Are holiday perks such as parties, bonuses and gifts a thing of the 
past with employers imitating the Grinch? No- according to several recent surveys of employers. Even in these tough times employers are rewarding employees during the holidays, but with layoffs, furloughs and wage freezes common most companies have scaled back, way back. This is according to a recent CareerBuilder survey conducted among more than 3,000 hiring managers and HR professionals. In fact, nearly 3 out of 10 employers will be giving out bonuses, 60% will provide a holiday party and 29% will hand out gifts as reported by Challenger, Gray and Christmas. Among small businesses 30% aren’t planning any holiday activity for employees, and more than half won’t give gifts to customers this year, according to an American Express Open survey of more than 500 business owners.
A few ideas to make the holiday merry, with or without that bonus or big holiday event:
Volunteer as a group: While the companys may not have the budgets to throw a holiday party this year or even if your company does- have your co-workers volunteer together at a local charity. Volunteering with your team or company still allows you to be out of the office in a social setting while giving back to your local community and maintaining your holiday spirit.
Don’t be a Grinch: So what if the company holiday party is a thing of the past? Organize an office potluck or ask the boss for an extra hour at lunch for everyone to eat together. Without the pressure of a big event you may find this becomes the favorite holiday office tradition.
Offer extra time off: Many employees would appreciate a few extra hours off just as much or maybe even more than holiday party. Offering employees a few extra hours of time off can go a long way to improve morale.
Share in comments -what is your company doing this year, and how does it compare to last year?
Tomorrow I’ll talk about HR best practices for those companies still planning on having the traditional holiday party and discuss the pros and cons of serving alcohol at a company sponsored event.
Tags: bonus, company party, holiday party, HR best practice