Blog

The Official National Pie Day is Jan. 23. It’s the perfect opportunity to start off the year right with a sweet “Thank You” gift for staff or customers: gThankYou! Pie Gift Certificates.
Pie Gift Certificates from gThankYou are good for any brand of pie, cake, cheesecake or similar items — fresh from the bakery section or frozen. Recipients redeem their Pie Certificates at major grocery store nationwide.
Coincidentally, January is National Thank You Month — and nothing says “Thank You” like pie.
Pie is the traditional all-American treat, “as American as apple pie.” We share pies at the holidays, on picnics, at parties and as a special treat. Besides being a delicious indulgence, pie means something. Making a pie is a labor of love. Pie symbolizes togetherness, love, comfort and family. Pie has healing powers. And, everyone loves pie! It’s a thoughtful gift that is appreciated by all.
National Pie Day isn’t your only chance coming up to enjoy and share pie — National Pi Day, a celebration of the mathematical constant π, or “pi,” is Wednesday, March 14. (It’s a math celebration, but mathematicians love pie too!)
There’s a pie for everyone! Don’t believe us? Read on for delectable examples of how gThankYou! Pie Gift Certificates can be redeemed.
(more…)

Happy New Year! Is thanking employees more frequently on your management team’s list of resolutions?
How about a “Thank You training”? Make it a company resolution this year to train managers in the art of thanking employees!
January is National Thank You Month. This year, do more than resolve to thank people more. It’s time to recognize that showing appreciation isn’t just a nice-to-have soft skill but integral to successfully managing a team.
A recent HR Dive Spotlight on workplace culture includes a focus on meshing training with company culture.
“Walk into just about any company that says it prioritizes culture and you’ll see it in everything, from the casual dress code to the cool furniture. But can the same be said for training and professional development?” writes HR Dive’s Tess Taylor.
“To an up-and-coming generation of talent, what and how you teach them has a great deal of importance,” Taylor writes.
It’s not enough to include a line in the new-hire training manual about how your company values employee appreciation. To meaningfully demonstrate your company’s commitment to a culture of gratitude, managers need coaching in how to build that culture.

3 Benefits to Teaching the Art of Thanking Employees

Don’t assume that managers understand the value of employee recognition, or have the skills to communicate appreciation effectively and sincerely. Many managers aren’t hired or promoted based on people skills, but on other skills and expertise related to the job.
Employee recognition training at its best teaches managers why recognizing and thanking employees is so vital to engagement and productivity.
Companies that focus on the ‘why’ of learning often have training programs that are far better aligned with their cultures, according to HR Dive.
“Companies will get better performance from employees when they spend more time helping people understand the essence of what they do and focus on the experience of why they can benefit from doing things a certain way,” WalkMe president and co-founder Rephael Sweary tells HR Dive.
Three core benefits emerge from teaching managers the art of thanking employees:
(more…)

Merry Christmas from gThankYou!

We hope you have a peaceful and happy holiday celebration. Whether you’re spending the holidays with family, friends or colleagues, we hope it’s a time of gratitude and joy.
With the end of 2017 upon us, we’re reflecting on our gratitude for our customers, our Certificate recipients, our email subscribers and blog readers, and our hard-working team!
As a token of our appreciation, we’re sharing several of our ebooks to help you through the holiday season and plan for an engaged and productive New Year — all FREE.
(more…)

It’s not too late to order Turkey or Ham Gifts for Christmas for your workplace!
gThankYou! Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificates allow you to give recipients the practical and appreciated gift of a holiday turkey or ham to share with family and friends.
And gThankYou offers same day shipping so your Christmas gift can arrive as soon as tomorrow!
Not only are gThankYou Gift Certificates fast and convenient, they’re a meaningful gesture of gratitude that your workplace will love. A Gift Certificate for a turkey or a ham for Christmas provides a holiday meal centerpiece — without the stress of handing out actual frozen turkeys or hams.
Our Turkey or Ham Gifts can be redeemed for any brand, any size and any preparation of whole turkey, or whole or half ham, at major groceries nationwide. gThankYou Gift Certificates redeem as Manufacturer Coupons, similar to the cents-off coupons everyone is used to.
Plus, you won’t need to worry about finding Christmas cards to accompany your gifts at the last-minute. All gThankYou Gift Certificates come with your choice of customizable “Thank You” Enclosure Cards — FREE.

Celebrate the Power of Holiday Gratitude in Your Workplace

Gratitude is essential to your holiday gift-giving — and sharing gratitude is revolutionary in the workplace, according to the Greater Good Science Center (GGCC) at the University of California at Berkeley.

Thanking others is disruptive “in the realm of hierarchies and promotions, where everyone is trying to get ahead and may be reluctant to acknowledge their reliance on — or express emotions to — their coworkers,” writes GGCC’s Kira M. Newman in the article, “How Gratitude Can Transform Your Workplace.”
Recent research shows “building cultures of gratitude and appreciation can transform our work lives, leading to deeper connections to each other and to the work we’re doing.”
One mindfulness expert jokes that gratitude is a “gateway drug” because it’s a pathway to other emotional skills, like emotional intelligence, empathy, compassion and forgiveness. Other benefits include less stress and fewer health complaints, fewer sick days, higher satisfaction with our jobs and a greater sense that we can achieve our goals.
“Grateful employees — as well as employees who receive more gratitude — also perform more ‘organizational citizenship’ behaviors: kind acts that aren’t part of their job description, like welcoming new employees and filling in for coworkers,” Newman writes.
Thinking of gratitude as a culture-building practice is helpful because gratitude isn’t transactional. Once gratitude starts getting shared within an organization, it spreads: givers and recipients alike want to pass on the good feeling. Together, these interactions build a culture of gratitude.
Key to building an organizational gratitude culture are leaders who prioritize and embrace gratitude in their communication, according to Newman.
That’s where meaningful gifts, like the gift of a holiday turkey or ham come in. Don’t miss the opportunity to express gratitude at the holidays with a heartfelt message of thanks and a practical token of gratitude that employees will value.
“Gift exchange is a major part of celebrating the holidays,” according to South University researchers, and “the whole act of gift-giving can offer psychological benefits.
“Giving a gift is a universal way to show interest, appreciation, and gratitude, as well as strengthen bonds with others.”
gThankYou makes workplace gift-giving easy, convenient and flexible. Read on to find out how!
(more…)

Employee Christmas gifts are the perfect way to share end-of-year gratitude and strengthen manager-employee relationships.
Choose gThankYou Gift Certificates for popular grocery items like Turkey, Ham, or Turkey or Ham for your employee Christmas gifts this year! It’s a practical, convenient and appreciated way to celebrate the season and your employees at the holidays.
All gThankYou Gift Certificates can be redeemed at major grocery stores nationwide, at the time that’s right for your recipients, for any brand of the product specified. Orders ship same day so you can have your gifts as soon as possible.
Plus, you won’t need to worry about finding Christmas cards to accompany your gifts at the last-minute. All gThankYou Gift Certificates come with customized, personalized gift Enclosure Cards — FREE.
Christmas gifts for employees, accompanied by a heartfelt note of thanks, sends the right message to employees — that you value your relationship with them and are pleased they are on your team. They’ll start off the new year feeling supported and appreciated.
A new study conducted by Ultimate Software shows a need for better manager-employee relationships in the workplace. Read on to learn how appreciation plays a role in relationship-building.
(more…)

gThankYou’s popular Employee Appreciation Calendar for 2018 is here!
We’ve updated our annual day-to-day appreciation calendar with lots of new topics, new case studies and even more holidays and reasons to celebrate! Download your free copy of our “2018 Day-to-Day Employee Celebration Calendar” and jump-start your employee engagement and appreciation planning for the New Year.
Appreciation is a major factor in workplace happiness and functionality. And employees are more likely than ever to leave their company if they don’t receive it.
According to the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California at Berkeley, 66 percent of employees would leave their companies if they did not feel appreciation — up from 51 percent in 2012.
Everyone wins when company leaders prioritize employee appreciation.
“Recognizing the benefits we receive from others makes us happier and healthier, enhances trust and loyalty, and encourages people to connect and invest in the workplace,” writes Greater Good’s Amie M. Gordon.
Sounds great, right?
The challenge is finding ways to consistently and authentically show appreciation, day in and day out. Vowing to thank employees more often is a good start, for example, but it isn’t specific enough to be an actionable goal.
gThankYou’s 2018 Employee Appreciation Calendar helps you identify your company’s specific needs and develop a plan to share gratitude throughout the year (not just at the holidays or annual appreciation dinner). Ultimately, the goal is a happier workforce, higher retention and bigger profits.
Read on for a sneak peek at what our 2018 Calendar has in store for you!
(more…)

Christmas Ham Gifts for employees are thoughtful tokens of gratitude that spread holiday cheer, evoke childhood memories and create new memories!
A gThankYou! Ham Gift Certificate from gThankYou Employee Gifts is a meaningful yet convenient way to share Christmas Ham Gifts in your workplace.
Our Ham Gift Certificates can be redeemed for any brand, any size and any preparation of whole or half ham, at major grocery stores across the U.S. They work as Manufacturer Coupons similar to cents-off Coupons.
Our holiday Gift Certificates have long expiration dates, so your recipients can redeem their Certificates all the way through spring and Easter!
Plus, gThankYou’s Christmas Ham Gifts come with FREE Enclosure cards so you can easily include a message of gratitude with your gift. Our Enclosure Cards come in dozens of designs and can be personalized and customized just the way you want — all free. View our Winter Holiday Enclosure Card Catalog for design options and details on customization.

A big ham is a holiday treat most of us only get once or twice a year. Many of us can still describe in detail the delicious ham our grandma or grandpa used to bake for the family growing up.
It’s a holiday meal centerpiece that brings back memories and nostalgia — and inspires us to pass on the tradition.
As a workplace gift, a Christmas ham sends the message that you care about your employees and want them to have a special holiday. Read on for five great stories about why we love Christmas Ham Gifts!
(more…)

Holiday Gift Certificates from gThankYou are a practical, convenient and appreciated way to show your seasonal gratitude to employees and customers at the holidays.
A gThankYou! Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificate — or any of gThankYou’s Gift Certificates for popular food items — can be redeemed at major grocery stores nationwide, at the time that’s right for your recipients.
Recipients can redeem their Holiday Gift Certificates for any brand, any size and any preparation of a turkey, ham or other item specified.
Plus, you won’t need to worry about finding holiday cards to accompany your gifts at the last-minute. All gThankYou Holiday Gift Certificates come with your choice of customizable “Thank You” Enclosure Cards — FREE.
Don’t miss this opportunity to show appreciation in your business at this important time of year!
As TalentCulture’s Jason Lauritsen writes, work is a relationship, not a contract. And the #1 relationship-builder is appreciation.
No matter what holiday traditions your employees and customers celebrate, gratitude is the theme of the season. Your sincere thanks, accompanied by gThankYou’s Holiday Gift Certificates as tokens of gratitude, sends a strong message that you value your relationship with each and every one.
“Decades of employee engagement research have been trying to tell us something incredibly important and simple,” Lauritsen writes. “To create an organization where employees will be fully engaged and committed means rethinking everything about the work experience. It means redesigning the work experience to function like a healthy relationship.”
Acceptance, communication, support, commitment and time are all key to relationship-building in the workplace, according to Lauritsen.
But appreciation tops the list.
“As human beings, we crave acknowledgement and validation. In our relationship with our employer, we need to know that we are seen and our work is noticed. Not just when it’s deemed important or when we go above and beyond,” he writes.
Read on for ideas of gThankYou Holiday Gift Certificates to share in your workplace this holiday season!
(more…)

Do an internet search for “choosing the right employee holiday gifts” and you’ll find story after story about bosses who made the wrong choice.
Usually these anecdotes of bad holiday gifts include branded clothing in the wrong size or something too personal or potentially inappropriate, like perfume or alcohol.
It’s easy to get disheartened and opt for what seems like the easy choice: cash.
But, as Inc. columnist Rebecca Hinds writes, “gifts of cash have little more impact than lumps of coal.”
It’s not that your holiday cash bonus won’t be appreciated — it will — but nothing can replace a thoughtful, meaningful token of gratitude that you’ve chosen for employees to enjoy.
What makes a great employee gift is the gratitude you share with it.
And there’s more to sharing gifts than passing them out. Employee holiday gifts count most when shared in a workplace culture that values appreciation. Sharing your employee holiday gift is a priceless opportunity to share your appreciation for your team’s hard work, contributions and loyalty to your business.
The good news is that insights like these make choosing employee holiday gifts easier. Choosing holiday gifts to share with employees should be rewarding and simple!
Read on for the latest research on workplace gifts and appreciation to help you choose your company’s employee holiday gifts this season.
(more…)

Prioritizing employee gratitude helps keep holiday stress from hijacking your workplace.
Fun activities with a focus on wellbeing, appreciation and making social connections are the antidote to the kind of stress that can distract employees and derail productivity over the holiday season.
“Keeping employees engaged and healthy is particularly difficult during the holiday season. The weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year offer a lot of challenges when it comes to productivity, illness and work performance,” Forbes contributor Alan Kohll writes.
Ironically, when stress takes over, we stop doing the things that help keep stress at bay — like exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep and engaging in meaningful social connections.
“When employees are over-stressed or dealing with hectic schedules, they tend to drop healthy habits and become disengaged with their work,” Kohll writes.
That’s why it’s so important for management to lead with gratitude and model healthy behaviors, especially during vulnerable times like the holidays.
“It may feel counterintuitive, but the holiday season could be the best time for employers to double down on employee wellbeing,” Kohll writes. “By recognizing the holiday season and all the joy — and stress — it can bring to employees, employers can help reduce any extra pressures around the office and keep employees motivated to finish the year strong.”
Simply acknowledging that the holidays can be stressful lets employees know that you understand what they’re going through. Take it a step further and let them know how much you appreciate their efforts this month, too.
#GivingTuesday is this week, and it’s the perfect time to kick off a month of gratitude activities for the holiday season in your workplace.
(more…)

Thanksgiving gratitude is what gThankYou is all about.
And, as always, we’re thankful this year for our customers, our Certificate recipients, our email subscribers and blog readers, and our hard-working team!
We put a high value on great customer service and helping company leaders show their appreciation with meaningful, practical gifts shared with gratitude.
We consider ourselves incredibly lucky to have loyal customers and supporters who are just as enthusiastic and committed to this mission!
It’s an exciting time for HR management right now. Employee gratitude and employee experience are finally getting recognition as indispensable business tools. We’re grateful to help play a small part in serving this growing field.
However you’re spending Thanksgiving — with family, with friends or with coworkers — we hope it’s a joyful experience that brings you closer together.
And, if you’re cooking a Thanksgiving turkey, don’t forget to check out our free “Ultimate Thanksgiving Turkey Guide” for last-minute tips, guidance and side-dish recipes.

[Tweet “Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot. – Hansa Proverb”]

We wish you a safe, happy and peaceful Thanksgiving!
  (more…)

Thanksgiving is this week — and you can still “put the Thanks in Thanksgiving” in time to delight your employees and workplace!
For Thanksgiving, and for the rest of the holiday season, gratitude is the best gift company leaders can give employees.
Learn how to express your gratitude to employees with gThankYou’s free eBook, “Put the Thanks in Thanksgiving: How to Write a Thanksgiving Letter to Employees.”
This free how-to guide has step-by-step instructions on writing a memorable, meaningful holiday letter, as well as tips and real-life examples to inspire you.
Whether you’re composing a company-wide email, handwriting Thank You notes, preparing a speech, or just want to say “Thank You” more effectively in person — this is the eBook for you!

What Employees Really Want

Genuine, clearly expressed gratitude from leadership is what really “puts the Thanks in Thanksgiving” — and it’s what employees want.

A new Randstad survey of about 1,200 U.S .employees from a cross-section of industries and regions shows that some workplace holiday traditions — cookie swaps, the annual Christmas party — are not actually that important to workers.
What employees really want, more than anything, is to feel the spirit of the holidays in their workplace.
(more…)

Thanksgiving is next week, but it’s not too late to order your business Thanksgiving gifts for the workplace.
gThankYou offers same day shipping so your business Thanksgiving gifts can arrive as soon as tomorrow!
Not only are gThankYou’s business Thanksgiving gifts fast and convenient, they’re a meaningful and practical gesture of gratitude that your workplace will love.
gThankYou! Gift Certificates for Turkey (or Turkey or Ham) allow you to give recipients the gift and joy of a Thanksgiving turkey for their holiday meal centerpiece — without the stress of handing out actual frozen turkeys or hams.
Our Thanksgiving Gift Certificates can be redeemed for any brand, any size and any preparation of whole turkey (or whole or half ham), at virtually all major groceries nationwide. gThankYou Gift Certificates redeem as Manufacturer Coupons, just like the cents-off coupons everyone is used to.
Plus, you won’t need to worry about finding Thanksgiving cards to accompany your gifts at the last minute. All gThankYou Gift Certificates come with customized, personalized “Thank You” Enclosure Cards — FREE.
Don’t miss this opportunity to show appreciation in your business at this important time of year. Holiday gratitude is essential in the workplace because it is a chance to let employees know you care about them as people first, according to careers-search website Ladders.
“As a manager yourself, part of your job description is to ensure your direct reports feel valued, treasured and supported. This doesn’t just extend to their performance between 9 and 5, but also that you understand they have a life outside of the office, too,” Ladders’ Lindsay Tigar writes.
For employee gifts, one workplace expert “suggests a gift certificate toward something they enjoy … that you know will make them happy.”
In the end, that’s what business Thanksgiving gifts are all about: a token of gratitude to make employees happy. Happy employees are the foundation for a successful, productive and profitable business!
(more…)

Your employee Christmas gifts aren’t complete without an expression of gratitude.

Good news: all gThankYou Gift Certificates come with customizable, personalized “Thank You” Enclosure Cards — free!
Simply choose your design and give us your personal message of holiday appreciation for recipients. We create your custom card and can even add your company logo or management signature if you like. gThankYou Enclosure Cards are the perfect addition to make your employee Christmas gift meaningful and memorable.

We’re excited to unveil new Enclosure Card designs for the 2017 winter holidays, adding to dozens of favorites to fit any company culture and occasion.
It’s absolutely essential to show your appreciation to employees, at the holidays and year-round.
A paycheck isn’t enough, no matter how generous.
A new study from Payscale shows that how employees feel about their organization’s approach to pay and compensation has a higher impact on their job satisfaction than the actual amount they are paid.
The 500,000+ employees surveyed for the study said they want something beyond pay: appreciation.
“Appreciation raised the satisfaction meter higher than any other factor,” according to an HR Drive analysis of the study. “PayScale’s call-out of appreciation is important for direct managers. Simply taking the time to say ‘Thank You’ can do wonders for workplace culture.”
(more…)

Learn to write a Thanksgiving message to employees without the same old clichés and platitudes — a Thank You letter that truly communicates your appreciation and embodies your unique company spirit!
gThankYou’s FREE eBook “Put the ‘Thanks’ in Thanksgiving” teaches how to do exactly that, with step-by-step instructions to guide you and lots of inspiring real-life examples.
With just a few weeks to go to Thanksgiving, now’s the time to craft a Thanksgiving message to employees to share in holiday cards or on your company intranet or website, or to share in person at the annual holiday party.
However you share it, the message it sends is important.
Showing gratitude to employees is finally getting the recognition it deserves as a tool for motivation and engagement.
Gratitude connects workers to the organization and its purpose. Gratitude lets them know why their hard work matters — and encourages them to keep it up.
Sharing and receiving gratitude is also good for our health, lowers stress and helps us get along better.
“As Thanksgiving approaches, our thoughts naturally turn to gratitude — at home and in the workplace. Studies suggest that expressing gratitude may focus your mind to notice gratitude more frequently,” TalentCulture founder Meghan M. Biro writes.
Quite simply, the more you express gratitude, the better you feel and the better others around you feel. And that, Biro writes, has a powerful effect in the workplace, where “expressing gratitude and being on the receiving end can be an effective morale booster and motivator.”
According to a Glassdoor study Biro cites, 80 percent of employees are willing to work harder for an appreciative boss.

4 Ways a Thanksgiving Message to Employees Improves Company Culture

(more…)

New research shows companies with clear, top-down communication have happier employees and are more profitable — and, at the holidays, nothing sends a clearer message of gratitude from the boss than corporate turkey gifts.
The gift of a Thanksgiving turkey sends a clear message from management to recipients. It’s a valued, family-oriented and practical token of gratitude.
Sharing corporate turkey gifts says, “We’re grateful you’re part of our company family.”
America’s favorite corporate turkey gifts from gThankYou are Turkey Gift Certificates that are redeemable for any brand, any size and any preparation of whole turkey at virtually any grocery store.
Plus, all gThankYou Gift Certificates come with free gift cards for recipients! Our FREE Enclosure Cards come in a wide variety of designs to fit your company culture. We can add your company logo and custom message — all free!
Corporate turkey gifts from gThankYou aren’t just appreciated at Thanksgiving. They’re also perfect to share at Christmas, New Year’s or as employee recognition gifts any time of year.

Corporate Turkey Gifts: A Clear Message of Gratitude

A new Siegel+Gale survey shows that at “simple” organizations, 95 percent of employees are more likely to trust leadership. Employees at these companies also said that being innovative is easy, that they were likely to refer job candidates to their company and that they intended to stay at their jobs longer.
In turn, these companies are more profitable.
What makes an organization “simple”? How communication is shared and received in the workplace is key. A HR Dive analysis explains:

“Simple” organizations may be best described as less bureaucratic than most. Clear communication is passed along from company leaders to employees quickly and more effectively when there are fewer barriers to obscure the message.

Specifically, the communication style that works best is “clear, top-down” and transparently connected to the organization’s “purpose and business goals.”
At successful companies, employees hear feedback directly from management. The appreciation they receive connects them to the greater purpose and goals of the company.
This type of clear communication is essential at the holidays. Study after study shows what employees want most isn’t a year-end cash bonus but sincere appreciation from management.
A turkey is the very symbol of gratitude, the centerpiece to every Thanksgiving meal. The turkey centerpiece evokes childhood memories, time with family and friends, and giving thanks together.
Corporate turkey gifts are the perfect companion to your clear message of holiday gratitude!
(more…)

gThankYou’s new, updated Ultimate Employee Gift-Giving Guide has fresh case studies, more resources and the latest research in HR management – the perfect resource for planning holiday employee gift-giving and recognition efforts for the new year.
Download it FREE today!
Originally released in 2013, our popular Gift-Giving Guide has been updated with new insights to fit the rapidly changing landscape of employee rewards and recognition.
Our Ultimate Employee Gift-Giving Guide isn’t called “ultimate” for nothing! It has practical tips for choosing and sharing employee gifts, but it also includes in-depth tutorials in creating an overall workplace culture of appreciation.
Ultimately, understanding appreciation and how to apply it in the workplace is the first step to sharing meaningful gifts with employees. It’s the foundation for a happy, productive and loyal workforce.
Gratitude as a management technique is finally getting the research and attention it deserves.
“The practice of gratitude — and its close sibling, appreciation — has started to infiltrate workplaces,” according to a recent HuffPost article from the Greater Good Science Center.
Much of this gratitude research is just from the past few years, so we’ve added it to our updated Ultimate Employee Gift-Giving Guide.
“Building on — and even getting out in front of — the existing research on gratitude at work” is crucial, according to the Greater Good Science Center. Reports from early adopters of gratitude research insights “suggest that building cultures of gratitude and appreciation can transform our work lives, leading to deeper connections to each other and to the work we’re doing.”
(more…)

What’s a meaningful yet simple way to share your Thanksgiving gratitude with employees? Thanksgiving Gift Certificates!
gThankYou’s Thanksgiving Gift Certificates for Turkey (or Turkey or Ham) allow you to give recipients the gift and joy of a Thanksgiving turkey for the centerpiece of their holiday meal.
The centerpiece to the Thanksgiving feast is a symbol of gratitude and family togetherness going back generations. It’s America’s oldest tradition — and a practical gift everyone appreciates and enjoys sharing with family and friends.
Thanksgiving Gift Certificates from gThankYou can be redeemed for any brand, any size and any preparation of whole turkey (or whole or half ham), at virtually all major groceries nationwide. Our Gift Certificates redeem as Manufacturer Coupons.
What will really make a lasting impression is sharing your sincere message of “Thanks” along with your Thanksgiving Gift Certificate.

The ‘Uplifting Charm’ of Thanksgiving Gratitude

As the year comes to a close, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reflect on the year and express appreciation for all your staff’s hard work. Thanksgiving was created for sharing gratitude!
In a newspaper column this week, editor Ben Bromley praises the simplicity of Thanksgiving.
“There is beauty in simplicity, and grace in gratitude,” Bromley writes.
Thanksgiving is underrated, and it’s time we “give Thanksgiving when it’s due.”
“Ever since the Pilgrims and Native Americans gathered to break bread and give thanks for the harvest, there has been a quiet, uplifting charm to the holiday,” he writes.
Celebrate that charm with employees! Express your thanks to staff with a practical, meaningful gift that symbolizes gratitude: Thanksgiving Gift Certificates.
(more…)

When it comes to meaningful holiday employee gifts, a study released this month found gift certificates and food are the popular choices in the workplace for 2017.
Employee gifts in general are on the uptick as a retention strategy in a tight labor market, according to the nationwide ASI Corporate Gift Giving Study.
Customization and personalization also “continue to be major factors in gift choices,” the study found.
Employees want practical gifts they can use, like food and gift cards, and appreciate a gift that has a personalized message.
gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude for popular food items, like a Thanksgiving turkey or holiday ham, come with free customizable, personalized Enclosure Cards in dozens of designs, as well as free cookbooks.
gThankYou Gift Certificates are redeemable at virtually all major groceries nationwide, adding to their convenience and practicality.
At the heart of it, your company’s holiday employee gifts should express appreciation and build relationships.
“The majority of companies reported that expressing appreciation is the primary goal of giving gifts … closely followed by relationship development,” the ASI study concluded.
Employees want to feel valued and personally thanked — and nothing says “Thank You” at the holidays like a meaningful gift certificate for food. It’s easy to redeem, when and where the recipient wants, and it’s accompanied by a heartfelt message of gratitude. gThankYou Gift Certificates are meaningful holiday employee gifts that the whole family can enjoy!
(more…)

Happy Halloween! It’s the perfect holiday for dressing up, eating candy, carving pumpkins and having some workplace fun.
But in all the fun, don’t forget a key element: recognizing and thanking employees. It really is the secret to planning effective and worthwhile fun activities in the workplace.
A report released this week shows many companies have their priorities mixed up when it comes to engaging employees with workplace fun. What employees actually want doesn’t always match what employers think they want.
The report is based on a survey by HR systems firm Sage People. It asked workers for opinions on various workplace benefits and conditions.
Quirky perks like a job-site ping pong table got a resounding “meh” from employees. Meanwhile, 72 percent of those surveyed said that feeling valued and recognized is what they value most when it comes to their day-to-day work experience.
“The research reveals that while many companies invest in quirky benefits to keep staff happy, employees aren’t impressed,” the report concluded.

Does this mean ping pong tables, games and fun activities don’t belong in the workplace? Not at all! Having fun at work builds creativity, engagement and teamwork.
But it isn’t reasonable to install a pool table in the break room and expect employee engagement to automatically go up.
Perspective, and a culture of appreciation, must come first. That means a) listening to employees, and b) incorporating appreciation into day-to-day work as well as special celebrations and activities.
Of the employees surveyed by Sage People, a whopping 42 percent said they have never been asked by their employer what they believe would improve their work experience.
“The findings show a disconnect between the benefits employers provide and what employees want. This failure to listen is costing businesses in the form of reduced productivity levels and a disengaged workforce,” the report says.
(more…)