Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Employee gift ideas that make people feel bad

tremendous.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

91–100 of 309 posts

Re: Employee gift ideas that make people feel bad

#91

Post by rippercushions »

joe-collins wrote: post #72
allenu wrote: post #46

One place I worked had layoffs and project cancellations, so morale was way down. As a tone deaf move one day, we got an email saying as a treat because we appreciate you all being here despite how shitty everything is, you can purchase yourself a coffee and expense it (max of $10). That turned into more jokes than anything. Morale was horrible and they thought making people feel good was letting them buy coffee, whi…

See also: the stereotypical pizza party.

I'd still take pizza over having to expense a coffee.

Re: Employee gift ideas that make people feel bad

#92

Post by faangiq »

jerlam wrote: post #49

Not just employee gifts, but nearly all gifts are valued less by the receiver than the giver. A gift represents a decision made on behalf of the receiver by the giver. In very few situations would the receiver make the same decision as the giver with the same resources. It's assumed that the receiver will use the same resources in an optimal manner, so gift-giving is a net negative. In some circumstances, gifts are v…

It’s a decent theory but clearly wrong. Assumes perfect information among other things.

Re: Employee gift ideas that make people feel bad

#94

Post by happymellon »

dr_dshiv wrote: post #79

Is there a good gift recommendation website or service? Gifting is essential and so hard. I’m sure billions of dollars are left unspent yearly because people didn’t find a gift in time.

Considering most Americans are massively in debt, I doubt this.

Re: Employee gift ideas that make people feel bad

#95

Post by alexvoda »

jerlam wrote: post #49

Not just employee gifts, but nearly all gifts are valued less by the receiver than the giver. A gift represents a decision made on behalf of the receiver by the giver. In very few situations would the receiver make the same decision as the giver with the same resources. It's assumed that the receiver will use the same resources in an optimal manner, so gift-giving is a net negative. In some circumstances, gifts are v…

While your first and second paragraph may generally be true the opposite can also be true.

I do prefer receiving gifts when those gifts are informed. Which is why asking about desired gifts is perfectly fine.

There are certain classes of things that I do not consider necessary yet I would desire and for which the variety available results in paralysis of choice. For these, having the giver choose, and having the thing have additional sentimental value (it is from the giver) makes it more valuable than the thing itself.

Re: Employee gift ideas that make people feel bad

#97

Post by Falkon1313 »

unsupp0rted wrote: post #53

> A good gift gives employees a renewed fervor to work harder, helps them feel more motivated, and makes them feel more valued by their employers. Does it? I’ve never experienced this. A company is not a person. A good gift or a bad gift makes me feel the company made a business decision that affected me, just like any other business decision that affected me.

I've had a few that made me feel valued. Thoughtful gifts when a baby was born, when a family member died, and when I got Covid-19.

But the generic "give one of these to everyone in the company" gifts? Nah.

Re: Employee gift ideas that make people feel bad

#98

Post by thefounder »

fma wrote: post #89
jerlam wrote: post #49

Not just employee gifts, but nearly all gifts are valued less by the receiver than the giver. A gift represents a decision made on behalf of the receiver by the giver. In very few situations would the receiver make the same decision as the giver with the same resources. It's assumed that the receiver will use the same resources in an optimal manner, so gift-giving is a net negative. In some circumstances, gifts are v…

It's why I prefer to give hard cold cash. Not even gift cards...cash. And definitely not those stupid Visa gift cards where you pay a activation fee and occasionally get scammed. I'm also from an Asian background where cash is more acceptable. I feel any other form of gifting is a ruse to increase consumerism, i.e. the popularity of gift registries, the perception that one isnt thoughtful if you dont yet a good gift…

>> give hard cold cash

Best gift ever and good for the environment.

Re: Employee gift ideas that make people feel bad

#99

Post by lelanthran »

colechristensen wrote: post #85
unsupp0rted wrote: post #53

> A good gift gives employees a renewed fervor to work harder, helps them feel more motivated, and makes them feel more valued by their employers. Does it? I’ve never experienced this. A company is not a person. A good gift or a bad gift makes me feel the company made a business decision that affected me, just like any other business decision that affected me.

I really can’t imagine a gift that would motivate me as an employee. There are things i might appreciate, but the only “gift” I would find motivational would be a raise.

> I really can’t imagine a gift that would motivate me as an employee.

Extra Leave Days.

That would not only motivate me, but it would result in an overall higher level of productivity.

Re: Employee gift ideas that make people feel bad

#100

Post by Al-Khwarizmi »

jerlam wrote: post #49

Not just employee gifts, but nearly all gifts are valued less by the receiver than the giver. A gift represents a decision made on behalf of the receiver by the giver. In very few situations would the receiver make the same decision as the giver with the same resources. It's assumed that the receiver will use the same resources in an optimal manner, so gift-giving is a net negative. In some circumstances, gifts are v…

For me, some of the best gifts are those things that I like, but I wouldn't buy myself because I find them too capricious, too shallow, too unnecessary, etc. to justify the cost. In your words, suboptimal.

Gifts are an emotional thing so it's no wonder that they don't make much sense from a purely rational perspective, as (at least most of the time) that's not the point of gifting.

Post reply on HN