At work, they are the tech guru, the accounting expert, or the legal genius. However, they are also someone’s son, mom, or grandpa. How can we show our employees that we know and respect the person they are outside of the workplace? For example, births, first communions, bar mitzvahs, engagements, and marriages are a few of the life events that we are privileged to share with our co-workers. Celebrating employee milestones is an opportunity for employers to show that they appreciate their employees beyond the work that they do.
How should you celebrate events in your employee’s personal lives?
First of all, ask the person how they would like a special event to be recognized. Some people prefer to keep their personal lives private, BUT they still like to receive a nice token of remembrance. At Borsheims, we find that that the recipients genuinely appreciate receiving a gift from their company. Often, employee milestones are celebrated as a part of a company or departmental monthly social celebration. This is a simple way to recognize achievements, birthdays, and special events. Make sure to publicize the gathering ahead of time, for example in a company-wide newsletter. Should the company wellness plan permit, then the inclusion of treats is always a pleasant surprise.
Why should we celebrate life’s milestones at work?
While it is important to recognize your team based on merit, it is also essential to build a sense of community. One way to do this is to acknowledge special moments that are happening outside of the workplace. Make celebrating your people part of your corporate culture. Some of the best friendships happen in the workplace, and it is good business practice to cultivate an atmosphere of camaraderie.
In addition, by providing a gift from the organization, those awkward situations when employees “take up a collection” to purchase a gift for a co-worker, can be avoided. The gift from the company takes the pressure off! Celebrating employee milestones can be a part of your overall employee retention strategy. Most companies spend less than 1% of the payroll on a rewards program. Therefore, a small investment can reap big benefits.
What should I give for an employee gift?
At Borsheims, we work personally to provide our clients with a range of gift options for just these types of events. For example, we provide a Lenox musical water globe to new moms and dads at a financial services company. A local bank counts on Borsheims to send a silver coin bank with a gold dollar coin to celebrate the birth of a baby. Another company keeps a supply of silver frames on hand, they make an ideal gift for a mother or father of the bride or groom. They can display their treasured photo from the special day in their workspace.
Wedding gifts for the bride or groom are always a thoughtful way to show that you support your staff. Registry or not, Borsheims suggests classic serving pieces from Nambe, Simon Pearce, and Vera Wang.
What if the gift is for the child of an employee?
First communions, bat mitzvahs, bar mitzvahs, and confirmations are significant rites of passage for many families. A standard company gift is a wonderful way to show how much you respect the personal beliefs of your employees. At Borsheims, we recommend Mova globes, Swiss Army knives, Bushnell binoculars, and Kendra Scott jewelry. High school or college graduate? We like wallets for men and stylish Hobo bags for women. A Montblanc or Parker pen says congratulations and welcome to a bright future.
What if it wasn’t a happy event?
Somber life events deserve recognition too. How a company responds to its employees in times of tragedy and sadness is a crucial part of its culture. An engraved “In Memory of” bowl, frame, or platter is a thoughtful gift. For the loss of a child, Borsheims creates a personal fingerprint, hand, or foot pendant for grieving parents.
Why should I consider employee gifts for reasons other than merit?
Your employees are more than the people who show up every day to get the work done. Indeed, they are individuals who have lives and loves beyond the workday. Celebrating employee milestones with a thoughtful gift, given with genuine caring shows that you value your employee for who they are.
