Retirement is probably the most well known corporate gift, and for many companies, this amounts to the giving of a diamond watch, often with the employee’s initials engraved on the back. The company may also reward an employee for long years of service, customarily over 25 years, though some companies may wait for 30 years. At these levels, the diamond watch and sometimes a desk set with a pen and pencil seem to be the normal gifts of the day. Oftentimes, these two gifts are combined when someone retires with a great deal of service time or when someone is part of upper management.
Companies may also offer service awards at various times throughout an employee’s career with the company. With these awards, what sometimes happens is an employee is given a brochure or list of gifts from which to choose from based on service time. Some companies may also include a certificate with the gift, and instead of a corporate gift, a gift card may be given instead, allowing the employee to choose from a variety of gifts, or perhaps downloads to an ipod, free cell phone minutes, or other merchandise that the company has chosen.
For many companies, the first five years of service provide little more than a pen with the company logo or maybe a tote bag, but the longer you remain with the company, the more upscale the gifts become. Each company is different in what level of service longevity the corporate gifts fall, but there is no denying the fact that the service time is directly related to the monetary value of the corporate gifts that a company gives to its employees.
The giving of corporate gifts proves to be a beneficial act for the corporation or gift giver as well as the recipient. First, the corporation will improve the overall atmosphere of the office; rewarded employees work harder for their employers because they know that their work is acknowledged. Second, the employee gains a sense of pride at the recognition they have received for their hard work. A simple act like that of giving corporate gifts can promote a healthier and happier atmosphere conducive to a proficient and efficient work environment.