Top 10 Creative and Budget-Friendly Ways to Reward Your Employees This Christmas

Rewarding your team on holidays has many benefits. It improves staff morale and loyalty while keeping the team more engaged during the busy holiday period. 83% of HR leaders surveyed claim that recognition programs positively impact organizational values, and effective employee recognition results in a 44% boost in satisfaction. 

Below, you will find traditional and creative team appreciation ideas to try this Christmas. 

10 Employee Holiday Recognition Ideas

Holiday bonus or gift

A monetary bonus is probably the most popular way to recognize employee contributions­–and this is because it works. According to an UpFlip agency, 80% of employers surveyed claim that year-end bonuses improve employee morale. Moreover, holidays bring financial pressure, and offering cash is a great way to relieve the financial burden your employees have. 

The most popular holiday bonuses include: 

1. Cash awards – giving each employee a fixed amount of money.
2. Performance-based rewards – introducing a bonus scheme where employee bonus is linked to their performance. 
3. Profit sharing – distribution of a share of the company’s profit to employees. 
4. Gifts and gift cards (more about them below). 

Secret Santa gift exchange

Organizing a Secret Santa or White Elephant can foster camaraderie, boost employee engagement, and strengthen workplace ties. As people choose and swap gifts, they learn more about each other and build meaningful connections, which brings everyone closer. 

To set up your exchange, set a gift budget that is comfortable for everyone and ensure that everyone knows the Secret Santa rules. Decide what gifts you will exchange, set the time and date for the exchange, and plan more games and activities to make the Secret Santa reveal more exciting. 

With our MySanta app, you can easily set up the gift exchange even for 100+ employees. Each participant can specify their gift preferences and complete the wishlist with specific gifts. The app streamlines the exchange and offers lots of advantages: 

1. Exchange gifts in the office or remotely by mail. 
2. Set exceptions so that certain people don’t give to each other. 
3. Everything is recorded – see who has already bought gifts and who needs a reminder. 
4. People can secretly chat with their giftee to create anticipation and choose a great gift. 

Try our MySanta app

You can create wishlists, add exclusions, and communicate with your gifree secretly. Moreover, there is an option to track gifts and ensure that everyone buys a present on time.

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Learning and development opportunities

Compensation for training and personal growth benefits both your employees and the organization. By paying for training or development opportunities, you help employees learn new skills and improve their productivity which impacts the company’s bottom line. Moreover, it increases loyalty and can make your team happier. 

Say "Thank You"

Sometimes a sincere appreciation and recognition of your team’s input can work better than gifts and incentives. Sending heartfelt thank-you notes or praising your employees publicly can help people feel valued. Moreover, it creates a sense of belonging, which is essential to retain your top talent for years. The best part is that this employee recognition method costs you nothing, but it can sometimes be more effective than paid incentives. 

How do you say “thank you” to employees?

1. Personalize your message. Sending the same template to everyone on the team seems like a formality, and a personalized thank-you will come across as more sincere. 
2. Be specific. Tell your employees what exactly made a difference and how their unique input helped the company succeed. 
3. Consider a written note. Handwritten notes are a great way to show sincere appreciation. 

Public praise & recognition 

In addition to crafting personalized messages, consider praising employees publicly. Whether it’s during a team meeting before the holidays, the company’s newsletter, or social media, make the team’s contribution visible to everyone else in the company. 

Reflect on the milestones and achievements of the year and how your employees made them possible. Allow the key contributors to speak up about the most important projects. By putting people into the spotlight and recognizing their effort, you boost team spirit and encourage them to stay longer in your organization. 

Extra time off 

Time off during the hectic holiday season is always appreciated. Your employees have a lot to do on their to-do lists, so letting them leave a few hours earlier or granting a day off is a great gesture. It shows that you care for their well-being. Moreover, if people have time to take care of personal matters, they’ll be more engaged at work. 

Here are some great ways to give the gift of free time to your staff: 

1. A day off. Grant your employees a day or two off work without any explanation to maintain a healthy work-life balance. 
2. Early office closure. Let everyone leave earlier during a Christmas week. 
3. Extended lunch for holiday shopping. If leaving earlier is not possible, extend lunchtime to 2-3 hours so people can take care of personal matters. 
4. Flexible hours. Allow the team to adjust their schedule on holidays. 

Also Read:

9 Ways To Keep Your Employees Engaged This Holiday Season

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Gift cards 

Presenting a gift card is a popular way to reward your employees before the holidays. They are easy to buy and distribute, and make people feel appreciated, especially if you give cards to places where people regularly shop. Gift cards let people choose gifts they want and work perfectly as a holiday gift, boosting motivation and increasing employee loyalty. 

Popular gift cards for every team 

1. Gift cards to the online store (Amazon, Nike, Apple, Nordstrom, Walmart)
2. A card to a coffee shop or restaurant 
3. Streaming services subscription gift (Hulu, Spotify, Netflix) 
4. Wine subscription (Wine of the Month, Vinebox)
5. Experience gifts (Concert tickets, cooking class, spa day, photography workshop). 

Plan a Christmas party 

Celebrate the season and bring the team together by hosting a Christmas corporate party. Plan activities and entertainment, bring or order food, dress up, and have fun together. When people form friendly ties with coworkers, it helps them work more productively together and makes them happier at work. 

Decorate the place, choose the party theme, plan the menu and activities that appeal to your group. Don’t forget to include competitions and games to keep everyone engaged during the celebration. 

Also Read:

An HR’s guide to an amazing Christmas party

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Holiday treats 

Christmas time is perfect to treat yourself to delicious food and drinks. To spread holiday cheer among your team, prepare gift boxes with chocolates, snacks, accessories, and company merchandise. A box with sweet treats, branded stationery, mugs, or T-shirts will put everyone in the holiday mood and show appreciation. 

3 Employee gift box ideas  

1. A coffee lover’s basket. Gourmet coffee beans, a mug, chocolates, cookies, and a coffee-scented candle. 
2. A spa day basket. Bath bombs, scented salt, essential oil, a loofah, a face mask set, and a small plus towel. 
3. A holiday-themed basket. Gingerbread cookies, cinnamon-scented candles, ornaments, a personalized mug, candy, and a small holiday decoration. 

Tips to reward your employees smartly this holiday season

Here’s how to reward employees to help them feel appreciated and valued: 

Let them opt out. 

Some people in your team might not celebrate Christmas, or don’t feel like participating in the holiday activities. Respect their choice. If they are not willing to attend a corporate Christmas party or participate in the Secret Santa exchange, don’t force them to­. 

Personalize the reward. 

To make the team happier, take their wishes into account when choosing rewards. Some people are perfectly fine with getting a yearly bonus, whereas others need public praise and a sense of connection with a company. Conduct a survey before holidays to understand the preferred type of reward, and try to match your employees’ expectations. 

Use incentives strategically. 

Instead of offering rewards and bonuses that employees can use instantly, offer something they can take advantage of in the year ahead. Incentives like compensation for training programs, tickets to industry events, gym memberships, or travel vouchers will not only show your appreciation but also increase loyalty. 

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