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

200 quid !!! Voucher all the way. God how frustrating hampers are, nobody ever likes everything in them.

That’s a good point - although we pay our staff well and luckily haven’t been too affected by COVID so I don’t think any of money troubles would be job related.

I don't understand. Of course money issues could be job related, their partners or other family members may have lost their jobs. Even if you pay your staff well, losing an income will have had a massive affect on many families.

Get them a voucher - my parents still comment about the year they received a hamper when my stepdad was expecting a monetary Christmas bonus over 30 years ago

Why have you come on to ask if you're so determined to do the bloody hamper?

My company pay us well, I'd still prefer a cash/voucher bonus over a hamper.

Even if the voucher was as per pps,. For Waitrose or M&S to get some nice food bits OF OUR CHOOSING.

And not everyone wants a pretty basket to store things in.

To sum up my feelings; I'd rather the voucher cause then I can choose which wine/food/homewards I actually want. I'd say too many people wouldn't want the voucher.

Also, I'm always disappointed by anything I have from F&M. Especially their teabags. May colour my view slightly.

If it’s a job where they already receive food/drink presents from clients then I’d definitely go with money or a voucher. I used to run a business (healthcare related) where the staff would receive huge amounts of biscuits, chocolates and wine from patients. I always gave them a cash bonus at Christmas instead which seemed to go down well.

How many staff do you have?
I'd maybe do both, unless you have more than 20 staff. 150 or 175 amazon voucher and then a mini 'hamper', in a gift bag rather than a box. For 25 or 50 each you should be able to get a nice bottle of something, some luxury mince pies, some florentines, potted stilton, some posh hand cream etc and do your own?

I'd prefer the cash. I like hampers made by people who know me well but no one in my family likes rich fruit cake, pickles or mince pies. I'd just dump them in a food bank. I'd love a cheese.hamper if anyone does those as we all love various cheeses. Seriously most people like to.pick their own stuff. My sister used to be given won't and whiskey every Xmas and she does not drink. She just have it to a school draw every year.

I vote for cash if you can do that with tax implications, this year more so.

Your employees may be struggling, you would not necessarily know.

F&M is overpriced in my opinion. I got some vouchers for there 18 months ago and I really struggled spending them. Their food is nice, but not £££ nice.

Definitely a voucher but not for F&M. M&S is better all round and most people live near one.

@Ickabog

That’s a good point - although we pay our staff well and luckily haven’t been too affected by COVID so I don’t think any of money troubles would be job related.

I don't understand. Of course money issues could be job related, their partners or other family members may have lost their jobs. Even if you pay your staff well, losing an income will have had a massive affect on many families.

Wow sorry that’s so true. Very shortsighted and close minded of me. I didn’t even consider family income.

A F&M hamper wouldn't be a huge treat for me. Not because I have them all the time, in fact I've never had one. I'm just a more practical person and luxury food doesn't interest me.

I think a supermarket voucher (if they exist?) - maybe for a supermarket viewed as a little upmarket. It’s like treating the staff to their Christmas groceries.

@OoohTheStatsDontLie

How many staff do you have? I'd maybe do both, unless you have more than 20 staff. 150 or 175 amazon voucher and then a mini 'hamper', in a gift bag rather than a box. For 25 or 50 each you should be able to get a nice bottle of something, some luxury mince pies, some florentines, potted stilton, some posh hand cream etc and do your own?

We are a small online business so a team of 9 only. That’s a good idea, I’ll suggest perhaps doing both.

Honestly, I wouldn't like a F&M hamper. I don't like the majority of the stuff in them and think they're a bit old fashioned.

Give them a voucher or cash

Hampers generally contain stuff that not everyone likes and stuff like Christmas cake they may have bought versions of already themselves.

Give them the money and let them decide for themselves what to get. £200 is a lot of money and a hamper they don’t like is a huge waste of thst money

100% Voucher. And the hamper looks nice and even if you consume the products you are left with a great big basket which will just get shoved up in the loft because let's face it, most people never use the basket afterwards.

Normally I would be a hamper all the way. After a rubbish year it would be a lovely treat. However, with the current situation a voucher may be more useful. Of course it would all depend on the company the vouchers come from and if the company go bust then you run the risk of the voucher been useless. Also every year I recieve vouchers from relatives - it can be a real struggle to spend them if it is a shop I don't usually shop in or there is nothing I really like. An Amazon voucher (awaits stone throwing) might be useful as they sell near enough anything and that voucher could be used to buy essentials or replace items (school shoes/ replace a broken washing machine/ even buy food staples) in what can be a very tight January for many in normal circumstances, never mind this year.

LagneyandCasey
M&S is a good call. Staff could buy nice food or xmas presents or clothes. Or Sainsburys for similar reasons if a more local store than M&S.

I think hampers are often a bit pointless. We eat most stuff in this house, but hampers are full of stuff some people hate - Stilton, chutney etc. They just end up giving it away or letting it go off.

Plus I just hate the word “hamper”. I also hate “pamper” though, so maybe just ignore me.

Amazon voucher every time

Give people choice.

I've just looked at the £200 hamper:

Champagne
Coffee
A tin of biscuits
Red wine
Tea
Long life salad dressing
Picalilli
Pickle
Crackers
Long life mayonnaise
Jam
Honey
Marmalade
Mints
Another tin of biscuits

I'd definitely rather have the money than that selection, so dull.

M&S or John Lewis voucher would be my choice. I'd choose my own treats.

I wouldn't like Amazon vouchers as I know I'd spend most on kids toys and presents for other people.

I’m doing vouchers for my staff this year
Can’t decide where for though
Amazon? M & S, Sainsbury’s or a generic love to shop type

I’d rather get £200 minus tax than a pointless hamper full of overpriced stuff I don’t like

I’d much prefer a voucher to spend on something I want or need. We aren’t able to buy gifts for each other so I would absolutely love a voucher to get something for Christmas.

A food hamper is often full of a lot of food we can’t use so although it looks impressive it isn’t as useful as a voucher.