Gift-giving season is here and you may be thinking about ways to show your staff how much you appreciate their efforts throughout the year. It may seem like a simple endeavor, but office gift giving can be stressful for managers and members of law practice leadership. Here are some tips and ideas to lessen the stress quotient and up the enjoyment factor in your office:
- Set a Budget – Keep yourself from going overboard with the office gift giving by setting a budget in advance. Consider how many staff members you need to purchase gifts for and come up with a per person limit. Then, stick to the budget you have set for yourself. Don’t let the holidays leave a dent in your practice finances. It’s also important to keep everyone’s gift in the same general value range. If you have decided to spend $30 on a gift for your paralegal, it is probably not a good idea to get your receptionist a gift from the dollar store.
- Consider Your Firm Culture – In some law offices, gag gifts are completely appropriate and within the firm’s culture, while other practices are more conservative. Make sure that your gift giving does not fall outside of your office’s professional environment. To play it safe, consider office-related gifts, like desk gadgets or accessories. A coffee cup warmer or portable cell phone charger would make perfect gift options.
- Personalization for Added Impact – Everyone loves a personalized gift. It says that you thought about the recipient’s likes and personality. While this option can be a bit more time consuming, there are numerous ways to make gift personalization fit into your time and budget limitations. For example, many marketing product companies offer deals on bulk items. Buy everyone the same product and engrave them with their individual names or initials. This option takes the guess work out of trying to choose individual gifts, but allows for some appreciated personalization.
- Cash is Always Appreciated – Many business owners choose to go with holiday bonuses for their employees. It takes the guess work out of the gift giving process and who can’t use a little extra cash at this time of the year? Too add some personalization to a monetary present, consider a gift card to your paralegal’s go-to department store or your legal assistant’s favorite restaurant. That way, you can provide a little extra spending money with a side of thoughtfulness.
There are so many challenges and stresses that come along with the holiday season. Employee gift giving does not have to be one of them. With these simple tips, you can knock your employee gift giving out of the park.
About Erika Winston:
Erika Winston is a freelance writer with a passion for law. Through her business, The Legal Writing Studio, she helps legal professionals deliver effective written messages. Erika is a regular contributor to TimeSolv and a variety of other publications.
