Gift Giving to Employees in a Recession ……it’s time to be creative

Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are coming and it’s that giving time of year. What’s a business to do when the revenues for the year are down and the very slow upturn is only giving hope and no real surge of cash? There is no telling what Black Friday’s impact will have on your business. You want to keep everything the same as before, but it simply is not the same as in prior years. There is a pride about gift giving and it is difficult to change that.

Do you keep your tradition of gift giving to employees at the same level? Do you send Jelly of the Month Club certificates to employees, similar to the one that Clark receives in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation? You may remember what happened to Clark’s boss. Cross the jelly off the list. What about a Seinfeldian act like making donations to the “Human Fund” similar to George’s reaction to the Kruger Company’s mandated gift giving program. That back fired as well.

If your company sent cards to clients in the past, it is good to keep that going because it keeps your relationships active. Gift giving to clients is another serious consideration. Your good clients keep you afloat in these times, it is best to keep that gift giving at the same level.

News reports indicate that the bookings for company Christmas parties are down this year. A business may consider how to have a party at a different level this year. A venue change may just do the trick and a new experience, while not the same as before could be a refreshing change.

Perhaps it’s time to brain storm some new ideas for your company’s gift giving approach. The etiquette of gift giving has not changed. It always comes back to giving the best you can afford. If your gift in the past was a monetary bonus, it might be best to ratchet the amount back to something that has an impact yet does not go overboard. Investment in human capital often pays the best dividends.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season!

Joan R. Stokely (jrs@thesocietyofdiplomacy.com) is the President of The Society of Diplomacy, Inc., a protocol and etiquette consulting firm. We offer extraordinary training programs for corporate professionals who desire greater success in their careers. Increase your knowledge of business protocol and etiquette, your corporate image, international intelligence and social skills by attending programs specifically designed for you.

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