up 12% of the workforce in the UK. This is a huge increase from just 2 years ago, and the number of remote workers has increased dramatically in recent years, due to advances in technology and the rise of the gig economy. With more and more people working from home, or from different locations, it can be difficult to find a present that they will be able to get their hands on. Some HQ offices are no longer in use, which is an unusual new development from the years previously, and again puts pressure on the busy HR professional who now has to manoeuvrer to find home addresses and places of residence, co-ordinating gift delivery across various counties, or even countries.
The perfect gift?
When it comes to Christmas gifts for employees, gift cards are the way to go! They are versatile, convenient, and always well-received. With so many different stores to choose from, you can find the perfect gift card for anyone on your list whatever their demographic group or interest.
The life:style Gift Card offers over 150+ quality brands, with a far better range than most multi use vouchers, all with 2 year expiry dates and no admin fees to order.
It also ticks the sustainability box and the delivery box too – with cards and codes that can be delivered digitally, all with the personalisation you need to make an impact.