To think hamper is better gift than voucher for staff

[Christmasmorale]

Ok given everything going on this year I want to boost staff morale with a nice Christmas gift. Our budget isn’t large enough to give a meaningful bonus. We have about £200 spend for each staff member.

I like the idea of an F&M hamper - with staff either choosing the Wine or Christmas food hamper. My business partner thinks it’s a waste of money and that staff would appreciate a £200 department store or Amazon voucher instead to spend as they please.

Personally, I used to get an F&M hamper every Christmas from an old work place and I still have the hamper boxes in use to this day as blanket storage etc. Even though I would also get a £1000 Christmas bonus from that workplace it’s the hamper that I remember fondly and associate positively with the organisation.

So:

YANBU: hampers are a more personal touch
YABU: just give them the money, no one wants F&M fruit cakes

I used to give John Lewis vouchers as they can also be used in Waitrose and so could be useful for food shopping in jan.

I’d rather have the amazon voucher. I don’t drink, dislike most things that come in a hamper and Like to choose my own treats so I can check the ingredients. Most of a hamper go to waste.

@SecretSpAD

I used to give John Lewis vouchers as they can also be used in Waitrose and so could be useful for food shopping in jan.

Assuming you live anywhere near a John Lewis or Waitrose.

My closest ones are 35 and 27 miles away, each way.

Voucher!!! Times 1 million. You thinking you pay your staff well doesn’t really mean a thing. I will also say you’re a very generous employer

@whitetilesmurf the OP will have a vague idea of where their employees live and if they’re too far away both have a great online offering

I got a hamper - lovely thought

But to be totally honest my first thought was I would rather have had the cash

Food allergy, vegan, alcoholic

Three reasons why a hamper is a bad idea IMO

Hampers are all very well for individual gifts if the recipient isn't limited regarding what they can or are willing to eat. But for people with allergies, restrictions etc, you may as well just make a donation in their name, it's about as useful. I couldn't eat 95% of the contents of a standard hamper. Out of the John Lewis hamper you mentioned upthread, I could only eat the picalilli, & only if it was decent stuff & not adulterated with artificial sweeteners as some are these days. I could eat the chilli chocolate, technically, but I'm exceedingly picky about my chocolate, & chilli chocolate is disgusting IMO.

I’d rather have the cash. Definitely not a hamper and a voucher is tying.

I haven’t read the whole thread but vouchers for M&S or similar might be a compromise but it depends on the demographic of your workforce. The guys I work with are blue collar mechanic types... they would absolutely not appreciate a F&M hamper..: Infact there would be riots. They want Asda vouchers to buy crates of lager and some flowers for the Mrs.

Voucher! £200 is a lot for a basket of jams and biscuits.

Don't get Amazon vouchers, they don't need anymore help...

I would go for M&S or John Lewis/Waitrose so at least you're helping the UK high Street who pay tax.

I would prefer the voucher but isn't a voucher over the value of £50 considered a benefit in kind?

I'm getting a £150 voucher from work that I can use at B&Q. As I'm in the middle of building my house it's much more appreciated than a hamper.

@Jalapinot

I would prefer the voucher but isn't a voucher over the value of £50 considered a benefit in kind?

A £50 waitrose voucher each week for three weeks, then a £50 Aldi hamper on my last day would do very nicely .

I love a hamper.

But sensibly I could buy more than some chocolate mints, some wine, jam and piccalilli for £200.

And vouchers just aren't sensible any more.

It's a really tough year for a lot of people.

Give them the £200 cash, and hand write them a card thanking them for all that they do.

F&M is a real treat and I always find a use for the hampers but at the moment, I think cash not a hamper or a voucher would be most appreciated. I bloody hate vouchers and more often than not I end up not spending and losing them.

A hamper is a nice idea but it'll probably be full of stuff folk will just eat for the sake of it.

£200 is a fantastic amount. Id much rather have a £200 Amazon voucher. No question about it

I am literally shocked that most employers are so ignorant and naive and unaware. I mean if you honestly think that people want to hamper right now you are absolutely deluded. most people just want a voucher. Or te money. The offer of a hamper is great but if you honestly think that is peoples first choice you are crazy and totally out of touch with reality.

"Tax would come out of bonus though so wouldn’t go as far. If was larger about (I.e £1000) would seem worthwhile but for £200 hopefully a voucher would go further?"

It doesn't need to be declared as bonus. Staff allowance for Christmas, tax wise. £150 per head.

I would love a F&M hamper, but I would also love a John Lewis voucher.

"Why not an Amazon voucher?" I hear you ask. Amazon is rubbish, save our great shops!

@Tier2Minus

I love a hamper.

But sensibly I could buy more than some chocolate mints, some wine, jam and piccalilli for £200.

And vouchers just aren't sensible any more.

It's a really tough year for a lot of people.

Give them the £200 cash, and hand write them a card thanking them for all that they do.

My boss in my old job wrote out cards every year thanking staff for their hard work. The card was always really personal. I've kept them, as they did mean a lot to me - he knew me and I wasn't just a number.

£150 per head tax allowance is for a staff Christmas party, if you’re giving vouchers or cash then it will be taxed

It doesn't need to be declared as bonus. Staff allowance for Christmas, tax wise. £150 per head.

That's for entertainment, not a gift.

£200 cash would be most appreciated, £200 voucher second. I'd not appreciate a hamper that cost that much I'd be resentful that the money was wasted.