Employers are giving their workers a reason for holiday cheer around the office this season in the form of holiday perks (bonuses, parties, gifts).
Bonuses: Thirty-five per cent of UK employers plan to give their employees a holiday bonus this year, with 33 per cent providing bonuses as large, or larger than last year’s.
Gifts: Thirty-four per cent of employers plan to give their employees gifts this holiday season. Sixteen per cent say the gifts will be the same as or bigger than in years past.
Parties: Half (50 per cent) of employers say they’ll be throwing parties for their employees this holiday season. Forty per cent expect the parties to be the same or bigger than last year.
Tips for Holidays in the Office
For gift-giving:
DO stick with more neutral gifts like gift cards, something for their office or desk, picture frames, candles, homemade treats, etc.
DO know the company policy on gift giving as some may have restrictions. Also, get a sense of whether your team has exchanged gifts in the past or taken part in Secret Santa, etc. so you know what to expect.
DON’T give anything too extravagant, too personal or potentially embarrassing for the person, and spend the same on each co-worker. If you have a personal friend at work that you want to give a bigger gift to, exchange outside of the office.
For the holiday party:
DO eat, drink and be merry, but do so in moderation. You don’t want to be the guy dancing on the table or the person who decided to tell the boss what you really think of him/her. Limit alcohol intake and make sure to eat something.
DO take the opportunity to network with other co-workers and company leaders, but don’t focus the conversation about work, it’s a social gathering.
DON’T dress for a nightclub. It’s still a work function, so keep your attire more conservative.
Survey Methodology
There were 500 company managers from the UK involved in our survey.