Here's Why You Should Stop Giving Company Swag for Christmas

Company-wide Christmas and holiday gifts is a tradition that many companies participate in to end the year on a positive note, acknowledging their hard-working employees. Gifts range from bonuses, paid-time-off, or in recent years the more popular choice—generic company swag. 

If you’ve worked for a technology company in the past ten or so years, then you (along with everyone else in the entire company) have probably received some sort of branded holiday gift with your company logo slapped on it. “Is that your mug or my mug?” *You ask your coworker sitting next to you.*

There is a time and place for branded company swag gifts, like onboarding new hires, promotion gifts, swag as rewards for internal competitions, or celebrating a significant company milestone. They’re already getting branded items year-round, the holiday season is an opportunity to switch it up and provide a unique experience. 

Holiday gift-giving is alive and well; in fact, 94% want a gift from their employer to make them feel valued, so it’s important to get it right! 

Let’s dive deeper into why company swag might not be the best choice for your holiday gift this year. 

It’s not thoughtful 

Giving company swag as a holiday gift is sort of like giving a gift card. It’s nice to receive, but you know there wasn’t much thought behind it. A thoughtful gift is when the giver considers all the things that define the receiver and chooses a gift based on their interests, hobbies, or qualities. Achieving this can be challenging on larger teams, which is why at Chocolate Soup, we’ve created the perfect pre-curated gift boxes for employees, full of high-quality and unique items. An ideal replacement for a single generic corporate gift. 

It’s not personal

Putting your company logo on a generic item doesn’t highlight any of their individuality—there is more to a person than where they work. When all employees receive the same generic gift, it makes them feel just that—a dime a dozen. Company swag nobody wants is a giant waste of money. Your hard-working employees, who are diverse and unique individuals, deserve creative gifts that make them proud of working for you. 

Unless you go very generic like a water bottle or mug, branded swag gifts can never apply to every employee. For example, a branded yoga mat is great—but only if you practice yoga. At the very least, a hand-written or personalized card is an excellent addition to any gift to make the employee feel recognized. 

It’s not original

The art of surprise is one of the many joys of giving and receiving a gift, but giving out branded swag is expected in 2020. It’s become the standard—the same thing every year, just a different item. Why not embrace originality, and do something different and unexpected for your team? 

Some gift-giving ideas that will make your company stand out:

• The gift of time: extra paid-time-off during the holidays 

• An experience—let them order in a meal from their favourite restaurant

• A high-quality unbranded gift box

• Yummy treats or other consumable items from a local business

• Tech gifts that will make working from home more enjoyable

Final Thoughts

We hope we inspired you to think outside the box this holiday season and provide your team with a memorable gift that will spark conversation and boost employee morale and appreciation. 

P.S. — If you’re looking for a gifting solution that won’t disappoint, make sure to check out our pre-curated Winter Gift Boxes, which delivers a stress-free solution that will stand out.