Giving thanksgiving presents to employees, coworkers, clients, and others is not a new tradition. In the autumn of 1621, the Wampanoag inhabitants of New England and the Plymouth Pilgrims gathered to celebrate a plentiful harvest. This was the first Thanksgiving, and it was a pivotal event in American history because it brought together two radically different cultures to work toward a shared objective.
It’s been more than 300 years since the first Thanksgiving, and the holiday has evolved into a considerably more significant metaphor over time. It’s no longer just a day to express gratitude for a bountiful harvest; it’s also a day to express gratitude for friends, family, and loved ones, as well as for all the blessings received throughout the previous year.
As a result, there is gift-giving and celebration!
Thanksgiving, however, is about more than just food, friends, and family. When you express gratitude for your employees, it takes on a deeper meaning. Because, like the Plymouth Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people, your organization is made up of a diverse set of people who all have different jobs but come together to work for a shared goal: the firm’s “bountiful harvest.”
Why Is It Important to Give Employees Thanksgiving Gifts?
Employee appreciation, expressing gratitude for their efforts to the firm and for being a part of the team, is not only a symbolic gesture for Thanksgiving, but it also has a profound psychological impact.
Appreciated employees include:
- Have a greater level of job satisfaction and morale and Are more enthused.
- They are more productive and make more contributions.
- They are more likely to succeed in their careers and are more engrossed in their jobs.
- They are more committed, loyal, and linked to the organization. As a result, the organization will develop a desirable culture of appreciation and friendliness.
- They are less inclined to depart and seek employment elsewhere.
- They are more confident in their work and are excellent brand advocates that assist in acquiring and keeping top personnel.
What Should You Give Your Employees for Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is entirely contrary to Christmas. Unlike the latter, which has religious overtones, the former is a local and cultural occasion steeped in the overwhelming emotion of appreciation and Thanksgiving – and thanking is always personal.
Thanksgiving presents for employees must clearly check three boxes to have any resonance with employees:
- They should be personal and unique
- They should give off a sense of belonging
- Have a fragrance of culture and heritage about them.
Here’s a list of 5 outstanding Thanksgiving gifts that your employees will appreciate:
- Gift Cards
Gift cards are an excellent method to allow your employees to pick their own gifts based on their preferences. Employees can choose any product they want with an eGift card, which has been a trend since 2021.
And what better alternative do we have than 99minds when it comes to gift cards? Customers can use the 99minds platform to generate coupons, gift cards, discounts, referrals, loyalty programs, and location-based promotions. The coolest thing about 99minds is that it’s a simple, plug-and-play marketing platform that allows a marketing team to design targeted promotions campaigns and create an omnichannel consumer experience.
- Lunch with the entire team.
Consider Thanksgiving without a turkey and wine feast. It will almost always turn out to be a fruitless endeavor. Food has been the thread that has tied societies together since the dawn of time, and Thanksgiving is a prime cultural example of this.
By hosting a cosy team lunch, companies can include the spirit of Thanksgiving into their Thanksgiving gift ideas for employees.
It does more than thaw the communication ice between siloed employees. However, smoothing out hierarchies through appreciation instills a sense of oneness among diverse compartmentalized teams – the key to removing administrative and emotional barriers that may prevent you from achieving your most treasured business objectives.
- Employee Appreciation Tumbler
Do you want to motivate your employees? If that’s the case, you should give them this Thanksgiving inspiration gift. At the same time, the tumbler is both functional and inexpensive. “May you be proud of the work you do, the person you are, and the difference you make,” read a comforting quote on the back.
It will demonstrate your gratitude to your employees while also inspiring them to achieve their best at work. Plus, every time they choose it for coffee or tea, it will bring a grin to their face.
- Electronics.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become the most popular shopping days in the United States. Over the five days from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, U.S. shoppers spent a record $34.36 billion on retail websites, up from $28.49 billion in the same period last year, casting the specter of a pandemic into the wind.
Because electronics are such high-ticket items, everyone wants to get a good deal on them. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, though, that gadgets have topped shoppers’ wish lists all across the world.
- Paid Vacations
According to a Harris Poll research, 57 % of males in the sample set picked a “family vacation” as their favorite reward. It demonstrates unequivocally how demanding work schedules deprive employees of precious family time.
You may alleviate this all-too-real dread by giving your staff a paid vacation to the stunning landscape and classic Americana lodgings, making it the ideal setting to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Holiday vouchers should be at the top of your list of Thanksgiving gifts for employees, with a delicious feast and all the seasonal activities, such as turkey trots and hiking amid magnificent fall foliage and snow-capped mountains.
Yes! Thanksgiving is an absolute necessity.
Employees, understandably, feel more optimistic and joyful when their efforts and hard work are acknowledged by their bosses. Employees’ mental health can improve as a result of their satisfaction, which can spill over into their personal lives and interactions with others. The advantages don’t stop there. Workplace benefits include more productive, motivated, and engaged employees and more positive and thriving work environments and cultures. Employee appreciation starts with small gestures like individually thanking them and treating them with respect. Don’t be vague! The idea is for employees to recognize that their bosses’ thanks and appreciation are sincere and that they are being recognized for their unique work and efforts.
Employees who feel undervalued are less likely to work as hard as they can, are more likely to be disgruntled, have more performance and attendance concerns, and may eventually seek better employment prospects elsewhere, resulting in turnover and associated recruitment and replacement expenditures. Furthermore, undervalued employees are more inclined to seek help from a third party, such as a union, in order to receive the recognition and benefits they believe they are owed.
To summarise
Although employee appreciation may appear to be a needless expense and one where you may be tempted to cut corners, it is critical for business success and should be a part of the management process.
So, this Thanksgiving, give your staff unique mementos of appreciation and thanks for reminding them that they are important members of your team. It’s an investment that’ll almost certainly pay off and have a favorable impact on the company’s principles and culture.
Get in touch with 99minds if you want to learn more. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
