Holiday Employee Gift Expectation

[Anonymous]

I know it’s early to discuss but it is on my mind! I work in sales and had a team of five under me so I gave them each $75 gift card every year until my team grew to 10 and I began giving out $50 gift cards. My team has now grown to 15 and I cannot continue to spend this kind of money for the holidays. What do you suggest I can do for the team without breaking the bank? The worst part is they are most likely expecting the $.

[Anonymous]

I don't think you can go lower than $50 without resentment. Didn't you get a raise when you took on more reports? If you can't afford this, you probably need to phase out the cash gift and make it a lunch or something that's cheaper per head, but having set the precedent, you can't avoid people becoming bitter.

[Anonymous]

I'd transition from giving what is essentially a personal cash gift to hosting a holiday gathering where you can control costs.

As an aside, I would not think it reasonable for a manager to provide supplemental annual additional salary/bonus, which is kind of what this is, out of her own pocket. The company should be funding anything like that as an employee retention activity. Bringing in donuts or bagels every once in a while, which you have paid for personally, as a morale booster would be different but would also not cost too much and if done on a irregular and unpredictable schedule won't become an "entitlement" which you can't discontinue without employee resentment.

[Anonymous]

Do you or do you not earn a percentage of your report's commissions?

Is managing more people more work, or just displacing individual work you were doing?

[Anonymous]

Another thread that is useless without HHI

[Anonymous]

Is it usual for managers / sales managers to give personal gifts to their reports?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it usual for managers / sales managers to give personal gifts to their reports?

I could see doing it if you only have a handful or fewer, as it was in the beginning for OP, but not with bigger teams.

[Anonymous]

I have been in your situation-years ago my team was 3 people and now it's approaching 30. When it got close to 20, I made the switch from individual gifts to a group gift and never looked back.

[Anonymous]

I still give gifts but it depends on the person. I’m not in sales but went from heading one department to multiple. I give the assistants $100-$150 gift cards to a new restaurant they like and now take everyone out for a nice lunch. I used to give everyone $50-$100 but now it’s not sustainable. I do give people more flexibility and go to bat for them for promotions and raises and one time bonuses and that I believe means more to them then a $50 gift card.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been in your situation-years ago my team was 3 people and now it's approaching 30. When it got close to 20, I made the switch from individual gifts to a group gift and never looked back.

What kind of group gift?

[Anonymous]

I have nearly a dozen direct reports and it has become rather costly to buy and ship a holiday gift (not everyone is local).

Even the most basic fruit basket, box of chocolates, etc. is quite costly when you add in the shipping.

I’m curious if people have suggestions for something $50 or less (including shipping) that people actually enjoy?

We can’t do wine/alcohol. People are a mix of ages, genders, interests, etc.

[Anonymous]

I just want money, even if it's less. I'm not going to a lunch with coworkers. That's work - not a gift. It's something to get through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have nearly a dozen direct reports and it has become rather costly to buy and ship a holiday gift (not everyone is local).

Even the most basic fruit basket, box of chocolates, etc. is quite costly when you add in the shipping.

I’m curious if people have suggestions for something $50 or less (including shipping) that people actually enjoy?

We can’t do wine/alcohol. People are a mix of ages, genders, interests, etc.

I like Cheryl cookies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think you can go lower than $50 without resentment. Didn't you get a raise when you took on more reports? If you can't afford this, you probably need to phase out the cash gift and make it a lunch or something that's cheaper per head, but having set the precedent, you can't avoid people becoming bitter.

Those people are azzhats if they are bitter about their manager not being able to afford a cash gift coming from that manager's own funds. I've never had a manager give a financial gift even when they were very wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have nearly a dozen direct reports and it has become rather costly to buy and ship a holiday gift (not everyone is local).

Even the most basic fruit basket, box of chocolates, etc. is quite costly when you add in the shipping.

I’m curious if people have suggestions for something $50 or less (including shipping) that people actually enjoy?

We can’t do wine/alcohol. People are a mix of ages, genders, interests, etc.

Costco used to have more affordable gift baskets but I have no idea how they are priced now. Every gift basket I've gotten I appreciated but they are a waste of money. There is so much packaging and very little product. Someone started sending us some cookies from Hawaii and they were wonderful. I'd never spend the money on them but we all loved them.