In short:
As the holiday season approaches, entrepreneurs may find themselves seeking gifts for a large, newly remote workforce that has stuck it out through one of the most challenging years on record. This shift to a work-from-home (WFH) economy is a substantial one, with 42% of the U.S. labor force(opens in new tab) now WFH full-time.
Sure, there are some benefits of working from home, but teams are also experiencing new challenges, including negative impacts on mental health(opens in new tab), difficulty finding balance(opens in new tab) and increased burnout(opens in new tab). One might say thanking your workers has never been more important.
Brainyard’s 2020 Holiday Gift Guide for Remote Employees is packed with unique perks and fun gift ideas sure to delight employees. Some will even make your business more productive. And, they’re easy on the business bank account.
Happy shopping, entrepreneurs.
Here are ideas for parents juggling full-time work with the new role of substitute teacher in the experiment of virtual learning. If anyone needs some holiday love, it’s these unsung heroes. In lieu of typical holiday gifts, consider these perks:
Since COVID-19 broke out in March, companies across the country have increased PTO for several legitimate needs.
Jay Scott, owner of publishing platform Pugsquest, is giving employees extra paid time off as a show of “gratitude, motivation, and support” because “COVID season has been very hectic and strenuous for everyone,” he said.
TeamStage(opens in new tab) founder Tina Nikilovska said she bumped up PTO when she realized employees were “reluctant to take a vacation” not only because of travel restrictions but also because “they were worried about job security.” She aims to “nudge” her team to take a “well-deserved vacation.”
Increased PTO this holiday season is a surefire way to show parents you understand the challenge of caring for dependents.
A cost-effective, no-nonsense gift, flexible work schedules allow parents to choose when and where they work (within reason), allowing them to handle kids and close deals on their own schedule.
In response to COVID-19, the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, presented options for its departments to implement flexible hours(opens in new tab) so long as it didn’t increase staffing costs or decrease productivity. Approaches including flexible daily hours, bulking hours (e.g., four 10-hour days per week) and alternative work sites can “facilitate employees’ ability to engage in wellness activities,” per the school’s website.
If you don’t already offer flex time to workers, the holidays present an opportunity to test it out. Just remember: Flex time doesn’t equal inefficient operations. On the contrary, a 2020 Gallup study(opens in new tab) suggests flex time actually engages remote workers, leading to lower absenteeism, better retention and more profitability.
Survey Says: In our recent survey, business leaders said their No. 1 challenge right now is “juggling too many responsibilities.” For many, a flexible schedule could be a major gift. LEARN MORE.
Many of us typically stress about overspending(opens in new tab) during the holidays, but bonuses are particularly relevant this year, with some companies instituting pay cuts to avoid layoffs(opens in new tab) due to COVID-19.
“This holiday season will surely encourage [people] to go over their regular budget, and an extra allowance will help them big time,” said Tal Shelef, co-founder of Condo Wizard.
In the case of Shelef’s company, which sells pre-construction condos and townhomes in cities like New York and Toronto, the bonus is performance based. Employees will get an extra $1,000 for each of their accumulated sales over the past six months.
Companies looking to relieve parents from the burden of childcare should take notes from PWC, the Big 4 accounting firm that offers employees a back-up care reimbursement(opens in new tab) of up to $2,000 per year for last-minute childcare arrangements.
This support can be a saving grace for 60% of parents who, according to a study conducted by Boston Consulting Group in May 2020, have no additional help caring for children(opens in new tab).
If your company budget isn’t quite Big 4 in nature, consider upping salaries in 2021 to alleviate the burden of childcare or providing access to resources like SitterStream(opens in new tab), an on-demand, virtual childcare service for working parents.
Here’s a list of gifts for your employee who misses the rush of new time zones, cultures, culinary delights, red-eye flights and closing that deal in-person.
Like the $1,000 that Twitter employees received(opens in new tab), a flat rate for office setup could do wonders to help that busybody get resettled.
Taking a practical approach, companies like Gadget Review(opens in new tab) provide new Internet routers with firmware for better network security, VPN subscriptions and reimbursements for other necessary items. CEO Rex Frieberger said the company’s holiday gifting strategy entails switching out all employees’ office equipment that isn’t “up to task.”
If health and wellness is top of mind, hook up those displaced road warriors with ergonomic keyboards, chairs or standing desks from brands like AnthroDesk(opens in new tab).
The ErgoSpring Standing Desk(opens in new tab), from AnthroDesk
Keep the spirit of travel alive by gifting solemn road warriors a java-saturated experience via Atlas Coffee Club(opens in new tab). Each month brings a new, freshly-roasted bag of beans from distant locales like Tanzania, Colombia and Kenya alongside tasting notes, preparation instructions and a postcard.
Your employees may not be traveling for awhile, but at least they can stay caffeinated while learning about the far-off origins of their favorite coffee.
Travel bugs usually don’t spend a lot of time cooking, so fuel their transition to home life with healthy meals. From services like Sun Basket(opens in new tab) that cover breakfast, lunch and dinner to all-vegan options like Purple Carrot(opens in new tab), to ready-to-blend smoothies from Daily Harvest(opens in new tab), the food subscription industry is full of options. Real Simple’s rundown of meal subscription boxes(opens in new tab) is a great place to start.
If snacks feel like a better choice, try options(opens in new tab) like Fit Snack(opens in new tab) for a wellness-inspired box or Graze(opens in new tab) for a curation tailored to your team’s tastes. You might also surprise colleagues with meal delivery from local vendors: Goop has a list of healthy meal delivery companies(opens in new tab) in major cities nationwide.
Tamarind Cauliflower meal kit(opens in new tab), from Purple Carrot
Inspire your temporarily-stagnant road warrior with a world map corkboard(opens in new tab) to relive previous travels and plot their next big sales run (socially-distanced, of course).
For a cost-effective option, go with the world map corkboard from World Market. However, If you’re the “spare no expense” kind of boss, check out Push Pin Travel Maps(opens in new tab), which offers different map styles, framing options and personalization.
Here are gift options for city-dwellers that live for entertainment, nightlife and the hustle-and-bustle of city lights, but are stuck climbing the walls of their apartment.
Help your city-dwelling employees enjoy their nights in with a subscription to a top streaming service(opens in new tab). It’s a cost-effective option which, if used creatively, can bring the team together: Haro Helpers(opens in new tab) CEO Brett Downes bought three Netflix subscriptions to cover his 11-person team for less than $50, which they use to watch shows together while messaging in Whatsapp groups in real time.
“It keeps all the staff in touch with each other, and we muddle through this crisis together and keep up morale,” said Downes.
Streaming devices are another great option, especially The Roku Streaming Stick+, which goes for $50 and provides access to over 5,000 channels and most apps. Other top contenders are the similarly-priced Chromecast with Google TV(opens in new tab), the Nvidia Shield TV(opens in new tab) for $149 and the voice-controlled Amazon Fire TV Cube(opens in new tab) at $120. For more, Tom’s Guide has a rundown of the best streaming devices in 2020(opens in new tab).
At-home workout options are crucial for physical health and mental wellbeing. There are many affordable fitness apps and subscription services(opens in new tab) to choose from: We especially enjoy strength-training classes from Booya Fitness(opens in new tab) and Tone It Up(opens in new tab), yoga and meditation services like Find What Feels Good(opens in new tab) and bodyweight training from Freeletics(opens in new tab). Each subscription is around $10 a month.
Want to play secret Santa without dropping a dime? Share Nike Training Club(opens in new tab) with your team. The free service offers on-demand classes, trainer-led programs and tips from Nike Master Trainers.
On-demand workout library(opens in new tab), from Booya Fitness
While most live music venues remain closed, many artists are doing online shows. Billboard updates its list of livestream and virtual concerts(opens in new tab) regularly, with shows from A-list talent like Sam Smith, Avril Lavigne, Glass Animals and more. Some are free; others come with ticket costs lower than those you’d pay in an arena.
Surprise the music lover on your team with a ticket to one of their favorite shows. They may miss crowd-surfing their favorite artist down through an auditorium but still get a stellar view.
First Cup’s Morning Series(opens in new tab) offers six minutes of “insight, information and inspiration to start your day with intention,” per its website. Each of the audio files, which arrive seven days a week, includes a breathing exercise, a piece of wisdom and a reminder, mantra or question to ponder during the rest of the day. Subscriptions are $68 a month.
Take at-home concentration to new levels with LectroFan(opens in new tab), a white noise machine with 10-plus sounds that increase focus and block out a disturbance in your home office. Gift rest and focus to your teams starting at $50 per device.
LectroFan Evo(opens in new tab), from Sound of Sleep
Satisfy your team’s sweet tooth with a cupcake kit from Sweetology that includes ingredients and step-by-step instructions mailed to their homes. Leave your squad to decorate on their own, or host a video call together for team building through frosting. Kits start at $40.
Help employees achieve their dreams — at work and beyond — with the Goal Crazy Planner(opens in new tab), which includes tools to help you “discover goals, overcome obstacles and get more accomplished.” Individual planners cost $25; snag a four-pack for $90.
Goal Crazy 90-Day Planner(opens in new tab), from Goal Crazy
Worried that squeezing that old stress ball might not be enough to get your employees through the winter? Save the holidays with Speks(opens in new tab), a magnetic desk toy they can bash in times of pure frustration and use to build intricate geometric shapes for Jedi focus. The toy starts at $25.
Next Big Idea Club(opens in new tab) sends subscribers two groundbreaking books filled with big ideas each month. Works are hand-selected by thinkers like Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain and Daniel Pink and come for $21 a month.
Hardcover Books subscription(opens in new tab), from Next Big Idea Club
Keep up company pride with team swag. Totally Promotional can emblazon your brand’s logo on a variety of private-labeled products from apparel to ceramic mugs.
Consider ways to give back while honoring your employees. Donate to a charity of their choice, allow them to volunteer on work hours, or donate your team’s skills to an organization that would benefit from your expertise.
Giving, they say, is the best gift of all.
Justin Biel is a contributing editor at Brainyard. He covers a wide range of business topics with an emphasis on entrepreneurship, marketing, branding and fundraising. Justin worked as a freelance journalist and copywriter and spent a decade as an entrepreneur.
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