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'd be very annoyed with an Amazon voucher, as a dedicated Amazon boycotter. John Lewis or M&S voucher would be appreciated and used.

Cash

I would agree with a voucher. It means they can pick whatever they want. One of my coworkers is vegan, gluten-free and doesn’t drink, all due to health issues so there would be very little in a hamper they would be able to have.

I wouldn’t go for vouchers at the moment: many people don’t want to buy from Amazon and the smaller companies are a risk.

I like the idea of a hamper because I think gifts should have an element of luxury and it’s nice to give things that are a “treat” The danger of cash is it gets subsumed into general living expenses.

Please may I have a hamper?

Oh definitely the voucher. Especially this year.

Waitrose/JL/M&S vouchers - so they can treat themselves to exactly what they’d like.

Or £150 voucher and a bottle of champagne each. Champagne is such a celebratory thing (and those that might not drink can give it me AHEM a relative)

Give the vouchers OP, I wouldn't want a hamper at all, would balk at the waste of money and food waste is just not acceptable in these times. I can't see the point either when so many people have dietary restrictions and don't drink. I've lost count of the number of token bottles of plonk, 'luxury' biscuits and pannettone etc I've tried to pawn off over the years from unwanted gifts and nobody ever wants them. Stilton is such a marmite thing, toiletries are very personal (fragrances hand cream on sore hands is a no)

It seems like you want to gove a physical gift because you feel it's more substantial and looks better and I just don't think it does in these times. I would be strictly avoiding waste and giving people who might be struggling financially or emotionally the opportunity to get themselves something they need or want with amazon vouchers, or waitrose or similar if not, but I think amazon is more universally useful.

DH’s work used to give food hampers at Xmas - nothing as grand as F&M, mind. It was always a bit of a letdown as I’d already sorted most of the food shop (everyone has favourite treats), and it also included things we didn’t like. Thankfully they switched to vouchers - much more handy at this time of year.

Came on to say its definitely got to be a voucher.
I like the idea above of a £150/175 voucher and then a gift bag of little treats. That suits both options and I would love to receive this from my employer.

Voucher for anywhere (m&s, JL seem good choices

Much better than the mince pie we get at work

Definitely the voucher.
Most hampers have items that are no use /not liked by me and my family.

I would go for a voucher as they can then get what they want - our work let’s us pick our gifts. However, I would probably not use Amazon, and try to support a smaller business or more local business

Voucher definitely, I'd hate a hamper

I’d much rather the voucher. At my old office we used to receive a couple of the big Fortnums hampers for the team. We’d all take it in turns to pick something and it’d be the same bits left over each year!

I think especially this year people might prefer a little extra towards their Christmas shopping or to treat themselves to something totally unnecessary.

Despite a what I’ve written,, I’m arranging hampers for my office this year because the higher powers have spoken...

voucher would be my choice, a hamper would mean nothing to me and probably end up giving most of it away

As you're a small company I'd say you'd like to give a Christmas bonus but would they prefer it in cash, in which case it will be taxed, or as a voucher, in which case not? It shouldn't be too complicated to get the vouchers people want that way.

Actually, the John Lewis £200 hamper is way nicer than the Fortnum and Mason one:

Prosecco
Merlot
Sauvignon Blanc
Luxury Mince pies
Chutney
Christmas Jam
Continental Christmas Wreaths
Chocolate Covered Marshmallow
Christmas Chocolate Cracker
Chocolate Box
Brandy, Port & Walnut Round
Christmas Pudding
Tea
Sweet Chilli Mixed Nuts
Jewel Topped Sharing Slab
Chocolate Chilli Shards
Tomatillo Salsa Tortillas
Dark Chocolate Popcorn Bites
Mini Panettone, 100g
Gouda & Chilli Biscuits
Lollipop
Milk Chocolate Bar
Crackers x12

I'd like to receive that. The Fortnum one is so old fashioned it should have a tin of ham in it

F and M stuff is hugely overpriced for what it is, products from Waitrose or good supermarket items are just as good quality. You are paying a giant premium for the F and M label and an empty basket.

Waitrose vouchers are a much better deal.

My preference would be a JL or M&S voucher.

I wish DH would get something like that... Unfortunately his Christmas Bonus is likely to be extra work (no overtime pay).

Fortnums have a Thank You hamper for £85
I would get that and then a voucher with the rest

Did you work for Sinclair Research @Christmasmorale? I remember the £1000 and F&M hamper - mine’s at the end of my bed now - with huge fondness. That bonus was a massive amount in the early 80s.

YABVU. Hampers are awful presents; it’s basically “here’s a gift I’ve chosen for you of food/drink you may or may not lot”.

Vouchers/money give people options. I don’t drink alcohol and I like to choose my own food for Christmas so a hamper would be a total waste.

*like not lot

I would hate a hamper and consider it a waste!!!