In the U.S., the market for non-cash employee gifts is staggering and continues to grow, year on year. Many companies increasingly recognize the importance of gifting their employees to facilitate a deeper personal connection with them. Employers also want to show their staff that they are valued for their work.

Corporate gifting can impact the opinion of an employee both positively or negatively depending on the choice of gift. Executed well, gifting can vastly improve company culture and employee retention. Working with a luxury gifting company such as Carnaby and Vine (based in Los Angeles) is one way to take the hard work out of corporate gifting and ensure your employees feel appreciated and respected.

Let’s take a look at some key elements to gifting your employees well.

Make it Useful
Whether it’s for a holiday, a talent gift or just to say thank you, make sure to give a useful item.

Build your box around this useful item, and be sure to think quality over quantity. People associate corporate gifts with a level of luxury that they may not ordinarily spend on themselves. Bespoke gifts show that you have taken the time to source high-end gifts and care about your employee’s interests and needs.

Give items that are made in the U.S., are sustainable and/ or support a cause. However, be careful not to get too political or polarizing here. You can never go wrong with homegrown products that are kind to the planet, eco-friendly or with a low carbon footprint.

Presentation is king (or queen!) here. A beautifully wrapped and packaged gift will ensure a pleasurable unboxing experience for the employee, and will also send a strong signal about the value of the items within the package. First impressions are and will always be important.

Make it personal
Write a personally addressed note or personalize the gift with the recipient's name or initials. If you don’t know what to say in the note, here are some tips……
Preferably address employees by their name.
Name something specific to each recipient such as their contribution to a project or achievement within your company.
Tell them what is special about this gift like how you think they will use it, or what made you believe they would enjoy it.
Give a hopeful conclusion to the note based on getting to know them better, or continuing to support them in their work.

Lastly, if you are unsure about whether to start gifting your employees from a financial aspect, know that they will most likely generate a valuable return on investment and will pay for themselves twofold. Human brains assign "value" to people or businesses based on the interactions we have with them.

Sending an employee a gift at the right time is a great way to make a lasting good impression and establish yourself as someone they want to continue working with.