Employee Recognition: Holiday Gift Ideas for Everyone

Recognize your hard-working staff with something from this list.

The holiday season is upon us, and there’s no better time to shower your dedicated staff with gifts to show your appreciation for their hard work. If you’re feeling stumped or a little overwhelmed this year, here’s a great roundup of superb ideas that will surely provide a unique and enjoyable holiday experience for all.

Make it festive

Holly Sizemore, surgery center director at Bay Area Heart Surgery Center in St. Petersburg, Fla., gave her small staff a light-up snow globe bottle of spiced gin last year. “The bottle was very festive, and everyone loved it, even those who aren’t gin drinkers,” she says.

In 2020, Cynthia Wiersema, BSN, RN, director or nursing at NANI Vascular in Fort Wayne, Ind., chose to support small businesses that were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I created a Christmas tree out of red plastic cups and placed gift cards to local small businesses inside each cup. Each staff member selected a cup filled with a gift card to a local business. This idea not only brought joy to the staff but also helped support the local community during a challenging time,” says Ms. Wiersema.

In the week leading up to Christmas, Ms. Wiersema likes to organize a series of daily fun activities that foster camaraderie and spread festive cheer among her team members. Some of the activities staff have enjoyed in the past include:

• Secret Santa week: “We encourage employees to participate in a daily Secret Santa exchange, where they receive a small $5 gift each day throughout the week,” she says. Even a small gift adds an element of surprise and anticipation to the holiday season.

• One-time gift exchange: On another occasion, the facility organized a one-time Secret Santa gift exchange with a budget of $25 per gift. “This allows participants to select a more substantial present for their assigned recipient,” says Ms. Wiersema.

• Christmas Trivia: “We engage our team in a friendly competition by organizing Christmas trivia sessions,” says Ms. Wiersema. “The person with the highest number of correct answers receives a small gift as recognition for their knowledge and enthusiasm.”

Food options aplenty

The holidays are the perfect time to spoil your staff and their appetites with tasty treats. “We have a catered breakfast party on the clock for several hours at the surgery center,” says Ms. Sizemore. “While we eat, we also roast some of the docs.”

NANI Vascular hosts a Christmas cookie exchange during the week leading up to Christmas. “We encourage our staff to participate and bring their favorite homemade treats to share with their colleagues,” says Ms. Wiersema.

Throughout the months of November and December, OrthoTennessee, an orthopedic care provider in Eastern Tennessee, provides a catered meal to its staff at least once a week. “These meals are provided by our wonderful physicians,” says Jennifer Parrott, RN, OR clinical manager and sterile processing department manager at OrthoTennessee. “We sometimes have local food trucks stop by the practice to show our appreciation. This way, staff can pop outside and order something yummy, like ice cream, doughnuts or even hot dogs,” she says.

Lakeside Ambulatory Surgery Center in Omaha, Neb., sets up a calendar near its breakroom and physicians’ offices to sign up to provide lunch for the center on different days. “Our center will also provide lunch — usually on Fridays during December,” says Angela Johnson, BSN, RN, director of nursing and infection control officer at the ASC. “We love our staff and try to show them a little extra appreciation during our busiest month.”

Gift cards, cash always work

“We always provide gift cards at the holiday season for our staff,” says Ms. Johnson. “We usually provide them at the beginning of the month, so teammates have the option to utilize their gift cards during the holiday season as they wish.” She says when it comes to choosing gift cards for her staff, she tries to pick a place that has something for everyone. “Target is always good, but we also give gift cards to nearby sporting goods stores and restaurants,” she says.

The fourth quarter in the perioperative field can be quite stressful and receiving a gift that offers an opportunity to decompress and relax during the busy holiday season is always well-received.
Cynthia Wiersema, BSN, RN

Ms. Wiersema aims to pamper her hard-working staff with gifts spa gift cards during the holidays. “The fourth quarter in the perioperative field can be quite stressful and receiving a gift that offers an opportunity to decompress and relax during the busy holiday season is always well-received. This gesture allows the staff to take some time for self-care and rejuvenation,” she says.

Of course, everyone loves money — especially during the holidays. “We’ve done bonuses for employee appreciation ideas, and we always do an end of the year bonus for staff,” says Ms. Parrott, adding that the bonus is based on productivity and the staff member’s performance, so not every staff member receives the same amount.

Functional but fun

One year, Bay Area Heart Surgery Center gifted everyone a yoga mat, stretch band, Yeti brand sports bottle engraved with the center’s logo and a $50 Amazon gift card. “In 2021, the practice got each employee a waterproof Bluetooth speaker and a sand-free beach blanket, the perfect gift combo for any Floridian,” says Ms. Sizemore.

Ms. Wiersema also thinks practically when choosing gift items for her staff. “I will purchase a variety of wonderful gifts that are all of equal value — items like raised garden beds, portable battery jump starters, weekender bags and kitchen accessories,” she says. She then wraps them and organizes a fun game of White Elephant to up the ante. “The staff has the option to steal a gift from someone else or open a new one, creating an enjoyable and interactive gift exchange experience.”

If you’re still unsure of what to give your staff, keep this in mind: Try to provide meaningful and enjoyable gifts that show genuine appreciation for their hard work and dedication. In the end, you know your staff best. Use that knowledge to guide you this holiday season. OSM