Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Christmas Present? anything but cash

40 replies

myboysarethebest · 29/10/2010 18:43

Hello,

I really don't want to give 'cash' bonus to staff at Christmas. Can you help suggest something that is a little original/unique that would be appreciated.

I realy don't want to give out a cash bonus.

Also, what value should I consider? I have a few part-time staff and one full timer.
We are a small business with not a huge amount of money to spend.

What have you received that you thought was pretty good!

Thanks in advance

OP posts:

onmyfeet · 29/10/2010 20:45

Do you know them well enough to guess what they would like? For instance, pt student who seems to like fashion, a manicure voucher?

maktaitai · 29/10/2010 21:14

You could offer them the choice? I remember feeling distinctly aggrieved after a meeting when the boss said 'i know you haven't had a pay rise this year but you've had a Christmas party' and thinking 'if I'd known there was a choice...!' Clearly pay rises are a whole other area but frankly even £10 or £20 in vouchers makes a substantial difference at my level of income, and allows people to get what they really want.

You could offer
option 1 - Christmas meal out in a restaurant, you pay the food and half a bottle each, they pay for any more drinks they have
option 2 - vouchers based how many months of the year they have worked at the company (e.g. £3 per month?), plus you provide mince pies and sparkling wine/juice for party in the office
option 3 - vouchers as above plus £50 behind the bar at the local.

As long as you are honest about the amount of money you have to throw around, plus show appreciation of your staff in some form, most of us are quite happy tbh

omaoma · 29/10/2010 21:18

One company I worked for used to have a 'profit' related xmas bonus, you got more or less depending on your length of service. I think it's fine to do it that way, people do understand that somebody with 5 years' employment gets more than someone with 1 mth! It was still exciting to know you were going to get a bit more and wonder how much it would be.

If you think you really know your staff members you could do personalised presents altho this could backfire in such a small firm if people get something they really don't like and the others are cooing over theirs. But presumably you at least know if people drink or not.

I would say no to a xmas meal - it's so overpriced at this time of year and rarely a good meal for the money, i always used to feel it was a waste. Why not take everybody out in the new year instead when it's all a bit boring and grey? Or give them cash to spend in the sales when it'll go further.

emptyshell · 29/10/2010 21:45

My mum's company do a bottle of wine and Christmas cake for each of their employees (unless they know the employee in question doesn't drink and then my mother tries to find something as a work-around).

They also have a silly hat you have to put on your head if you're going to have a moan about something - means you get to vent and everyone else gets to look at you looking like an utter wazzock! I quite like this company tradition - it always amuses me.

worldgonemad72 · 29/10/2010 21:52

Yes Ragwort he did, it was a little dolphin type, he didn't know me THAT well and tbh i was surprised as he comes across as being very straightlaced. Id recently split from my exh so maybe he thought i was getting desperate lol.

The company where i work now used to give bonuses, then the last couple of years we had a party instead, this year were getting nothing. I wouldn't expect a bonus from any company that i work for but when you haven't had a pay rise for nearly 3 years it takes the piss tbh, esp when the bosses are forever splashing out on holidays etc.

laweaselmys · 29/10/2010 22:07

I think it also depends how much your staff would appreciate cash.

I was livid when one boss used the bonus pool (actually our tips another angry story) to pay for a meal that I couldn't go to anyway, when I was desperately short that month and ended up selling some of my stuff to pay for bus fares to go home for Christmas.

Another woman was working two jobs to support her family and was not best pleased either.

However - If you've never offered bonus' before then you would probably be ok down the bottle of wine route.

FakePlasticTrees · 29/10/2010 22:18

Really, why not cash?

maighdlin · 30/10/2010 00:25

my last boss was great with the xmas bonus. but his generosity led to his downfall, but thats another story....

If you don't want to give cash, don't bother with presents. unless you know them very well you are most likely to give a gift that they will not use and it will either clutter their house or be given to someone else. My idea for you would be a voucher for a birthday day off so they don't have to work their birthday, which is hateful, or they can add it on for a long weekend to recover from their celebrations/hangovers or a voucher for a duvet/cant be arsed day that kind of thing.

alot of people don't expect christmas bonuses. DH has never got one. most people who work for big companies don't. so anything is appreciated, although cash is good, but don't worry yourself over it.

Rachyandmeg · 30/10/2010 01:43

I think you should take everyone out for a meal, then evryone feels valued. How much do you have to spend?
Do any of your workers have job roles eg manager? If so I think they should get more than a worker under them. If none have a job role then you can't really define it by full time worker, part time etc by what they get because you would have. Had to set a bonus system in place before now eg just because someone is only there part time they may have had more sales than a full timer so tht then would not justify the full timer getting more of a bonus just because they are there 9 hours a day.or other indicators customer service may have been better than full timer. You can't define it unless you set some targets and use key performance indicators. So there's no falling out I think meal option would be best or get them all the same.

Original poster

myboysarethebest · 30/10/2010 09:58

We did a meal two months ago and it was really lovely evening out but it was just over £300! So we don't really want to do another one so soon and one person couldn't come so she missed out. We might just go for a drink at the local pub one night if but don't want to do an 'official' work dinner (or at least one we are paying for)

Last year when I only had to buy for three I did a box of chocolates, bottle of wine and a tree docoration. I'm sure it came close to £30 each.
Think I might just bite the bullet and do a gift voucher for a big shopping centre not far from us, so would cater to all tastes. To be honest I know that I would appreciate receiving something like this.
This year I have to buy for nine though! (10 to include my fabulous cleaner)

OP posts:

whatdoiknowanyway · 30/10/2010 10:11

I sympathise. We're a small company too and really can't afford to pay out bonuses this year. Last year we gave staff choice between a meal out, a bottle of something decent and the cash. They chose the bottle as it 'felt like a gift'. We'll probably do the same this year.
Within the family is a different matter. I always keep my eye open for something each individual will like but which helps to keep overall bill down. Don't get me started on being told nephews and nieces 'would prefer the £20' when there are 3 of them and just 2 of mine. Feels mean to say - ok so I send you £60 and you send me £40 and that makes us quits - but . Both my brother and DHs family do this and whilst I don't want to be mean I'd rather put a bit of effort into finding the right gift than just hand over cash I can't spare.
Oh - our DCs sports club gives gift vouchers to volunteers at Christmas. M&S for adults and JD Sports for kids. Works well even in low denominations.

chimchARRRRGGGGHHHHHHH · 30/10/2010 10:15

one of my friends gave us a meal for a tenner from marksies as a thank you for something...that was a really lovely treat...could you do something like that, all bagged up in a gift bag for everyone?

pinkyp · 30/10/2010 10:24

My work did a bonus and what you got depended on the amount of hrs u did.

15hrs and under
16hrs and over
30hrs +

Maybe suggest a secret santa this year so they feel like they have a gift - no expense to you, then perhaps you give a small gift of a bottle on wine, chocolates and a small xmas cake? it'll cost u less and as your staff prob wont b expecting cash they wont b disappointed. I think if u get cash they'll expect it every year and like u say its hard to work out.

nobiggy · 30/10/2010 11:03

Don't you pay tax on cash gifts? I thought that was why vouchers were often given instead.

treas · 30/10/2010 13:23

Gift cards? can range from Asda to Debenhams

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread