When the COVID-19 pandemic created a new “work from home” culture, management, and employees were separated like never before. With the holidays approaching, it’s important to connect with your employees and colleagues, whom you have likely not seen in months. With so few opportunities for face-to-face interaction throughout the year, corporate gifting has never been more important.
While we cannot all be together, we can find creative ways to connect with those we care about and appreciate this holiday season using some creative virtual strategies. What’s the best way to go above and beyond for employees who go above and beyond? Here are a few giftable ideas to that will lift their spirits:
1. Satisfy Their Sweet Tooth
According to Psychology Today “A Spoonful of Sugar Makes the Stress go Down”, so some sweet treats will go a long way with your employees right about now. By way of example, “Shark Tank” star Robert Herjavec demonstrated the deep appreciation for his team members by sending each of them a virtual gift certificate from Bake Me A Wish!, surprising them with tasty gourmet gifts for an upcoming team meeting, which he also posted in a recent Instagram live post.
“The employee feels special,” Herjavec told radio station WCBS in a recent interview. “What we found is, you bring it home, you put it on the kitchen table, your wife comes home or your husband and they say, ‘oh my gosh what’s that?’ and now you’re engaging the entire family.”
Through the end of December 2020, five percent of all Bake Me A Wish! purchases go back to small businesses through a business empowerment fund. It’s a small way to show clients and customers a little extra appreciation while helping those who have been affected by COVID-19.
2. The Gift of Peace of Mind
According to the National Institute of Health anxiety is at an all time high. Your employees and colleagues will appreciate a gift that helps them destress and stay calm. Consider subscriptions to some clever calming apps like the aptly named Calm, a popular app with an extensive menu of adult sleep time stories, nature sounds, music, meditation and combinations of each to help you decompress and relax, or Colorfy, a digital adult coloring book to allow meditation flow through digital coloring. Shine, an app designed by black women to address the anxieties that are specific to the black community has a huge library with access to podcasts and meditation practices. Yoga Studio is a mind-body app with more than 60 custom classes to choose from with a curated mix from beginner to advanced. With more than 200 poses, perfected for you to learn, there’s something for everyone on your list here.
3. Wine
Wine offers many health benefits, from relieving stress and anxiety to protecting against heart disease. According to Healthline, the antioxidants found in wine can benefit not only against heart disease, but also may help with gut bacteria, mental health, and longevity. With most employees working from home, the good folks at VineSpring came up with a solution that allows wineries the ability to gift seamlessly with just a few clicks.
Any employer can take advantage of VineSpring’s online gifting tool. Just send their partner wineries a list of giftees along with the allocation of wines you want them to choose from. The winery emails the giftees letting them know they have received the gift of wine, and a link to select the bottle of their choosing. Everyone gets peace of mind from the security of the process ― no employee has to share their home address with another, like a typical “Secret Santa” game.
4. Curate Something Personal
Sometimes it’s just a small thing that helps us get through the day or end our day on a positive note. Uncommon Goods has a myriad of lovely little gifts for mindful pampering. Some standouts include the Mindful Breathing Necklace, inspired by a flute-maker who taught breathing techniques to Japanese monks; Deep Sea Sand Art, a rotating glass ring with drifts of light, dark, and glittery golden sand that shifts into clouds, rain, oceans, and smoke, ebbing and flowing into one another; and the Eucalyptus Headache and Sinus pillow to soothe headaches and sinus pain.
To individualize gifts for giving on a smaller or more individualized scale, Etsy offers a wide selection of gifts from artisans who aim to please, and Minted has everything from toes to pillows that can be personalized to give your gifting that special touch.
This article was written by Pippa Rodriguez.