Top 5 Gifts for Your Employees

Posted on December 16, 2010 by yiqi

Bosses out there, I know you read this blog. Admit it.

In any case, here are some ideas for gifts for your valuable employees, or even colleagues; after all, you want them to stay happy.

1. First on the list, reusable bags. Ones that last. Ones that are made ethically. Ones that can be brought around easily. Look out for the small things like a higher weight limit, easily foldable, a clip/pouch that can be attached onto your handbag/laptop case.
2. Handkerchiefs. Or Mankerchiefs, whatever floats your boat. These can be used for a couple of days at once, assuming you don’t have the cold, or if you aren’t dining on some chili crab. A quick wash should get rid of perspiration and food stains accumulated over the past couple of days.
3. Reusable mug. Or an insulated bottle, which is cooler. Here in Singapore, the working crowd practically lives on coffee, whether it’s from Starbucks or from the neighborhood coffee shop. With a reusable travel mug, or an insulated bottle, you can order your coffee on ice, or your double shot latte to go, without guilt!
4. Battery Charger. Specifically, an alkaline battery charger. Rechargeable batteries cost a lot, and usually take a long time to re-charge. With an alkaline battery charger, you’ll never have to buy another rechargeable battery ever again. Stick with the current crop of batteries you’re using now, and just re-charge (in under an hour) whenever they run dry. My choice for toy of the year.
5. Lunchbox. I don’t know why, but I see many people taking their lunch back to the office around here in Chinatown. Perhaps it’s to take advantage of the air-conditioning back in the office as opposed to the hawker center, perhaps we work really really hard. Whatever the case, we really ought to cut out the waste generated from takeaway containers and utensils. It’s ridiculous. Did you know that toxic chemicals can leach out of these products into food that they are used to contain, threatening your health and reproductive systems.*

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Vote with your (corporate) dollar. Educate the people you work with on the positive actions that everyone can take towards leading a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Be the one who takes the first step.

*Try this: grab a brand new Styrofoam lunchbox, and weigh it. Then, pile on some warm food into the same box, remove after an hour or so, and weight it again. I’ve found that the box decreases in weight; I’m not sure what this means to you, but this phenomenon seems to me like a sign that everytime we eat out of a Styrofoam box, we eat some Styrofoam. That’s not cool to me, but if it’s fine by you, don’t stop using them.