The best gifts for employees: traditional gifts or gift cards

When deciding on gifts for your employees, finding the perfect one can quickly turn into a stressful and time-consuming project for businesses. Let’s face it: while the right gift offers a personal touch, the wrong gift may make your employees feel overlooked and unappreciated. Whether you’re spreading some holiday cheer, celebrating employee milestones or achievements, or simply expressing gratitude to your team, the options can be overwhelming.

Both traditional gifts and gift cards have their merits. Yet, limitations like budget, the number of employees you’re gifting to, and the popularity of remote workspaces may make a gift card the better choice over a traditional gift. Let’s explore why a traditional gift may be the best option in some cases and when a gift card might be the way to go.

The case for traditional gifts

• Personalized gifts: The range of traditional gifts is endless, and carefully chosen merchandise, like company swag or gift baskets, can show that you’ve put a unique, personal touch into your gifting efforts. When you’re selecting gifts for 10 employees or fewer and have enough time and funds in your budget for shipping costs, traditional gifts can reflect a level of thoughtfulness that your employees will remember.
• Employee connections: Carefully selected individual gifts can be a reflection of a positive company culture and cohesiveness. Choosing a unique gift for each of your employees can reinforce that culture where team members and leaders have taken the time to get to know each other on a personal level. When time and budget allow, identifying a few thoughtfully chosen gifts of relatively equal value conveys a sense of connection and cohesion within your business.
• Lasting remembrances: Tangible gifts can be used or displayed over time, serving as a lasting reminder for the employee that, “Yes, I am appreciated.” This type of gift may create a long-lasting impact and effectively convey your appreciation for them.
• Who doesn’t love wrapped packages?:  Whether personally delivered or sent through a courier, a tastefully packaged and wrapped gift can spark a sense of surprise and delight, leaving a lasting and positive impression of your appreciation.
• One individualized gift: A carefully chosen gift can help highlight the uniqueness and significance of the occasion and the individual, particularly if the gift aligns with the recipient’s tastes and interests. For example, for a senior employee’s retirement celebration, a tangible gift may be the most appreciated gesture.

When a gift card is the best choice

Time and cost savings for bulk employee gifting: When your team consists of 20, 50, or even 1,000 or more employees, deciding on individual gifts for everyone quickly becomes impractical or even impossible. For groups larger than 10 employees, the digital gift card is often the ideal solution. By choosing digital gift cards, you can deliver anywhere from 1 to 1,000 gift cards via email in minutes—saving you both your valued time and money.

• Let’s talk budget: How much are you planning to spend on each employee gift? Have you accounted for shipping costs—either directly to your business for distribution or to remote employees? Shipping costs can add up and eat into your budget, or worse, reduce the value of the gift. If shipping costs $10–$12 per gift, that either increases your overall budgeted expense or means the $50 gift is now effectively $38–$40. This is where digital gift cards become the perfect choice. They can be delivered for free, meaning your budget of $50 per employee is exactly what they’ll receive—without any added hassle.
• Unwanted gifts: With digital gift cards from Giftogram, you eliminate the stress of spending on unwanted or unused tangible gifts. Your employees have options and can enjoy your gift at their favorite restaurant or retailer, finding exactly what they want. And meanwhile, doesn’t their experience or purchase from their favorite store also serve as that sought after tangible reminder of your business’s thoughtfulness?
• Seamless delivery: Sending digital gift cards also means you won’t have to worry about tracking down packages that are lost or delayed during shipping. Digital cards are sent directly to your employee’s email, and Giftogram makes it easy to track and confirm delivery.
• Personalized gifting after all: When you’re part of a large business with multiple or remote offices, it’s hard to know every employee’s individual tastes and interests. With digital gift cards from Giftogram, your employees can choose from over 200 trending retailers, restaurants, services, and more. Giftogram takes the guesswork out of employee gifting and personalization. Choice is key, and with Giftogram, you can delight and excite every one of your business’s employees. Giftogram also offers personalized gift cards, with a design team ready to tailor the look of your gift card to match your business’s branding. Isn’t that the personal, individualized touch you’re hoping for in your employee gifting?

Sending the perfect gift is easier than you think

No matter how you choose to show your appreciation, what matters most is recognizing and valuing your employees. While traditional gifts can offer a personal touch in certain situations, gift cards provide unmatched flexibility and convenience, especially for larger teams or remote employees.

Giftogram makes it incredibly easy to send gift cards to your entire staff. In just a few minutes, you can send personalized gift cards to everyone on your list. They can choose their gift from hundreds of popular retailers, ensuring total satisfaction.

Schedule a demo with our customer success team today to see how our efficient gift card solution can save you time and money. You can also create a free account to get started right away!