It is not necessarily easy to give good gifts to your employees. Here explains how you can succeed in a simple way!
Giving gifts to colleagues can be an ever so small project. You want to find gifts that everyone will be happy with. A gift for a colleague should preferably be personal, which shows that you appreciate him or her. Gifts for the boss can be even more difficult. Employment in general requires a bit of planning. Fortunately, there are good alternatives!
As the founder of the gift service Kosibox, I have thought a lot about what makes a good gift, and what can be suitable for employees. In summary, a good company gift for employees is something that is easy to give, great to receive, something that says "thank you for being my colleague".
Personal gifts for employees
I believe that a good gift is something that is adapted to the recipient, which is experienced as a personal gift. You can do this by choosing or putting together the gift especially for him/her, or customize the gift with a card and a greeting.
If you are going to give gifts to a smaller team, it is easier to adapt the gift to the individual. You can give something that you know they are extra fond of. If it is for a larger team, a department or the entire company, the best option is to write a unique card for the individual. A nice card with a nice greeting can mean as much as the gift itself.
What gifts are popular to receive?
There are many types of gifts and they have some advantages and disadvantages. Here we look at some suggestions for gifts for employees.
- Gift cards are popular to receive. The employees can use the gift for whatever they want. It can be perceived as a generous gift, but is relatively impersonal and you don't get an "unboxing" experience, i.e. the feeling of opening a gift. No one has put together a gift especially for you.
- Flowers can be great gifts, which many people like to receive. It's easy to find flower shops, but not all of your employees care as much about flowers. After all, they also wither within a short time, and your employee is left with nothing lasting.
- Things as gifts, here it is the imagination that sets the limits. It can be a great wine decanter, kitchen items or many other things that are nice to receive as a gift. The gift becomes a lasting object, which can remind you of your good colleagues for a long time afterwards. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to know what your colleagues have beforehand, and it can quickly fill up cupboards and drawers without being used.
- Experience gifts are a good alternative, but often have a higher price point. Again, it is important to think about the gift recipient, what does he or she like? Not everyone is interested in skydiving, others prefer wine tasting. It can be difficult to find an experience gift that suits everyone.
- Company gifts with food are very popular. Gourmet food or chocolate can provide a bit of luxury in everyday life, and the gift has a high probability of being used. As they are consumables, you don't have to worry about your colleague already having them.
How do you go about giving gifts to employees?
Start by thinking about what you want to say to your colleagues with this gift. Show them that you care about them as people, make it as personal as possible and give them the feeling that you have thought about them. Often this is more important than the budget. Think about what message should be on the card, for example:
- Thank you for your efforts this year
- Good job!
- Let's celebrate what we have achieved
The next step is the budget. Gifts should be just right, not too small and not too big. Most gifts are in the range of NOK 500 to NOK 1,500 ex VAT, but this depends on the occasion. Remember that there are rules for what employee gifts can be given tax-free. In general, a limit of NOK 5,000 per year per employee applies, but there are some exceptions. Here you will find an overview from NHO of rules relating to corporate gifts.
Be out in good time, especially if you are going to buy a lot of gifts. There may be a delivery time for large orders, but for a team or department it can be arranged in a few days. I still recommend spending plenty of time, so that you have time to think about the whole of the gift experience, and find the concept that fits best.
Good gifts are good for the environment
At Kosibox, we believe that good gifts are also good for the environment. It gives an aftertaste if the gift items, for example, have an excessive amount of plastic wrapping or are not recyclable. The gift that is the worst for the environment, in my eyes, is the one that is never used and ends up in a shed, a drawer or a cupboard. Many people already have everything they need, and then it is good to buy gifts that are consumed and thus not left over.
Ordering and delivery of gifts to colleagues
It should be easy to order the gifts, have the provider make an offer for you based on your wishes and needs. Look for flexibility and someone who listens to what you want.
Delivery centrally to the office is the cheapest option. It can be nice to receive a gift in the office if, for example, you have a meeting before Christmas. These days, however, many people have a home office and they do not visit the office as often as before. Then it can be smart to have the gifts delivered directly to the employee's home. The practical aspect can be a central part of the gift experience for your employee.
Unboxing experience
An essential part of the experience is opening the gift, usually called "unboxing" in English. The surprise, joy and wonder of what the gift can be is magical. It is often what you remember afterwards, the good feeling of opening presents, instilled in us from when we were small children on birthdays and on Christmas Eve.
That is why we at Kosibox focus on gift boxes with different contents, including gourmet food, chocolate, well-being products and many other items that are handpicked by us as good gifts.
Get in touch and we will help you
We can help you with corporate gifts, please contact us and we will find good solutions. We send either to the office or to the individual employee's home. We help you create a personal experience. Find company gifts for employees here, or contact us at hello@kosibox. no, we will answer you shortly. See also how you can send gifts delivered to your door.