Jewelry-Making Articles

Giving Gifts to Employees and Staff as a Small Beading Business Owner


Even though some entrepreneurs reserve their gift-giving for the holiday season, there's no reason not to spread a little cheer with tokens of appreciation throughout the year. As a beading business owner, you know how crucial it is to maintain customer relationships. Giving gifts all year long is one way to keep everyone happy, but more importantly, your employees.

When giving presents to your staff, there are a few rules of etiquette you need to abide by, according to the New York Times. First, it's important to decide on which type of gifts you want to give--warm and fuzzy or practical and appreciative? The difference between the two is that one is solely meant to put your name at the forefront of an individual's mind.

One option some entrepreneurs choose to utilize is gift cards. A set dollar amount can be put on a gift card, solving the difficulty of picking out a specific present. However, this can be perceived as a thoughtless gift, which is where things get tricky.

A step above the standard gift card is giving a common present anyone can enjoy, but is more than just a handful of cash on a piece of plastic. Some businesses choose to give out bottles of wine or champagne to show their token of appreciation. This is an elegant gift that employees can enjoy during the holidays.

In more recent years, the New York Times notes that it's not uncommon for businesses to start offering charity donations as a form of gift. For instance, an entrepreneur can get in touch with a staff member to ask him which charity he would like the company to make a donation to in his honor. This is a thoughtful gift idea and can also show your customers that you care about giving back to the community.

To make sure you don't exceed your gift-giving budget, it's important to come up with a set list of individuals that you intend on rewarding by the end of the year. It's unrealistic to think that you will be able to send a present to everyone you know, but it's important that you show your appreciation to those who have helped your business the most over the year.

"Our list isn't 100 percent scientific," Liz Morrill, a beverage-based company owner, told the news source. "It's usually a combination of our best customers combined with the people we want to thank who aren't our customers--advisory board members, wholesalers and distributors."

Once you have decided whom you want to reward, you can think about what type of gifts you want to give out. Although you don't want to spend a fortune on them, the presents should still be top quality and, more importantly, represent your appreciation for the recipient.

1. The New York Times notes that some companies ask their employees for input when it comes to gift giving during the holiday season if they find themselves in a jam. As an entrepreneur, think about handing out a survey and taking your staff's feedback into consideration. This can make it easier for you to shop for an affordable gift that will satisfy all of your employees.

CNN says that there are a few key gift giving rules you need to abide by in order to maintain proper etiquette, whether it's during the holidays or a special event later in the new year. First try to avoid presents that may be too personal. For example many people might think that food is a great gift idea, but not all religions and cultures may be accepting of the ingredients in your present.

2. Next, don't make a big show out of the gift giving process. The goal is to make everyone feel appreciated and not single anyone out. To achieve this, consider holding a specific time and place for the office exchange gifts. Many companies choose to do their gift exchanges at the annual holiday party to make things simpler.

3. Finally, don't try to outdo your employees by spending a large amount of money--this may make people feel uncomfortable. Instead, you might want to think about creating an actual spending limit for your beading business to make things fair across the board. As the owner of the company, you can also consider developing a human resources policy on gift giving to outline all of the criteria and make it easier on your employees. Using these tips can make sure everyone is comfortable in the workplace.


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