The King of Workplace Christmas Gifts – a handy guide

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Christmas may be a time of peace and goodwill to all… but it can also be a period of stress that drives us up the wall.

Finding the right gifts for family and friends can be challenging enough but employers up and down the land face the same dilemma… what’s the best way to show appreciation for their staff at Christmas?

More to the point, if you are going to offer a gift to members of your team, should it be cash, a gift or something else?

Fortunately, Love2shop are the experts in workplace gifting and employee engagement, so we’ve got the lowdown on the pros and cons of every gift type to help you choose what’s right for your workforce.

What you give – and how you give it – is important. Why? Well, according to the Love2shop Employee Value Report 2023, 57% of UK workers – that’s 17.2m people – say their productivity increases when they feel valued.

It also found almost 90% of UK workers said if they were surprised by their employer with a multi-retailer gift card they would feel more valued, while more than 87% said spontaneous gifts from their employer gave them a feeling of value and recognition.

So, gifting your employees is unquestionably beneficial to your productivity and output. But how do you choose the right gift. Here’s our handy guide:

Cash

Pros: Giving people cash, usually through payroll, is simple and straightforward and requires little thought or planning. Keeping it simple in a complicated world can be appreciated.

Cons: Every penny you give is subject to tax and National Insurance, which will either make it a lot more expensive per head for your business or eat into the amount your employees receive.

It also lacks thought and imagination. It’s a gift given as a process, another line on the payslip. It can feel cold and transactional and any warmth it creates disappears as soon as it is spent.

Gift cards

Pros: In an age when we are used to paying for things with a swipe of a debit or credit card, a gift card is a convenient, portable and way to make gifting easy. Balances can be viewed online and digital e-gift cards can even be added to digital wallets to scan via smartphones.

Multi-retailer gift cards give the gift of choice so they can make their gift mean more and some brands offer personalisation options to add to the overall gift.

Cons: It’s important to maximise the presentation. Just handing over the card can make it feel like an afterthought. Also watch out for brands that reduce the value of cards on a monthly basis with ‘admin fees’. Find a gift card provider that will not give your employees any nasty surprises.

Physical gifts

Pros: Giving just the right gift to someone is very powerful. Showing you know someone and care about their interests and what they love shows an exceptional level of appreciation and is a significant motivator for people.

Cons: It can be hard enough to pick the right gift for a family member or close friend. Choosing the right gift for a colleague opens up a whole world of stress, especially if you are buying for multiple team members. It’s hard to really know people, especially as people tend to code-switch between the workplace and home. Getting it wrong can be just as powerful or memorable as getting it right.

And if you opt for the job lot of hampers, chocolates or bottles of wine, you might as well not bother, as that’s the impression they will get. Unless you’ve spent a lot, chances are they will use most of it as gifts for people they don’t really like.

Vouchers:

Pros: In a digital age vouchers are less popular than they once were. However, people the more mature members of your workforce may prefer them because they are familiar. Multi-retailer vouchers offer the flexibility of cash but have the more tangible feel of a thoughtful gift. They are easily redeemable and universally understood.

Cons: While older members of staff may love a paper voucher, younger ones may prefer a gift card that more easily fits in their purse or wallet, or even their phone case. They can also become easily damaged.

Gifting your employees is always a great idea, whichever type of gift you choose. With Christmas fast approaching, hopefully you are already sorted, but if not take a look at our Christmas reward options here.

Alternatively, contact our team here today to discuss how you can get your Love2shop gifts delivered in time for Christmas 2023.

Tips from the uninspirational boss

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What’s better than a boss? That’s right, a cool boss who wants to be your mate or thinks they’re some sort of productivity guru.

Love2shop is proud of our expertise in employee engagement – but we are always on the lookout for mavericks with an alternative view of business.  We managed to find one of these big beasts of industry in the wild and sat him down to see what pearls of wisdom he could offer heading into 2024.

We thought he looked familiar – although we’ve spent so long in The Office it’s hard to know whether it’s just our minds playing tricks on us.

Never mind, here are the top five tips this uninspirational ‘legend of business’ had to offer:

1: Nothing drives people like a bit of fear. If you want a technique that’ll leave your team literally terrified, try the almighty “Envelope” technique.

2: Have you created an atmosphere at work where you’re a friend first, a boss second, and probably an entertainer third? Then go and get the guitar.

3: When it comes to management styles, you don’t always have to play by “the rules”. Take public appraisals for instance. Some staff love them. (Editors note: most do not)

 

4: This Christmas, tell your team that they will never work in a place like yours again. Fact. And they’ll never have another boss like you. Someone who’s basically a chilled-out entertainer. The signed photo might be a step too far though.

5: You might be chasing the bunce this Christmas (bunsen burner, nice little earner), but younger team members probably won’t be. Try motivational books. Avocados even.

Wow, so there you go. We have to say, as advice goes, that is pretty terrible. Rather than give yourself a major recruitment headache to start the year, why not simply Pass on the Love with Love2shop?

Our range of Love2shop Gift Cards, e-Gift Cards and vouchers are perfect for incentives, performance bonuses and gifts for your workforce. Whether it’s a thank you for being great or a ‘you smashed it’ for going above and beyond their targets, Love2shop incentives help you show your team that what they do really matters.

Make it special – presentation is key for workplace Christmas gifting

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There’s an icy nip in the air and the constant sound of sleigh bells and children’s choirs on the high street – the festive season is now well and truly upon us.

Christmas, of course, is all about peace, goodwill and spreading cheer and employers – or their HR departments – up and down the land are now planning how they can deliver Christmas gifts that make their employees feel truly valued.

Offering members of your team a gift to say thank you for their hard work during the year is a simple and effective way of boosting morale. Get it right and your gift can help illuminate those dark and miserable mornings through January to get your year off to a great start.

But get it wrong and it could have the opposite effect. And we’re not just talking about what you give (or don’t). How you give it is just as important.

You only get what you give

According to corporate rewards and loyalty specialist, Love2shop, an increasing number of employers are offering gift cards or e-gift cards to their employees at Christmas. They can offer a Love2shop gift card, accepted by around 150 retailers, up to the value of £50 tax-free.

The Love2shop Employee Value Report 2023 revealed that for 90% of UK employees a surprise gift of a multi-retailer gift card would make them feel more valued while 57% said multi-retailer gift cards made the best rewards.

Presented in the right way, gift cards are actually a really great way for a business to give back at Christmas. Everyone is struggling with the increased cost of living and a multi-retailer gift card like Love2shop can make a real difference to people’s ability to spend and enjoy the holidays.

But just dropping them on people’s desks or sending our digital codes on email or SMS without a by-your-leave is a recipe for trouble. It can make a genuine, meaningful gift feel like an afterthought and could have a negative impact on morale and performance.

So how can you present your team with their gifts to show you’ve really thought about them?

Keep it real

We don’t think you should be hiring smoke machines, glitter cannons and streamers (but hey, you do you).

You need to be authentic, s if that’s not your usual way, don’t force it. Christmas means different things to different people. Also, in these cash-conscious times, nobody wants to think that you’ve spent more on the presentation than on the gift itself.

Keep things tasteful, perhaps decorate the kitchen or board room and call a team meeting to give everyone their gifts. Get some mince pies or festive chocolates and make a little bit of fuss over the team as a group as you thank them for their work and present each of them with their gift.

For larger teams, you could arrange meetings at each site or, if that’s not practical, even gather groups remotely on conference call to publicly thank everyone, highlight some key achievements and let them know that their gifts are on their way.

Never too late

Christmas may be fast approaching but there is still time to put some thought and planning into the presentation to avoid the last minute panic on December 20.

Don’t get hung up on presenting the reward in person. Working environments have changed significantly over the past few years. Flexible and home working, client visits and conference calls all reduce the time that people physically spend at their desks.

We are all now so much more comfortable with technology. An e-code sent out with a warm festive message is simple but can make a lovely surprise and it’s easy to include within a personalised festive message for the recipient.

What we give is more important than ever, as people try to manage their budgets and would rather have something to spend instead of a novelty item or office party.

But how we give it affects how our team feel. Make it more personal and authentic and you will amplify the positive impact

Take a look at our Christmas reward options here. Alternatively, contact our team here today to discuss how you can get your Love2shop gifts delivered in time for Christmas 2023.

Christmas – a time to make your staff feel appreciated

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The festive season is in full swing with joy all around – but it’s also a time reflect on a difficult year for both businesses and individuals.

Looking back, 2023 was a year of soaring inflation and eye-watering energy bills. As well as juggling precarious personal finances, your staff have worked hard to help keep your business moving forward during these tough times. What impact would a little bit of extra recognition have?

For people working in sectors such as retail, the festive season offers no end-of-year wind-down. They are in the maelstrom of the busiest period of their year, doing some of their most important work.

But for those in other business sectors there may be a drop-off in work intensity. This offers the perfect opportunity to allow your team to breathe and ‘take a moment’, to step back and appreciate how much they have achieved. They’ve earned it.

Family fun and time to recharge

No doubt arrangements for Christmas parties and nights out are already in the pipeline. But there are more meaningful ways you, as an employer, can show your staff how much you value them in the next few weeks.

Parents for example, will be feeling their own festive pressures. Whether it’s Christmas shopping or finding time to attend the Christmas fairs, nativity plays and concerts that always seem to be scheduled during the school day.

All too often mums, dads or guardians have to use their annual leave to attend such events. Maybe this year you can let them take half a day on you, as a thank-you.

Increasingly some businesses are even implementing Christmas shut-downs. This gives everyone a little more time off, particularly between Christmas and New Year when there may be no need for the whole team to come in. And if work tails off in the run up to Christmas why not let people go home an hour or two early?

A time for giving

Of course, whether you colleagues are buying for their family or trying to enjoy the festive party season, the rising cost of living has hit everyone hard this year. A nice way to show people their efforts in 2023 meant something that makes life easier – like a Love2shop Gift Card.

The corporate gifting experts at Love2shop have just published their Employee Value Report 2023. It highlights the risks of letting your employees believe you don’t appreciate their efforts, but also the value of getting gifting and rewarding right – to both your work environment and your bottom line.

It revealed just over 5.5m workers – around 18% – said they don’t feel valued at work. Of those disaffected workers, almost 1.5m are willing to leave their job as soon as possible, without a new role lined up.

But those surveyed also told Love2shop how employers can get it right. Additional days off, flexible or hybrid working and spontaneous gift cards as a little pick-me-up are the top three ways employees say bosses can improve their happiness.

And for a relatively low cost, you can show your appreciation with Love2shop Gift Cards, e-Gift Cards and vouchers. These are quick to deliver and can be tax efficient.

HMRC offers a Trivial Benefits allowance. This allows an employer to give non-cash gifts up to the value of £50. They can be given in the form of a £50 Love2shop gift card or e-gift card. The beauty of these gifts is that they are tax-free and require no additional paperwork.

You can find out more about how to give gifts tax-free using Love2shop’s free Tax-Free Gift Calculator tool here.

Love2shop is one of the best known gifting brands in the UK and is accepted by around 150 retailers. These include well-known brands such as Marks & Spencer, Iceland, Matalan, Argos, Costa, Harvester, Tui, Jet2Holidays and many, many more.

There are big risks to allowing your staff to feel their efforts are not recognised or appreciated. Fixing it is easy. With just a little bit of thought and effort you can create a warm glow around your team this Christmas that will last well into the New Year.

Contact our team here today to discuss how you can get your Love2shop gifts delivered in time for Christmas 2023 or visit our self-serve portal and get started yourself here.

How a ‘trivial’ gift can be a big deal for your employees

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Christmas is approaching fast and many business owners are weighing up how to show their employees appreciation during the festive season.

Traditionally, companies have offered a Christmas bonus or gift. While always welcome, cash gifts made through payroll are subject to tax and National Insurance. This can make them a costly headache for either the employer or the employee.

For an employee, if tax and NI are not factored in the tax man takes their cut and the gift becomes a lot smaller.

On the other hand, if an employer wants workers to receive a specific amount, they will have to cover the tax and NI on top. This could almost double the cost.

A better way

There is a third way to gift employees however – which is both straightforward and cost-effective.

Corporate gifting experts Love2shop have been helping employers of all types and sizes to offer rewards for their staff for decades. Now they have launched a handy tool that helps employers see the savings on offer by switching to gift cards.

The Tax-Free Gift Calculator allows employers or HR teams to input the amount they want each employee to receive as a gift after tax.

It will calculate how much they will pay in real terms – including tax and National Insurance – for both basic rate taxpayers and higher-rate taxpayers. Alongside this it will show how much the same gift would cost if given in Love2shop gift cards.

The tool is free and you can try it here.

According to the second annual Love2shop Employee Value Report 2023, 90% of UK employees said a surprise gift of a multi-retailer gift card would make them feel more valued.

And 57% of people said days off, multi-retailer gift cards or flexible working are the best workplace rewards.

Now, HMRC may have a reputation of being a little Scrooge-like, but they have a key allowance that can help employers give generously to their employees – the Trivial Benefits Provision.

This allows employers to offer staff non-cash gifts up to the value of £50 per employee, free from tax or National Insurance.

That means if an employer wants to gift up to £50, they can do so using Love2shop Gift Cards, Contactless Gift Cards, E-Gift Cards or vouchers. No tax, no National Insurance and no paperwork.

A time for giving

In other words, giving each employee £50 with Love2shop will cost the business just £50 per person – and the recipient will get the full amount.

Love2shop is one of the best known gifting brands in the UK. Available as a gift card, e-gift card, contactless gift card or voucher, its products are accepted by around 150 retailers.

These include well-known brands such as Marks & Spencer, Iceland, Matalan, Argos, Costa, Harvester,Tui, Jet2Holidays and many more.

That flexibility means that employers can be certain their gift is what everyone wants, as it really is the gift of choice. It may be called ‘trivial’ but it’s a benefit that will prove anything but for both employers and employees.

Contact our team today to discuss how Love2shop can help you get gifting right this Christmas, with physical gift cards and digital codes still available for pre-Christmas delivery.

Work Christmas Do? We’d rather have work Christmas dosh!

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The traditional work Christmas party could be dead following new research revealing that the majority of UK workers would prefer a festive financial bonus over a staff Christmas party.

Awkward small talk (45%) and annoying drunk co-workers were cited as two of the most-hated things about seasonal celebrations with colleagues, according to research by Love2shop.

83% would choose a Christmas bonus or gift over a staff party, with over half (56%) not bothered about having a work celebration at all and almost a quarter (24%) saying they don’t like socialising with colleagues outside of work.

Workers say a £110 payment would be a sufficient alternative to a Yuletide soiree, according to the study, with 92% saying they would at least like to be given a choice between the two.

Around one in five workers (19%) want to receive this bonus in the form of a gift card or voucher, the data shows.

Surprisingly, the poll of 2,000 Brits revealed the average worker is forced to contribute £33 to fund their staff Christmas party to finance costs such as food, drink and decorations.

Just one in 20 Brits (5%) are lucky enough to get both a Christmas party and a financial bonus at Christmas.

Exactly half of UK workers (50%) generally do Secret Santa with their colleagues, with the average expenditure on a present amounting to £14.

Younger people aged 18-24 spend more than double the amount on their present than older co-workers, splashing an average of £23 compared to £9 for those aged 55-64.

According to the study, Secret Santa is particularly disliked in Scotland, with just one in twenty Scots (5%) saying they enjoy participating – the lowest number in the UK.

Frank Creighton, Director of Business Development at leading gifting and engagement experts Love2shop, said that the research findings were a clear indication that festive financial rewards are exponentially increasing in popularity.

He said: “Everybody has experienced a rise in their cost of living since the pandemic, so it’s hardly a surprise to see the work Christmas party become less and less of a priority as people struggle to make ends meet during the festive period.

“This should be a wake-up call for UK business owners to start listening to what their employees want – and that’s a financial bonus. The money that would otherwise go on a seasonal celebration could be better spent going straight into the pocket of employees.

“While the benefits of a cash injection in December are evident, employers should also note the knock-on effect it can have on their workforce, increasing morale and retention rates in the long run.”

You can explore Love2shop’s gift card range at https://business.love2shop.co.uk/

Five unhappy workers at a Christmas Party

Is a bonus better than a Christmas party?

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Christmas is the time of year when everyone looks to let their hair down – and everyone loves a works Christmas party… right?

Well, to a point. While many people in work get excited about the works Christmas ‘do’, others contemplate it with a quiet dread. There are even some who simply aren’t bothered.

And research supports that. A 2022 study by global workforce consultancy Resource Solutions found that in the UK only 37% of workers expect a Christmas party from their employer and of those who don’t, 42% would prefer a gift or bonus.

Reasons for not wanting a Christmas party included: not celebrating Christmas (11%), not wanting to socialise with colleagues (34%), or preferring to arrange something with close colleagues (30%).

Do people really not like Christmas parties?

Until the pandemic there had been an acceptance that extroverts ran the workplace – the go-getters, the self-starters, the risk-takers and the networkers.

While those attributes are still admired, remote working allowed individuals who are motivated differently to shine, highlighting the valuable contribution quieter workers can make.

As writer Jade McAndrew-Barlow put it: “Now, the calm consideration of introverts is having a moment. They are finally valued for all the wonderful things they contribute to the workplace.

“In all the rush and tumble, introverts take time to deliberate, assess and consider the little details and how they will inform the bigger picture. They bring a calming and reassuring presence.”

It’s estimated that between 25% and 40% of people are, to some degree, introverts. In other words, people who prefer a quieter life, both at work and in their spare time. For them, Christmas parties may be something to be endured rather than enjoyed.

In addition to that, the rich diversity of the UK workforce means that for a significant number of people, Christmas is simply not a relevant holiday. Different faiths have different key gifting and feasting moments to celebrate friendship and togetherness that mean more than Christmas.

Festive stress

The work Christmas party is an event that can cause even the more extroverted among us to take a deep breath.

With its excess of food and drink, sometimes loud, lewd and inappropriate behaviour that keep HR teams busy through January, the festive do is an obstacle course where the prize is often a sore head and some stories that will be heavily edited and recounted for 12 months until everyone is fed up hearing them.

Add to that the expense of buying a new outfit, hairdo, paying for taxis (and maybe even hotels) and suddenly, even if the employer is footing the bill for the party, the event can end up hitting workers in the pocket.

With the cost of living stubbornly rising, is it time to rethink the Christmas Party?

Say thanks – and mean it

So if we ditch the Christmas party how to we reward employees for their hard work this past year?

The challenges posed by the rising cost of living – high food and fuel prices and rising mortgage and energy costs – are getting worse. What your staff may really appreciate this time of year is a little bit of help with the cost of Christmas.

Love2shop’s Employee Value Report 2023 may hold the answer. The report surveys workers across the UK to find out how they feel about their employer and the impact of reward and recognition strategies.

One key finding in this year’s report was that 6-in-10 workers said receiving spontaneous gifts at key times of year, such as Christmas, from their employer made them feel valued.

In addition, 57% felt that days off, multi-retailer gift cards or flexible working were the best ways to reward staff.

And a huge 90% of workers said they felt more valued by their employer after receiving a multi-retailer gift card – such as Love2shop.

What’s interesting about that is, when asked what they would spend such a gift card on, 34% said it would help towards their weekly shop.

The increased cost of living effectively means that giving a gift card can help your employees with their day-to-day shopping – possibly freeing up additional money for them to spend on their families at Christmas.

What’s more, 57% of respondents also reported that their productivity increases when they feel valued.

So with people facing a challenging Christmas this year, instead of giving them an extra cost to worry about, why not make things a little easier for them with a Christmas gift?

Don’t be a Grinch

Rethinking the Christmas party isn’t an excuse to simply do away with any sort of festive cheer.

An astonishing 32.5% of UK employers were offered neither a bonus nor a party in 2022, according to research published by Employee Benefits Magazine.

And the Love2shop Employee Value Report 2023 found that 39% of people felt their employer was not generous at all. Indeed, when asked how does your employee show their generosity, as well as spontaneous gifting and organised team events there were also examples like: ‘providing biscuits’ and ‘giving shout-outs on conference calls’.

Employees who feel recognised and valued are happier, more productive and less likely to leave your business.

And gifting is easy thanks to HMRC’s Trivial Benefits provisions. This allows gift cards or e-codes up to the value of £50 to be given as gifts tax-free, with no national insurance contribution or paperwork – so there’s no excuse.

Let us help make Christmas special

Love2shop is one of the best known gifting brands in the UK. Available as a gift card, e-gift card or voucher, Love2shop is accepted by around 150 retailers.

These include well-known brands such as Marks & Spencer, Iceland, Matalan, Argos, Costa, Harvester and many more. Staff can even use Love2shop holidays to put vouchers towards a getaway with more than 150 leading tour operators.

The Love2shop Business team is here to help you get your Christmas gifting right. Love2shop offers a selection of fun festive card designs to choose from. You can even order personalised cards with your business branding on them, although you need to be quick as the deadline to order those is October 20.

Christmas parties can be a great part of the festive mix but if you really want your teams to feel valued and rewarded in an inclusive way this year, it’s worth considering a new approach.

Get in touch with our team today or visit business.love2shop.co.uk to find out how we can help.

Is a Cost of Giving crisis looming for your business?

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As Christmas approaches, UK businesses are facing a cost of giving crisis, whether they want to support employees through tough times or reward them for their efforts this year.

The problem: what do people really value when it comes to Christmas gifts – and what is seen as an empty gesture?

Love2shop – has more than 30 years of experience in helping employers get Christmas gifting right through good times and bad – so avoid potential pitfalls this year.

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Employee gifts – give them something they appreciate

Christmas gifting in work is tricky. We may feel we know our employees and work colleagues well but according to the Motley Fool website, Brits on average throw away £32 million of Secret Santa gifts every year – which is a lot of waste!

Getting gifting wrong can also leave a sour taste, sending employees into Christmas feeling undervalued by a gift chosen with little thought.

If you’re considering offering gifts to your employees, ask yourself – do you really know what they want? Or ‘need’ for that matter.

Truth is, there is evidence at Love2shop – that recipients of gift cards are increasingly redeeming their gift cards in shops selling everyday essentials, which includes supermarkets. The ‘treat’ moment is now serving as something else.

If your employees might welcome the chance of doing an extra food shop or buying a household appliance over receiving a selection of wines, wouldn’t it be best to give them a choice?

Offering employees the flexibility to choose what they really want – or need – has a more positive impact.

Such non-cash gifts can also be given tax-free. HMRC’s Trivial Benefits allowance permitting you to give gifts up to the value of £50 for each employee with no additional tax to pay.

The Cost of Living – gifts to ease spending pressure

The cost of living and the cost of giving go hand-in-hand. As an employer you will already have seen employees beginning to struggle this autumn and winter with rising energy costs and general inflation.

To avoid embarrassment, take time to listen to how people feel. Speak to key individuals, even carry out an anonymous survey – see how people are feeling in your business and what support they would like to see.

You may find that they don’t really want the traditional bottle of bubbly or box of fancy chocolates, but something flexible, such as an exclusive festive-themed Love2shop multi-retailer Gift Card, which allows them to choose their own benefit. They can accept the gift without the risk of stigma attached to a ‘handout’ and choose to spend it on essentials like the weekly shop, new winter coats for the kids or little luxuries for the festive season.

To take things one step further, offering employees an Everyday Benefits Card is a cost-effective way to help them spend less on every shopping trip. By pre-loading funds onto the card at a 7.5% discount, they save on purchases across a range of retailers throughout the year. It’s a great way to offer longer-term support to your employees.

The Christmas party – don’t force the fun

Since Covid, the Christmas party has had a mixed return. Some people have been keen to get back to ‘normal’ while others remain more cautious – so what should you do?

Ask your workforce – there’s no point putting deposits down for a venue, food and entertainment if only a handful of people are going to turn up. Can they afford the taxi home, say? So run an internal survey to make sure you’re investing in the right treat for your staff.

If you do choose the Christmas party option, remember – similar to trivial benefits, HMRC allows employers to spend £150 per employee on an annual social event tax-free. Just remember, if you go over the threshold you have to pay tax and National Insurance on the entire spend, not just the difference and this threshold INCLUDES VAT – so don’t get caught out!

Alternatively, you may choose to go for a nice meal together. That way it’s easier to control who your group comes into contact with and to be respectful of those whose culture means they don’t drink alcohol or have specific dietary requirements. Again, this would qualify for the £150 per-head tax allowance.

Whatever you opt for, remember to consider additional expenses such as travel costs and baby-sitting. With everyone trying to balance their household budgets, travel or even hotel stays may be beyond employees’ reach this year so it’s a good idea to avoid additional expenditure for each employee.

You may decide to axe the Christmas party and offer Love2shop Gift Cards or digital e-codes instead. This gives employees the freedom to choose whether to organise a smaller get-together with work friends or offset some of the rising costs of Christmas this year. Love2shop e-Codes can also be scheduled to arrive via email at any time – even on Christmas Day – so it’s never too late to bring some festive cheer.

“Christmas gifting can be a challenge for businesses,” said Frank Creighton, Director of Business Development at Love2shop.

“The right course of action is complex. The ‘cost of giving’ isn’t just about how much it might cost the company in expense but how a company will be judged for its opportunity to show it cares and understands – which has a different sort of cost.

“Love2shop has more than 30 years of experience in gifting and rewarding and we’ve helped businesses get it right through recessions and recoveries. Gifting may seem more complex than ever but we have developed simple solutions so that employers can get gifting right for their workforce.

“Multi-retailer Love2shop Gift Cards and e-Gift Cards offer incredible flexibility. Employees can choose how a gift can be used – whether that remains as a treat, or goes on essential things. Similarly, gifting a pre-loaded Everyday Benefits Card which offers discounts all year-round will provide a longer-term feeling of thoughtfulness when colleagues feel valued, ensuring that your well-intentioned Christmas gift brings a smile to their faces.”

Everyday Benefits Cards and Love2shop are flexecash products. Flexecash is the prepaid card platform that issues flexecash Love2shop Cards. This facility is provided by Park Card Services who are Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to issue electronic money. FRN: 900016.

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