Lately, talented Australians have been under the pump.
As reported by several news outlets, Australia has a skill shortage, particularly in areas including IT, hospitality, tourism, construction and aged care. With international arrivals being limited and so much of our workforce as busy and productive as ever, good talent is becoming harder and harder to find.
As a business owner, if you want to make sure your staff feel appreciated and eager to come to work, it doesn’t all have to be about pay. In fact, if a worker is unhappy, no level of pay will entice them to stay, or at least not for the long term.
Creating a unified culture where people feel aligned and able to work towards a common goal is the ideal scenario for staff retention. This takes time but it involves encouraging a positive, teamwork-based environment and making sure everybody feels as though they are on the same page.
To further incentivise your staff, gifts and ‘swag’ never go astray! Consider a tailored gift pack to let them know you care.
Tailored gift packs
In 2021, why not give a ‘financial new year’ gift for your team to remind them of how much you value their contributions. The ideas for what to include in your gift are limitless but at this time of year they may include:
- Hoodies and sweatshirts
- Fleece jackets or puffer vests
- Branded umbrellas
- Socks
- Blankets or sleeping bags
- Beanies
- Warm gloves
- Coffee mugs/ travel cups
- Rain jackets
- Waterproof tote bags
- Electric mug warmers
- Scarves
- Soup thermos or flask
- ‘Wellbeing’ items such as moisturiser, soap etc.
You could also take a leaf out of Google’s book and curate a ‘Working from Home’ collection complete with tracksuit pants.
These gift packs serve many purposes. Firstly, they are practical and handy. Secondly, they improve goodwill towards you as an employer. They also bring your team together. It can be as simple as two staff members spotting each other on the way to and from the train station because they are carrying the same branded backpack or umbrella. A quick chat can lead to better collaboration at work, which strengthens bonds and improves engagement.
Everyone having the same items also creates a sense of uniformity and camaraderie. You can make your tailored gift packs even more special by personalising some of the items you share with your team.
You don’t have to stick to a one-off either. Create a tailored gift pack for new arrivals, to hand out on team building days or to make a great impression at your end of year Christmas party.
Invest in quality and the gift packs will work for your business by giving you brand ambassadors who are showing off their branded gear all over town. They are actually a great way to attract new staff as well as clients.
Thank your clients
Speaking of clients, why not spread the love with a corporate gift pack for your favourites/top spenders?
For a low-cost way to impress your clients and let them know how much you have valued their business in these difficult times, a branded gift pack is an excellent idea.
Go with the winter/financial new year idea or create a strategy to send corporate gift packs to mark the following occasions:
- Client anniversary
- Birthday (if you have the information)
- Christmas gift
- Client milestone (e.g., number of jobs completed or amount spent)
- Welcome pack for bigger clients
Any type of business can take advantage of this idea to strengthen their relationship with their clients. For example:
- A real estate agency can offer tailored gift packs to new homeowner or tenants
- Gyms and personal trainers can offer member welcome packs or milestone membership gift sets
- Childcare providers can welcome new children or offer ‘good luck at school’ gifts
- Retail outlets can offer a gift with purchase pack or create a loyalty program
- Consultants can give their clients a welcoming or parting gift
- Loan brokers can share a ‘congratulations’ gift on loan approval
- Car retailers can give clients a tailored gift pack with purchase
- Tour operators can hand out branded souvenir packs
To create your gift packs, work with a branded merchandise company that can help you come up with ideas and cost-effective solutions for products people love.
Want tailored gift pack ideas? Talk to the experts at Honeycomb Agency today.
