After the year we’ve had a party might well be just what we need. After all, last year’s was well and truly cancelled.
But while COVID may well have gone quiet, it hasn’t disappeared completely, and looks set to be replaced by new variations of seasonal influenza as the party pooper for 2021. Add to that the fact that many of your employees are now working from home, or even just coming in a few days each week, and, even if you really wanted to party, the organisation of an office ‘do’ is going to be mind-blowingly complex.
But that doesn’t mean you have to be The Grinch. You can still play Santa.
Your employees have worked their socks off and deserve something more than just socks as their Christmas bonus. You may not be able to party like it’s 2019 again, but that’s no reason not to reward all the hard work your workforce has put in, often in the face of some really unbelievable odds. They’ve come through a lot, and it’s time to recognise that, party or no party.
Vouchers which really deliver
This is, after all, a season of giving. So what better way to reward that work than with a voucher which lets your employees decide just how they want to be rewarded. And they can even choose to share that reward – or use it to help out over Christmas – and put it towards a celebration with friends and family.
So what should a really good voucher look like?
Well, right away you need to have a really wide choice of brands where the voucher can be redeemed. Everyone’s idea of a good night out or a special event is different, and a voucher should not limit their choice of reward but offer as wide a range of options as possible (just to set a benchmark, The Lifestyle Voucher has choices from over 120 brands).
These should also offer online friendly options, too (and again, we’ve more than 60 of those). It shouldn’t just be retail or hospitality-based either. Holidays, a night at the cinema, or even special one-off events like skydiving. The wider the range of options, the more special and memorable the reward.
It should also be able to be both branded and personalised. It needs to say ‘thank you’ from your business to that individual for all their efforts. And those personalised options should be free, not extras.
It needs to be available in both physical and eVoucher formats. Gift cards and scratch cards should be other options.
They also need to be simple to administer and easy to order. No contracts, no fees, no minimum spend. You should also be able to get back data which allows you to see just where they’ve been used – all vital information to help you plan future reward and recognition programmes.
The Christmas Party may not be on this season’s agenda, that’s an even greater reason for showing your appreciation for all the hard work, extra effort and dedication which has been put in by your employees.
So don’t cancel the season’s celebrations, but give your employees something they’ll really appreciate in its place – a voucher they can use when they like, for what they really like. It is the season of giving after all, and now’s the time to plan that giving. It couldn’t be easier.
Nick Dempsey is head of client success at The Lifestyle Voucher
To find out more about how you can use The Lifestyle Voucher to say a Big Seasonal Thanks You to your employees click here.
