Survey: Workers Can Expect Holiday Cheer in the Office This Year in the Form of Bonuses, Parties, and Gifts

CHICAGO, Dec. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Workers have reason for holiday cheer this season as employers continue to give back to their employees with holiday perks (bonuses, parties and gifts). The national survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive© from August 13 to September 6, 2013, and included a representative sample of 3,484 workers and 2,099 hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes.

Bonuses: Forty-five percent of employers plan to give their employees holiday bonuses this year, in line with 46 percent in 2012. Forty percent plan to provide the same size or larger bonus this year.

Parties: Three in five (59 percent) employers are throwing company holiday parties for their workers in December, the same as in 2012.  One in five workers plan to attend their company party this season.

Gifts: Thirty-five percent of employers plan on giving their employees holiday gifts this year, on par with last year (36 percent).

Co-worker Gifts
Twenty-two percent of workers plan on exchanging gifts with co-workers this holiday season, while 21 percent are buying a gift for their boss. The majority (78 percent) of workers who plan to buy gifts for their co-workers expect to spend $25 or less on each gift, 36 percent will spend $10 or less, and 10 percent will spend $5 or less.

While most gift exchanges between co-workers contain relatively standard holiday gifts, some gifts stand out as particularly extraordinary. When asked to share the most unusual gifts received from co-workers, workers reported receiving:

1. 50 pounds of fresh Louisiana shrimp
2. A picture of the boss’s family
3. A plaster cast of a co-worker’s hand
4. A half-eaten box of candy
5. Homemade laundry detergent
6. Eggs
7. Camouflage toilet paper
8. A unicorn calendar
9. Stamps
10. Hula hoop