9 Mistakes Companies Make When Gifting Staff

Oops! These foibles might send the opposite message you’re hoping to share. Study up on common corporate gift mistakes—then discover what to do instead.

Whether they’re for new hires or to celebrate a long-term milestone, companies are investing more and more each year on corporate gifts. According to a May 2021 Coresight Research survey of 300 corporate gift buyers, the corporate gifting market is more than $242 billion, and is set to grow by 8 percent each year as companies vie to woo and retain talented staff. 

So what are we investing all this money for? To share a really important message—if you do corporate gifting right, that is. About eight in 10 of those surveyed said it was money very well spent, and the biggest benefit (cited by 45 percent of participants) was to make the recipient feel valued. What a beautiful memo.

That said, there are some surprisingly common corporate gift mistakes that can throw off even the best laid plans. Depending on the corporate gift “crime,” you might send an insincere or contradictory message to the one you’re trying to share: “You matter.” 

9 Mistakes Companies Make When Gifting Staff

To ensure you don’t make any of these blunders, read on for an overview of them all, plus our best practices about how to gift better.

Too Much Self-Promotion

Skip the logo-covered merch for another time. Ideally, these items should be reserved for team-building events or freebies. 

You’re Overlooking Core Values

Does your company’s mission revolve around sustainability? Diversity and inclusion? The arts? Avoid any gifts that don’t accurately reflect your values. For instance, if you promote eco-friendly practices at the office, you won’t want a gift basket full of single-use plastic.

You’re Being Impersonal

Being too generic sends a message that you don’t know about the recipient—and might not care enough to find out. Take time to get to know the gifted party, and try to find something that tracks with their interests, hobbies or big lifestyle changes (such as a new home or pet). If you must select a more universal gift, be sure you add a special touch via a handwritten note with details that relate only to that individual.

You’re Forgetting the Packaging

A smashed ribbon or shoddy wrapping job might say, “I was in a rush.” The gift wrap, box or bag is an additional way to showcase the amount of time and effort you put into a corporate gift, so seek out a polished box or package that will make the recipient excited to see what’s inside.

You’re Spending Too Much (or Too Little)

Yes, you can spend too much! Doing so can not only put a dent in your bottom line, but it can also come across as the gifters trying to “win over” the recipient. It can also outshine other gifts in the past and future. Investing too little can send the same message as slapped-together packaging; “you don’t matter as much as you think.” Aim to match the tone of the occasion. Just as you set a budget for each business initiative, set a reasonable budget for gifting purposes and stick to it as closely as possible.

You Might Be Biased

The budget detail can especially become treacherous territory if you share a $100 airline credit with one staff member, and a $25 local restaurant gift card with another. Being partial to one person over another may feel like a major slight. Even though it’s important to personalize the gifts as much as possible, equal milestones or occasions should receive about equal investment. 

You’re Stuck on Repeat

Even the biggest fans of coffee don’t need 12 mugs and bonus bags of beans lying around. Instead of delivering the same package each milestone, family loss or birthday, aim to mix things up each time. A spreadsheet of what has been gifted to each person to date can help jog your memory if you forget.

Your Timing is Off

Just as being late to a birthday dinner or wedding is a party foul, delivering a corporate gift after (especially long after) a special occasion can make the recipient feel like an oversight. Mark important events in a calendar, and set a reminder a specific timespan before to alert you to the fact that now’s the time to coordinate so everything arrives on time.

Holidays Are the Only Reason You Gift

Be it Christmas, Passover, Ramadan or otherwise, commemorating holidays with corporate gifts can be tricky territory as you can never be sure what or how each individual celebrates. Unless you know for sure when these milestones arise in their calendars, aim to stick to other days of the year. As a bonus, surprising them during a less present-heavy time means that your gift might get even more notice—and gratitude.