Two-thirds (65%) of respondents do not expect to receive a Christmas reward from their employer this year, according to research by Edenred.
Its Saying thank you at Christmas 2013 survey, which questioned 1,000 employees, found that only 30% received a Christmas reward in 2012 and 35% of respondents have never received a Christmas reward.
Employees in London, Northern Ireland and Scotland are most likely to expect to receive a seasonal reward.
The research also found:
- 32% of Christmas rewards were left on employees’ desks.
- More women (70%) than men (60%) thought a Christmas reward was the best way for an employer to say thank you.
- 90% thought the worst Christmas reward was a cash incentive paid through salary.
- Among respondents aged over 55, 57% thought that getting a reward was not the best way to say thank you.
Colin Hodgson, sales director for incentives and motivation at Edenred, said: “This research highlights three areas of opportunity for employers to build better relationships with employees through end-of-year rewards.
“Gifts, particularly when not expected, provide a powerful way of saying thank-you as an organisation. But our research showed a prevalence of the ‘invisible reward’, where cash is paid with wages without a personal note of thanks from the business or from line managers.
“What organisations should really be doing is ensuring recognition comes with a thanks from a manager and, where possible, avoid cash which is forgotten once it hits a bank account.”
