High-street retailers across the UK are putting perks in place to help boost employee motivation during the busy pre-Christmas period.
Supermarket chain Asda will provide all staff with a personalised Christmas card, a free festive meal at their workplace canteen, £5 for every member of staff to put towards Christmas parties and an in-store gift voucher of £20 for those employed before 2 September. In addition, the firm will grant full-time staff one extra day's holiday and part-time staff extra hours off work, over the Christmas period. On 4 December, staff will also be given 20% discount in stores. Jayne Tory, reward manager at Asda, said: "It is important that we recognise all of the individual contributions at this busy time."
Instead of providing a standard perk for all staff, retailer Marks & Spencer is giving store managers cash to allow them to reward their staff as they wish.
A spokeswoman at Marks & Spencer, said: "Store managers [will be] given a limited budget to use as they wish to reward working staff."
Staff at Harrods will be able to select a Christmas gift from a choice of a bottle of red or white wine, or a tea and coffee gift option. They will also receive a Harrods' Christmas pudding.
At entertainment retailer, HMV, stores will have funds for Christmas staff drinks and employees are also likely to be given an HMV gift card loaded with a cash sum.
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's (CIPD) Annual Reward Management Survey 2007, 69% of organisations will provide a Christmas party for their employees this year.
