There’s a familiar saying that I just made up: Happy employees, happy business. 

It’s stating the obvious to declare that employees who are recognized for their hard work are more engaged and therefore more productive, which pays off for your company. Back in 2019 B.P. (Before the Pandemic), more than 50% of U.S. workers sought new jobs, leaving their current one in less than a year. Fast forward to today and employee burnout is on the rise at a time when they’re needed most. 

You’d be surprised how a small gesture like a gift can make a big difference. In our last blog post, we discussed why client gifts are good for business, and today, we’re going to examine the impact they have on your employees. 

It Boosts Productivity

Perhaps “Show me the money” needs to be modified to “Show me the gift basket.”

Gifts are preferable over bonuses. What now? Isn’t the adage “Money talks and that other stuff walks”? 

Not so. Companies spend upwards of $77 billion annually on employee incentives, but a study by American Economic Review determined that giving a gift to employees increased productivity more than a cash reward. In fact, a gift of equal value boosted their performance by an average of 25%.

As one of the study’s authors said:

“Surprising employees from time to time with tokens of appreciation can enhance morale.”

It Shows Employees That They Are Valued

Speaking of stating the obvious, high employee morale works wonders for businesses. Happy employees are invaluable to the working environment, productivity, and future success of your business. A gift of appreciation shows your employees how much they’re valued.  

Even if employee morale is high, don’t rest on your laurels. Engaged and productive employees deserve ongoing recognition, and what business owner doesn’t want their company to operate even more efficiently? 

Meaningful Gifts Make a Difference

As we’ve previously written, figuring out the right gift can be a stressful pursuit. It won’t be if you lean into meaningful gifts. What does that mean? It’s going beyond the holiday season and considering other occasions and circumstances like:

Milestones – Gifts for achievements, such as fulfilling a performance goal like meeting or exceeding a sales quota.

Family Events – Why limit gifts to clients whose family member has a birthday, wedding, or anniversary? Show your employees’ families some love, too. 

Team Achievements – There’s no “I” in team but there is in “gift.” Since the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, celebrating team accomplishments puts an emphasis on team culture and camaraderie. Highly functioning teams move your business forward. 

Running a business requires a lot of intestinal fortitude and can be very overwhelming, which is why investing in your employees’ satisfaction is key. With a little planning around gift-giving, you can see a big bump in engagement and positive outcomes for your company. 

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Signing a new client is a great feeling. You and the client have conducted your due diligence to feel comfortable about the business fit, and then you’re off and running with the engagement. You’re so focused on delivering the best service possible–as you should be–that you forget to go the extra mile to send a gift (shameless plug alert: like an inimitable BasketWorks gift basket) when the occasion calls for it. Now, you’re not likely going to get fired for that “sin” of omission, but it certainly doesn’t hurt and in fact can help to send a holiday, thank you or happy fill-in-the-blank gift. 

Every chance you get to show that you care gives your client another reason to keep working with you. Here are three reasons why client gifts are good for business. 

1. Strengthens Relationships

Why not make a good relationship better?

Surprising your customers with gifts reflects a level of generosity and implies that you care about individual relationships. It keeps you top-of-mind and shows your customers that you are committed to long-standing relationships. Gift-giving is a small gesture with significant implications on your brand perception, the likelihood of repeat business, and more referrals. 

2. Gives You A Reason To Reach Out

As a vendor you don’t want to be out of sight out of mind for your clients. Having a standing check-in meeting is always a best practice, but sending a gift gives you an excuse to reach out without necessarily talking business. Think of it as a way to reconnect with customers with whom you haven’t had frequent contact in a low-pressure, non-sales-y way. 

3. Builds More Trust

Care and trust are the kissing cousins of business in that the more that you show your customers that you care, the more trust they invest in you. Customers feel special when they receive TLC, and the combination of outstanding services and gift-giving provides that. 

Giving your client a gift sends two very important messages: 1) it demonstrates how much you appreciate their business, and 2) it’s a reflection of who you are as a company.

Pro Tips

People love personalized gifts. I’m not saying they have to be super customized, but including a personal note wishing them a happy holiday or recognizing another occasion can go a long way. 

Timing is everything. Err on the side of ordering early to ensure that your customer receives the gift before the birthday, anniversary or Christmas. A late gift is never a good look! 

Now it’s time to create a plan to wow your customers with the perfect gift.

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