There are some big benefits to holiday gifting, but how do you know what your employees want? Let’s look at some ways you can navigate the gift-giving season to make your caregivers feel valued and connected with your agency.
Caregiving is a demanding job, and staffing turnover from burnout can be high. You know how much you value your employees, and with the challenges your team faces, they need to feel recognized and appreciated for their work.
2022 has continued to bring challenges to the caregiving industry. Agencies looking to increase their retention rate pay attention to employees’ needs for support and know the risks that burnout brings. Think about a holiday gift as another way you can show your support.
Effective Gift Giving
81% of employees who received gifts felt appreciated by their employer. They reported an increase in positive regard towards them after receiving a gift and felt more connected and loyal to their company. In the year of the “Great Resignation” and “Quiet Quitting,” employers can stand out by recognizing their caregivers with thoughtful, meaningful gifts.
Gift giving can feel stressful; you don’t want to misstep and give a gift that makes your employee feel undervalued or like an afterthought. Start by establishing a budget that works for your company: $50 to $100 in value is a typical range that employees feel is the right amount.
Here are 5 suggestions to brighten your caregivers’ holidays:
- Money. The tried-and-true gift, this is what a majority of employees say they would appreciate during the holiday season. Many agencies also find it helpful to use an end-of-year bonus as an incentive to complete required annual training.
- VISA gift cards. These are always a top choice, they’re easy to use and accepted almost everywhere, even online.
- Store gift cards. Choose something that will appeal to all your employees; gift cards for larger brands are best.
- Swag. If you’re considering a gift with a company logo, make sure it’s on an item that will get a lot of use. Insulated water bottles and fleece vests or jackets are popular choices for company gear.
- Pamper the helpers. They care for others every day, now you can take care of them. A spa gift basket or gift certificate can provide some welcome relief. (Hint: Gift certificates should be for an easily accessible location and should cover the tip.)
- Mix it up! Consider giving a holiday bonus or gift card along with a physical item like a gift basket.
Whatever you choose, adding a personalized note will maximize the impact of your gift. By next year they may have forgotten what the gift was, but they won’t forget how you made them feel. A gift in the holiday season is a great way to show you support your caregivers and wrap up the year on a positive note.
CareAcademy is the only portable, online educational platform used by home care agencies across the country to certify, onboard, and in-service caregivers. It has prepared over 40,000 workers to meet the greater complexity of care, challenges, and opportunity in the home care industry. Our classes are video-based micro-learning, easily accessible on a caregiver’s smartphone, tablet, or computer. Its live support team proactively reminds your caregivers with smart-reminders based on their due dates to complete training. To learn more, visit www.careacademy.com or reach us at (866) 227-3895 x3 for sales.
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