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Holiday Perk Primer
December 15, 2009
Your company's "difficult decisions" may add up to a shoddy holiday for employees—or not. What are you planning for them, or hopefully already have rolled out by this time? Against the odds of a wobbly economy, companies still plan to reward their staffs with holiday perks such as bonuses, gifts, and parties, but sometimes on a scaled-back level, according a recent survey of 3,000 hiring managers and human resources professionals by CareerBuilder. Here are the highlights:
• Nearly 3-in-10 (29 percent) of employers plan to give their employees holiday bonuses this year. Among that group, 16 percent are planning to give the same amount as in previous years, while 11 percent plan to give less. Some 12 percent of employers say they will not be issuing holiday bonuses even though they have in previous years.
• More than a quarter (26 percent) of employers plan to give holiday gifts, with 15 percent planning to spend the same amount for workers as in previous years. Eight percent plan to spend less, while another 8 percent say they are not planning to give holidays gifts in 2009, even though they have in years past.
• Almost half (49 percent) of employers are planning a holiday party for their employees this year. Of that group, 30 percent plan to throw the same party as in previous years, while 18 percent are planning something on a smaller scale. One in 10 (11 percent) employers don't plan to have a holiday party in 2009 even though they have in previous years.
• "After a challenging year, some organizations are cutting back on the holiday perks they may have offered in previous years," says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. "Even though holiday bonuses, gifts, and parties may be trimmed back this season, employers are doing what they can to reward their workers and get their staffs in the holiday spirit."
Haefner offers the following advice for workers encountering holiday cutbacks:
• Be realistic in your holiday budgeting: If you're anticipating a bonus this season, be sure to budget accordingly so you can handle your financial obligations if your bonus is lower than in years past or is eliminated.
• Volunteer as a group: While companies may not have the budgets to throw a holiday party this year, employees can suggest charity work as an alternative. Volunteering with your team or company still allows you to be out of the office in a social setting while giving back to your local community and maintaining your holiday spirit.
• Don't be a scrooge: Even if your company holiday party is cancelled, it doesn't mean you can't celebrate the season with co-workers. Office potlucks or casual get togethers are a great way to have a low-key celebration in the office with your colleagues.
How are holiday perks this year at your company? Is it a "perky" year for your employees? Join the discussion on Training Day.
Did you miss last week's Inside Training? To read it, click
here.
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