What employees want for Christmas
As the year draws to a close, many employers are asking themselves what their employees would like for Christmas. The traditional bottle of wine, a gift card or maybe an extra day of leave? But how many employees actually receive a Christmas gift from their employers? And what do such gifts mean to the employees?
We sent a survey to employers and employees in November 2020 to find out. The results show that employees’ and employers’ opinions aren't always in agreement. The most interesting findings:
- employers and employees would choose a universal gift card as a gift.
- 69 % of the employees surveyed have never received a Christmas gift from their employer.
- The main reason for giving a Christmas gift is to show appreciation.
Universal gift cards are very popular with both employers and employees as a Christmas gift.
Those who responded to our survey agreed on the preferred gift. 75 % of employers said a universal gift card was the best gift for employees. And they hit the nail on the head, because 82 % of the employees surveyed would prefer this gift. Why? A universal gift card can be exchanged by the recipient for a gift card for their favorite brand. This means every employee can choose the gift that is right for them. The employee gets exactly what he needs or wants and the employer only has to choose one gift that will be perfect for everyone.
There is a similar level of agreement for other gift options. While non-cash gifts and one-off payments are in the top 3 employee gifts for employers, employees would also be pleased to receive one-off payments, but also extra leave between Christmas and New Year.
Information provided on gift giving diverges greatly.
The information provided by the two groups surveyed to the questions of whether the company gives employees a Christmas gift and whether employees receive Christmas gifts from their employers diverges greatly. The majority of employers answered this question with “Yes, every year” at 47 % and “Yes, but not every year” at 40 %. Only 13 % said they had never given employees a Christmas gift.
In contrast, 69 % of employees said they had never received a Christmas gift from their employers. Only 17 % said they received a gift every year and another 14 % said they had received a gift, but not every year.
However, previous surveys and studies conducted by other companies reflect the results of the employee survey. This discrepancy could point to different perceptions on both sides as to what constitutes a Christmas gift. Employers should make sure that Christmas gifts are recognized by employees as such.
Appreciation as reason for receiving a gift is understood by employees.
Giving employees a Christmas gift is not just a nice gesture, it is about sending a message to employees. 97 % of employers wish to show their employees that they are appreciated. And this message is understood by
57 % of employees. Both groups also indicated that gift giving is associated with a “reason to be happy” and “increased motivation”.
Motivated employees are vital to a company’s success. Satisfied employees perform better, show their satisfaction to contacts outside of the company and create a pleasant working atmosphere. Employers who show their appreciation, for example with a Christmas gift, make a great contribution to employee satisfaction.
The impact of COVID-19 on gift-giving this year:
All companies faced special challenges this year. Many sent their employees to work from home, production processes had to be restructured and many employees in care professions or retail had to surpass themselves. We therefore asked employers if the consequences of COVID-19 would have an impact on their gift-giving for employees this year. The results show that COVID-19 will have no effect for just over half (53 %). The other half, however, will not be giving gifts to employees this year (12 %) or that the value of the gift will be lower (19 %). There was also a pleasant surprise in the findings: 16 % of those surveyed indicated that their employees will receive a gift for the first time this year as a result of the pandemic.
BestChoice ShoppingGiftCard to motivate employees.
Amongst other areas, cadooz specializes in employee motivation. Many of our products are therefore designed to be appreciated by your employees, including our ever-popular universal gift card – the BestChoice ShoppingGiftCard. Simply order the voucher in either the Christmas design, as a one-off gift or in the neutral employee design as a thank you to your employees at any time of the year. Whether fashion and beauty, electronics and furniture, travel and sport, or entertainment and gastronomy, with 150 brands covered there is something to please everyone.
Take advantage of tax benefits when giving gifts!
The state offers a number of ways to take advantage of tax benefits when showing your appreciation to your employees. An especially attractive example that is available until 06/30/2021 is the one-off corona payment, which allows employers to give employees up to €1,500 extra, tax and social security contribution free. But there are many opportunities next year, too, to motivate your employees and show your appreciation using the €44 limit for giving non-cash gifts.*
Still looking for a suitable gift for your employees and need some inspiration or advice? Then feel free to fill out the contact form or give us a call. Our employee motivation team will be happy to help!
Our independent online survey is based on 609 responses from employees and employers aged 18 and over. It was conducted in Germany in November 2020.
*Please note that this specially selected information does not constitute individual tax advice and does not replace the advice of a tax consultant. In particular, individual circumstances and the specific facts of each case must always be taken into account as well as other current tax and social insurance considerations that go beyond the income tax presentation.
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