Christmas gifts / bonuses?

aarc · Dec 19, 2014

If you're an employer, what have you given to employees in the past or what are you giving this year? If you're an employee, what have you received that you've appreciated over the years? It's getting late....I need some ideas?
Thanks

motojoel1 · Dec 19, 2014

I do Christmas (actually year end) bonus. I fund it for the entire year and it gets ran to zero. Bonus is primarily based upon total salary paid out to everyone divided by the amount that is in the fund. If the year end bonus is 10% everyone gets a gross check equal to 10% of their gross pay.
It depends upon your and your employees situation as well. If things are tight, a ham or restaurant gift card PLUS a sincere note of thanks for the efforts they have put forth can be very nice.
I got a note at Christmas from an employer many years ago, telling me of his appreciation and respect. That he was in bad financial times and wished he could do more for me. That meant the world to me as a 19 yo kid. There was a $10 bill in it. I did not give one shit about the money.

toolsteel · Dec 19, 2014

Our Christmas / year end bonus was a check equivalent to a 40 hour check.

tomwalz · Dec 19, 2014

Cash and maybe food. Depends on how good the year has been and how much I think they contributed.

In really bad years I have even gotten a credit card loan just to give them something.

I do it personally and thank them for their good work.

I pay all the taxes so that they get an even amount.

I did it on the fifteenth. I usually do it about then so they can change Christmas plans, bring Grandma out, upscale a gift or whatever they wish.

Comatose · Dec 19, 2014

I accumulate the credit card points from running the business all year, divide them evenly among the employees and they turn them into gift cards. This year everyone got about eight hundred bucks worth. Most people pick Amazon or Lowes ones.

We used to do it at Christmas, but this year moved it to the first week of December. That way they can use them to buy Christmas presents if they like.

EDM JOE · Dec 19, 2014

Cash is king here. I think that when possible, employers should give employees the choice of which tax year they prefer to take the bonus in though.

aspp · Dec 19, 2014

I throw a BBQ for my guys, after hours at my house since I am not allowed to do it on the clock at work. A couple kegs of beer and all the food they can eat, lots of room for people to stay or bring their RVs.

I usually get a thank you email from HR, addressed to all staff, that thanks us for a great year and how we need to get our act together for next year so we have less down time. Its a kick in the balls, usually.

At a different employer, we got a check for a buck per OT hour we worked for the whole year plus a % of the profit for the year, and a hand written, personalized, card from the owner, thanking me for all the work through out the year. That was a nice gift, and something I was proud to display on the fridge.

EDM JOE · Dec 19, 2014

aspp said:
...At a different employer, we got a check for a buck per OT hour we worked for the whole year plus a % of the profit for the year, and a hand written, personalized, card from the owner, thanking me for all the work through out the year. That was a nice gift, and something I was proud to display on the fridge.

You know you've got a decent employer when you're hanging things up on the fridge.

Limy Sami · Dec 19, 2014

Sami Machine Inc
Christmas bonus

You still have a job after the holidays - don't be late.

Royldean · Dec 19, 2014

I prize my subscription to the "Jelly of the Month Club"

God bless us, each and every one! Merry Christmas, all!

JNieman · Dec 19, 2014

One employer used year-end bonuses to augment a persons general salary as a performance-based tool. The base salaries/wages were quite competitive already - the year-end bonus was all cake essentially. It was a combination of profit-sharing and performance bonus. This was a small business where I was the first employee of the three owners, and when I left, we had about 30... I lost count of some of the off-site inspectors that worked for the project manager. Anyways, my bonus ranged from 5-15% of my annual salary (The 15% year came after I busted my ass for a few months and landed permanent work from a major client. That client was/is over 3/4 their business). When they started a 401k plan, they gave us a good bonus, and then also deposited $3k into everyone's 401k to make sure they had something to kick start some interest.

"Normal conditions" though, I've received anywhere from a ham or turkey from a stack in the back of the boss's truck, to one boss who would leave early or not even show up on the last work day before xmas, and expect everyone else to finish out the day at max production without so much as a "Happy Holidays" - guess which of these two employers got 'the extra mile' out of me more often.

Me? I appreciate money. It would mean a whole lot to me if the owner/boss would shake my hand, wish me well, and thank me for my work in a way that shows he paid attention to me at all... but money can be a great boon to my family. Or maybe a "Surprise, here's X# more vacation days for next year"

AndyF · Dec 19, 2014

aspp said:
...I usually get a thank you email from HR, addressed to all staff, that thanks us for a great year and how we need to get our act together for next year so we have less down time. Its a kick in the balls, usually.

This is exactly why I left my last employer - no matter the occasion, there was always a reminder from corporate to do more next time. Just once, it would have been great to get the Thank You with out the F*** You.

I usually had good individual managers who knew how to say thank you and mean it, but the corporate culture wore me down and drove me out.

To the OP, when I worked at small companies, a check at the end of the year with a handshake and thank you from the owner was always nice. When I was corporate, I liked the performance based bonus and would have appreciated the stock options if they hadn't been underwater when they vested.

oldster · Dec 19, 2014

We have had one hell of a great year, and I am giving $500 to every one that has made it possible. Because it is taxable, I had the bookkeeper do the deductions, so that there are no nasty surprises at tax time. Since this is the last payroll this year, today is the day.
At the front of the month, I took them all (plus their significant others) to a really nice restaurant for dinner.

Lee (the saw guy)

Modelman · Dec 19, 2014

AndyF said:
This is exactly why I left my last employer - no matter the occasion, there was always a reminder from corporate to do more next time. Just once, it would have been great to get the Thank You with out the F*** You.

I usually had good individual managers who knew how to say thank you and mean it, but the corporate culture wore me down and drove me out.

When I was young and dumb, I used to work for a foreman who would profusely thank you... Problem was, he would profusely thank everyone and anyone... which made it feel like it was something he learned in management class, and really devalued the act. He would also tell management repeatedly, "All my men are good." Kinda made one feel unappreciated when you knew that half the gang had screwed up big time, and you were the one that had pulled everyone's chestnuts out of the fire.

My thinking on this changed when management started formal performance reviews (yes, this is a few years ago) and this foreman gave EVERYBODY the highest rating. "All your men can't be that good, somebody has to be worse than the others" they told him, but he refused to change anyone's grade. "All my men are good," he said, and continued, "It is MY job as foremen to put them on the work they are best suited to." I gained a lot of respect for that man, and was sorry to see him go when he retired.

Back to Christmas bonuses, we pay them at Thanksgiving so the people know what they have to work with when they are Christmas shopping.

Dennis

bfjou812 · Dec 19, 2014

I could never figure out when Christmas Bonus was mentioned if bonus was one word or two.................

motojoel1 · Dec 19, 2014

bfjou812 said:
I could never figure out when Christmas Bonus was mentioned if bonus was one word or two.................

All depends on who you work for. Merry Christmas either way.

Gobo · Dec 19, 2014

We used to get a $2000 bonus every Christmas. Quite nice. The original owner died, and now his son runs the place. Bonuses have dropped to $200. I still take it, but it is not quite so sweet.

PegroProX440 · Dec 19, 2014

We had a slow start to the year. Ended up breaking even so no bonuses for us this year. We did get a small raise, and a 401k contribution. Also a Christmas party at a local venue (not as nice as previous years resturaunts.) There has been a lot of shit talking about the bonuses and I am glad it has been all behind my back because if I heard if directly they would be looking for new jobs.

m98custom1212 · Dec 19, 2014

PegroProX440 said:
We had a slow start to the year. Ended up breaking even so no bonuses for us this year. We did get a small raise, and a 401k contribution. Also a Christmas party at a local venue (not as nice as previous years resturaunts.) There has been a lot of shit talking about the bonuses and I am glad it has been all behind my back because if I heard if directly they would be looking for new jobs.

That's say alot about your character. You are gone to fire someone over complaining about a bonus? Also, says about alot about the character of your employees if they are complaining about free money.

Another Note,
I really the idea of using the credit points for gift cards.

Richard King · Dec 19, 2014

Even when we had bad years I always gave them a card with some cash. Good Years I gave away a Honey Baked ham and more cash. Plus when I gave them the card, I shook their hand, looked then in the eye and thanked them, many times we would hug. I discovered that many times the newer employee's figured your rich because you own the company, which is far from true. Many of my best employee's understood I was the last one to get paid and not the first. One thing I did do, when I stopped operating an employee based company I found them good jobs. I also now get a card and usually a box of pecans from one of my best customers. It's nice to get a gift weather or not your a employee or employer. Merry Christmas everyone Ho Ho Ho.. Rich

PS: I just remembered lol...we would sometimes go to on Xmas eve to lunch at Goofy's the local pool hall, best ribs in town and strip club and I bought....then everyone went home and was paid for the full day. Now no-one tell my wife I did that......lol she thought we went to lunch at Perkins....LOL

Christmas gifts / bonuses?

Plastic

Cast Iron

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Titanium

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Cast Iron

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Diamond

Stainless

Titanium

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Titanium

Plastic

Cast Iron

Titanium

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Diamond

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