Why You Shouldn’t Just Hold on to Your Employee Holiday Party Budget Until Next Year

“We can’t do anything in person, so we’ll just hold on to the budget and do something extra nice next year.” The problem with that is that both your employees and your clients are facing what is likely one of the most difficult seasons of their life.

As people who talk with a wide range of companies about corporate gift ideas every day, we’ve had dozens of these conversations lately and many of our clients have decided to pivot. Why? Because their people matter.

Domestic violence has increased worldwide since the pandemic and almost two thirds of people under the age of 30 have high levels of loneliness, 37% of which feel they have low support from their family based on news reports.

According to McKinsey & Company’s Annual Women in the Workplace report, the events of 2020 have led to “1 in 4 women are contemplating what many would have considered unthinkable less than a year ago: downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce.”

While the in-person crawfish broil you’ve done for 20+ years isn’t possible this year, it is possible to send a “Broil in a Box.” It just takes a little creativity. And we’ve got good news for you! According to Knack’s Annual Business Gifting Strategy Report, gifts are more memorable when they are a surprise and not related to a particular holiday or event.

Now is the perfect time to get creative, stand out, and remind you’re people you’re there for them. Like we always say, “no act of kindness is ever wasted.”