What do employees really want?
Gifts of appreciation say a lot to your employees — they convey a sense of gratitude and show employees that the company is not only invested in their growth and presence, they’re actively recognizing it.
And, more to the point, gifts of appreciation do a lot for employees. It helps to build their sense of contribution and motivates them to continue their engagement at work.
In short, giving gifts of appreciation can go a long way in cementing a long-term relationship with your employees.
But what do employees really want?
Do Employees Want Gift Certificates?
If you think about the kind of gifts that give you the most “bang for your buck,” the winner would be gift certificates. The benefits of gift certificates are an actual, felt experience in multiple scenarios — both for employees and business owners.
Even in the case of recognition programs for employees, the most popular form of gift-giving are gift cards, followed immediately by “dining certificates,” which is a form of prepaid gift-giving itself.
And this general preference for gift certificates makes sense. Think about it:
- A gift certificate ensures everyone is equal
- Giving gift certificates means no one gets forgotten
- Based on where you’re purchasing a gift card from, everyone has an equal potential to get what they want
- And if they receive more than one gift certificate from the same place in a year, they can just pool the combined value together!
Employees definitely see it this way. In a survey by the National Retail Federation, 53% of Americans prefer to receive gift cards.
And here’s something you might not have considered:
The joys of sharing. People love gifts they can share. They find much more long-term value and satisfaction in gifts where they can indulge their own family and friends.
Because, suddenly, they’re the ones who bring the delight or enjoyment to another.
Why Gift Certificates Work Better Than Real Turkeys or Hamsms
So how do you combine the two, bringing together the perks of a gift certificate with a gift that gives the joy of sharing?
A popular option is to give holiday turkeys or hams as a way to both commemorate the season and to express gratitude.
But companies need to find a new spin on a timeless gift because giving actual turkeys and hams, while festive at first, gets real messy, real fast.
On the other hand, allowing receivers to choose their own turkeys and hams comes with a host of advantages a traditional bird just won’t bring.
1) It’s Just More Convenient For the Giver
As a giver of corporate gifts, you want to consider the logistics of giving.
Will you be able to package and wrap the gift? What about transportation? If you’re giving gifts in bulk, this can become tedious. Make it an actual turkey or ham and there’s too much room for spillage, ruined gifts, and general difficulty in transport.
Now think about what you’ll be doing with these turkeys and hams while you wait for the moment when it’s time to give and exchange gifts. Where will you be storing it? Can you really make room in a refrigerator for ten (or more) whole turkeys?
Do you really need to pay extra for just-in-time delivery?
Giving PFR gift certificates completely simplifies the score of messy issues that are bound to come up when you’re trying to hand off an entire turkey to a recipient. How easy is it to tuck away a token of your gratitude in a beautiful card with warm sentiments?
This way you’re focused on the giving, not the organizing of the gift.
2) It’s More Convenient For the Receiver
Have you ever stopped to wonder what a gift says to another person? When you give a gift certificate for a PFR gift, rather than an actual turkey or ham, it’s like you want to take all the convenience you’ve experienced and allow your receiver to benefit from.
Gift certificates put the choice back in the hands of your receiver. They get to choose literally anything they want. This beats having to waste time returning a gift you don’t like, re-gifting, or, worst of all, being stuck with a gift you hate.
But there’s an added benefit to gift certificates specifically for turkeys and hams: Your receiver won’t have to store it or eat right away. They can go when they’re ready and choose their own selection of fresh turkeys or hams.
3) There’s A Greater Chance For Personal Satisfaction
You’ve already decided giving PFR as a corporate gift is enjoyable for your employees and even your preferred clients. From here, you can allow your recipients to make their own decisions on what they want most.
Maybe they’ve already got a turkey or ham planned and they’d love an assortment of fruits and vegetables to accompany their decadent meal.
Or if there’s a brand they prefer, they can choose that over one they don’t trust or know as well.
Or maybe they have a dietary preference.
Whatever the case, PFR gift certificates empower your receivers to make their own decisions. And there’s a sense of satisfaction they’ll feel when they redeem that beautifully decorated certificate that so warmly reads, “Compliments Of…”
4) There’s No Concern Over Food Safety
Usually, real turkeys and hams are well wrapped. But the last thing you want is to risk food contamination — especially from poultry or meat. Concerns over storage are one thing, but food safety and handling is a real risk you’re taking when giving a real turkey.
PFR gift certificates eliminate this risk. There’s no need to think about refrigeration or about what happens if you’re driving and the turkey you’ve just been given suddenly drops in your backseat.
Peace of mind in gifting makes it that much better.
5) Gift Certificates Have Very Flexible Payment Terms
Giving gift certificates was not always the norm. Traditionally, giving a real turkey or ham as a gift of appreciation would mean that you would have to pay upfront.
Once the lead time is complete and the order ready, business owners would have to pay right away. At best, you may be able to negotiate a net 10-15 term of payment among poultry suppliers, but there’s no guarantee.
And that’s the thing: You’d have to source these potentially large orders right with the supplier themselves. The logistics, plus the cost, makes it an unwieldy option.
Your payment terms on a PFR gift card, however, are built for flexibility. We don’t need to give you your food right up front — that’s in the hands of your recipient. They’ll be the ones choosing their preferred brands.
And that’s why we can offer you preferred terms: PFR works with businesses to give them 30-day terms and also accepts credit cards, so you can plan ahead with ease.
6) It Qualifies As An IRS Exclusion
Giving turkeys or hams is a strategic move. They truly convey your appreciation to your receiver, giving them something that makes their holiday season a little more traditional and thoughtful.
But at the same time, both PFR gift certificates and real turkeys and hams are not a burden on the pocket. This keeps the IRS out of the way, because it means that your gift qualifies for the IRS de minimis exclusion.
Keep in mind as well that if the value of your gift is “too large,” the entire portion of the gift is taxable — not just the excess!
So at a maximum of $30 in value for PFR gift certificates, you’ll be able to convey your gratitude and reduce taxable income.
7) Gift Certificates Are Much More Cost-Effective
PFR gift certificates allow you and your receiver to benefit from substantially lower prices on brands and food items they’ll be redeeming it for.
Why? Because many of the brands are selling at a low retail sales price. This means your receiver doesn’t have to pay market prices for the same high quality brand of turkey or ham as other shoppers would. Win-win.
There’s so much to be gained from gifting PFR gift certificates in lieu of real turkeys or hams. Otherwise, you’re looking for the logistically difficult corporate gifts for your employees — and that can become a really large order.
The long lead time can significantly mess up your end-of-year plans. Or what if the supplier gets a mass of orders and happens to run out?
These possible scenarios — and more — have happened before, so make sure to mitigate the chance of anything going wrong.
Along with these seven considerations here, PFR gift certificates come out better than real turkeys and hams.