For many employers knowing what to offer staff as a Christmas incentive can be tricky.
Common benefits that are well-received include Christmas hampers, bottles of champagne, wine or chocolates.
The popularity of hampers is certainly on the rise, particularly if they cater to a wide range of tastes. But rewards will inevitably have variable appeal depending on the individual, so such gifts may not appeal to everyone.
Shopping vouchers can be a good alternative, however. They enable staff to choose their own gift whether it be a fashion item, luxury dining or the latest in electrical goods. And a gift at Christmas can help to boost staff morale and build stronger relationships for when work recommences in the New Year.
In terms of things like a Christmas party, however, many people have come to expect one, but some simply hate them. This means that it can be difficult to balance the needs of those who prefer to socialise with their families and those who look forward to the party for months beforehand.
This means that it is important to try to encourage some form of group activity during the year in order to foster a stronger team spirit. Christmas can sometimes become a forced entertainment fixture, which needs to be negotiated carefully.
One option is to ‘celebrate success’ in the quiet periods outside of the festive season by holding biannual get-togethers at a range of venues that are likely to appeal to a variety of different people and their personalities.
Powerful motivators
Whatever your corporate style, make sure that such ‘dos’ fit with the profile of your employee base, however. For example, a young workforce might not be turned on by a family day, while more mature employees won’t always enjoy a booze-up with their colleagues.
We believe that there is a strong link between incentives and performance. Employees are motivated by a number of things and simply throwing money at them is not always the most effective means of getting the best out of people.
An enjoyable work environment, strong team atmosphere and a feeling of inclusion are often more powerful motivators than cold, hard cash. But simple benefits such as childcare vouchers can offer a low cost way for companies to show their appreciation too.
But as ever, it’s all about timing. Productivity increases will be most marked if the desired behaviour is rewarded immediately and unexpectedly rather than simply waiting for traditional times such as Christmas when bonuses are expected regardless of what effort has been demonstrated during the year. A simple ‘thank you’ can go a long way.
Of course, when times are tough, Christmas incentives may well be the last thing on the list of business priorities. But a leaner festive season can mean that they have a bigger role to play in boosting motivation and encouraging staff to hit annual targets during the traditionally busy holiday season.
Even more effective, however, will be listening to staff needs and catering to them in a consistent manner in order to ensure that your workforce remains positive and motivated all year round.
Iain McMath is managing director of Sodexo Motivation Solutions.
