Happy Box Blog — corporate gifting

It's no surprise that summer results in employees being a little less engaged. The sun is shining, and people are thinking about being outside, at the beach or pool, or are excited about an upcoming vacation (that - let's be real - they're probably partially planning during work hours).

Here are three ways you can lean into the summer fun and engage the team: 

1. Have a surprise ice cream day at the office - this doesn't have to be fancy - think ice pops from the 3rd grade. It just gives everyone a reason to stop and be social for 20-30 minutes and take a little break. Send an email or all-office slack saying "Let's celebrate summer - ice cream and ice pops at 3:00 today in the kitchen!" and order via Instacart or Uber Eats variety of ice pops and single serve ice creams (the more nostalgic the better) and enjoy the time as a team.

2. Send everyone a small, themed gift with a note from leadership wishing everyone a happy, safe, and fun summer - lean into the fact that they are going to spend time outside and tell them to enjoy it!

We hear it again & again from our clients: "Can you suggest a quick and affordable way to drive employee engagement for my team this summer?"  We've shipped 500,000+ custom gifts, so we know a thing or two....

 Some gifts we've done in the past for our clients: summer lemonade kits, s'mores making kits, branded beach balls, & the CEO's favorite "beach read" book about leadership. Want us to brainstorm for your needs and budget? Submit an inquiry or book a call today.

3. This is definitely easier if you have a small team, but you can always do a "walking meeting" - or do an outdoor activity. It could be as simple as taking lunch outside together at a nearby park, or do a full-on outdoor picnic or a team lunch at an outdoor restaurant. Even better - schedule an afternoon to volunteer together at a local community event or charity like painting park benches or painting a school. 

Happy summer! 

by: Hannah Redmond, Co-Founder, Happy Box 

The holidays are such a fun time - many indulge in great food, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy a break from work. Returning to the (home) office in January can be tough - but with a little bit of acknowledgement and effort from their companies, employees can feel appreciated and ready to tackle the New Year’s challenges and tasks.

1. Kick off with culture. Make an effort to welcome the team back via email or video meeting, ask about how their aunt’s mashed potatoes tasted this year, and share the plans to support a positive and fun work culture in the year ahead. Employees will appreciate your human side.
2. Set clear goals and expectations. Your employees want to excel in their careers, and the best way for them to do that is to know what is expected of them. Outlining goals at a company and an employee level will help your team stay on track and feel accomplished.
3. Remember to conduct evaluations and reviews. Your team will feel like their careers and success is important to the company, and they can work towards moving up.
4. Invest in professional development. Remember how employees want to succeed? Continued education is the best way to ensure that! Better team = better company. A win-win.
5. Thank them with a gift. A thoughtful gift says “I appreciate you” and can earn you much sought after respect from your employees. Our recommendations for gifts that can help your team feel refreshed are scented candles, a new reusable water bottle (complete with company logo, of course) and some delicious treats to keep at their desks. 

Now that sounds like the perfect way to kick off a new year.