The coronavirus pandemic has brought a number of unprecedented issues that HR departments must deal with: concerns about employee safety, legal issues, and even the transformation of the HR role itself. With all this change in the past few months, many HR leaders are looking at 2021 with some apprehension. Employers’ focus on benefits should include employee well-being and financial bonuses.
Holiday Parties in 2020
As organizing holiday parties at the workplace during a pandemic doesn’t seem safe, managers are looking for other ways to help their employees celebrate this time – including virtual gift exchanges, cooking classes, and wine tastings. HR departments face difficult challenges related to how to celebrate while ensuring employee safety. Although nothing can fully replace the personal experience, these initiatives give employees a chance to bond and have a bit of fun.
If you prefer to serve experiences rather than items, team holiday parties are usually the best solution. However, currently due to COVID, workplace holiday parties are unlikely to happen. A virtual Christmas party might be the best solution.
If, however, you decide to organize an event, remember to adhere to all safety rules. Before such an event, it’s worth funding additional COVID tests for employees to ensure that the gathering is safe in this regard. As a rule, parties should be paid for by the company, they don’t have to be anything too fancy – an open bar and some food are enough. The CEO or owner should say a few words of thanks, and although the event is the gift itself, it wouldn’t hurt to give a Christmas card to maintain a personal touch.
Holiday gifts are not only recognition – they are also motivation
Holiday gifts for employees are intended to create a pleasant and positive atmosphere, but they also serve other very important purposes. 94% of surveyed employees stated that a holiday gift from their employer would make them feel appreciated and simply happier at work. Holiday gifts for the team are also an excellent way to recognize employees; 65% believe that recognition increases their engagement, and 50% say that rewarding employees improves relationships with managers and builds trust with their employers. [1] So the question is what type of gifts to prepare, not whether to do them at all.
However, we know perfectly well that an inappropriate gift can be worse than its absence. The best possible gifts are gift cards – it’s a perfect, modern idea that helps avoid dissatisfaction with a failed gift. By appreciating employees in this way, it should be considered that the holiday season is special, so gifts for this occasion must also be special. All kinds of gift cards available on the market are a practical gift, allowing the recipient to choose from original and unique products from various sectors: clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, or food brands.
What gifts for employees are most cost-effective for companies?
Choosing a gift card for company employees has another important advantage. Flex-e-card Gift Cards are exempt from personal income tax up to PLN 380 per year. The value of gift cards issued to employees is a cost of generating revenue for the company. The nature of flex-e-card services means that it is not subject to VAT under the Act on Goods and Services Tax (VAT), as the nominal value of the cards is not a good or service within the meaning of the provisions of this Act.
