Planning an Employee Holiday Party?

Planning on a holiday party for your employees?  Here are some suggestions from Katie Kuehner-Hebert, courtesy of NU Property Casualty 360.

• Gift giving – be selective with gifts for employees – don’t base them on either tenure or the level of their contribution to the company.
• Cash bonuses – relying solely on cash rewards can have a negative impact on your employees. Consider certification programs, seminars, and conferences as a reward.
• Playing favorites – to avoid favoritism, allow coworkers, rather than management, to decide who gets to receive special recognition within the group.
• Avoid giving these gifts – according to employees in a survey conducted by Snappy, company logo items, a plaque, stale cookies, melted chocolate, and even a CEO’s son’s little league tickets were listed as gifts employees mentioned negatively.
• Alcohol at a holiday party – limit the amount of alcohol attendees are allowed to consume and make arrangements for ride services.
• Best gifts – give the employee the option to choose a holiday gift – such as an iPad, Bluetooth speaker, a tv set, or espresso maker.
• Consider contributing to the employee’s favorite charity or give a paid volunteer day.
• Recognize your employees throughout the year.

The bottom line is knowing what is important to your employee and what you can do during the holiday to show your appreciation.