In yesterday’s Advisor, we presented findings from the 2014 Holiday Practices Survey. Today, more from this timely study, including how companies are handling charitable donations, decorations, and gifts for employees.
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A total of 2,666 individuals participated in this survey conducted in October 2014.
Holiday Gifts
A cash bonus is planned for employees by 22.7%, gifts are planned by 14.1%, and 8.6% plan to offer both to their employees in 2015. The gifts include:
- Holiday meal, provided either at work or at a company-hosted party off-site, 31%
- “Take home” holiday meal, such as a ham or turkey, 10.5%
- Grocery store gift card, 15.4%
- Other gift card (e.g., gas card, prepaid debit, retail store), 21.4%
- Extra paid time off awarded, 1.3%
- Door prize or raffle giveaways, 7.1%
- Personal gifts, 13.2%
The size of planned bonuses are varied among respondents:
Holiday Cash Bonuses
| Bonus amount planned |
Response percent |
|
1% to 5% of base pay |
14.9% |
|
6% to 10% of base pay |
5.4% |
|
Lump sum of up to $250 |
23% |
|
Lump sum of $251 to $500 |
6.4% |
|
Lump sum of $501 to $1,000 |
5.3% |
Only gifts of nominal value may be accepted by employees from parties outside their organization (e.g., vendors, clients) for 41.9%. No employee gift policy is the norm for 24.3%, and no gifts may be accepted is the rule for 16.4%. All gifts must be reported to the company for 14.9% and only if over a certain amount for 28.7%.
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Deck the Halls
If their holiday decorations are within reason, 73.6% of survey participants (down from 82.6% last year) allow employees to display them. Another 18.8% (up from 12.1% last year) allow employees to display whatever they want. Display of nonreligious decorations only is allowed by 6%, and 1.6% (down from 3.2% last year) forbid employees from holiday decorating.
Along those same lines, 48.1% provide/display holiday-themed decorations in common areas at their facility, 18.3% do so only during Christmas, and 20.7% display only nonreligious seasonal decor. No company-sponsored decorations are displayed by 12.9%.
Of the 72.5% (up from 70% last year) of survey participants that host year-end or holiday parties for their employees, 61.3% (57% last year) go off-site, and 38.7% keep the festivities in-house. Alcoholic beverages are available for 53.9% (49% last year), and 36.6% (46% last year) allow spouses and/or significant others to attend the celebration.
Sharing
Though 10% have yet to decide about this year, charitable activities are sponsored by or participated in for 61.4% (65% last year). The types of activities are varied, with sponsoring a food drive topping the list at 54.8%. Volunteer work or visits by employees during working hours ends the list at 22.7%. Here’s the complete list:
- Food drive, 54.8%
- Toy drive, 52.3%
- Angel tree and/or adopt a family, 45.9%
- Monetary donation from company, 31.5%
- Monetary donation collected from employees, 29.8%
- Clothing drive, 28.8%
- Volunteer work or visits by employees during working hours, 22.7%
Survey Participants
A total of 2,666 individuals participated in this survey, which was conducted in October 2014. Of those who identified themselves, 61.4% represent private, for-profit organizations; 20.3% represent private, nonprofit; 9.2% are public sector; and 9% work for government.
The majority (64.1%) of our survey respondents provide HR services to a workforce of 1–250 employees. Another 11.6% provide guidance to 251–500 employees at their organizations, and 8.7% have a workforce of 501–1,000 employees. Companies with more than 1,000 employees account for 15.7% of survey participants.
Fewer than 8% of employers surveyed have a 50%–100% unionized workforce. Also, 81.2% have a workforce with no union employees. A little over 26% of the respondents have a workforce of more than 50% exempt employees.
Over half (63.5%) of participants are in service industries; 23% are in agriculture, forestry, construction, manufacturing, or mining; 9.5% are in wholesale, retail, transportation, or warehousing; and 4.2% are in real estate or utilities.
Manager level is represented by 57.5% of survey participants, and VP or higher accounts for 21.9%. Supervisors are represented by 5%, and staff level account for 15.6% of survey participants who self-identified.
Thanks again to all who participated!
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