Boosting employee engagement during the cost of living crisis

The cost of living crisis is still hitting people in the UK hard. That includes members of your team, who may have become anxious about energy usage, cut back on little luxuries or made more drastic changes to their lifestyle to save money. Research has found two thirds of consumers are planning to reduce non-essential spending in 2023. 

Of course, businesses are feeling the pinch too. But one way to create a resilient company, propped up by a productive team, is to keep investing in employee engagement. That includes recognition. In fact, at times like these, regular displays of appreciation will go further than ever to boost morale and reduce attrition, whether that’s leaving for other jobs or leaning into the post-pandemic trend of “quiet quitting”. 

To boost employee engagement even further, look to weave more purpose into your engagement initiatives. We explain why here, as well as introducing you to examples of employee gifts and merchandise that will help you demonstrate your values. 

The value of purpose-led employee engagement

Whether it’s a welcome box of goodies for your newest recruits, a token of appreciation on a work anniversary or a well done gift at the end of a successful project, recognition for your team is an instant morale booster. We all get a sense of fulfilment from being recognised for our hard work and successes. And a fulfilled team that feels valued by management is a productive team, likely to stick with your company for longer too. 

“We wanted to engage our new joiners from the offset, welcoming them in a way which reflected our culture and our onboarding boxes have done just that – we’ve had such positive feedback from employees on both internal and external channels.” – Darcey Clay, Internal Communications Manager, Cloudreach

This kind of regular praise and recognition contributes to a positive workplace culture. It’s the perfect example of what psychologists Chip & Dan Heath have coined “peak moments”, when sensory pleasure and an element of surprise combine to make us feel motivated and engaged. But it’s also an opportunity to further shape a purpose-driven culture – one of the most important drivers for employee engagement. 

 

We all crave meaning in our jobs. That happens when there’s an alignment of our personal values with those of the business. In fact, contributing to society and creating meaningful work topped a McKinsey survey about employee priorities. Studies also show that when employees find this sense of purpose at work they feel more connected to the business and are more productive. 

When they’re tied in with social and environmental impact, tokens of appreciation can connect employees with the meaning and purpose they desire. 

Making a difference in tough times

Employee engagement should be on your radar no matter what’s happening in the wider world. But when your team is feeling the strain from outside pressures (like a cost of living crisis!), it’s more important than ever. 

Of course, corporate gifts alone won’t buoy employee spirits in tough times. Opportunities for different kinds of peak moments need to be actively created on a regular basis, while there are things like access to wellbeing support to consider for those who might be struggling. But when they come from a genuine place of respect and gratitude, tokens of appreciation can be an important piece of your employee engagement strategy. Studies have even found gifts can increase productivity more than a cash bonus. 

Turbulent times give you a chance to show your credibility too. Employees appreciate seeing you stand by your company values, even through tough periods for the business. Using social enterprise suppliers proves your commitment and integrity among staff, backing up words about fairness and sustainability, for instance, with visible action. 

This is especially timely. The cost of living crisis has many of us thinking about the need to look out for others and create a fairer, greener society. So your team will be pleased to see you championing purpose-driven businesses in this moment. 

Good for people, planet and business

Purpose-led employee recognition is an easy way to spark some positive change in the wider world – and give your business an even greater boost at the same time.  

Anything you buy from social enterprises generates positive impact. Their products are sustainably and ethically made, as well as having a more specific social or environmental mission behind them. For instance, wine that funds marine conservation or jewellery creating employment for people experiencing homelessness. This means that, by default, teaming up with social enterprise suppliers supports your own ESG and UN SDG commitments. 

As you may already be clued up on, making ESG targets a priority comes with plenty of business benefits. McKinsey has reported that “a strong ESG proposition boosts employee motivation by instilling a sense of purpose.” It helps companies grow faster and attract higher valuations too. And with 80-90% of an organisation’s emissions typically coming from outside sources, responsible sourcing is also key if you’re looking to achieve net zero. 

Impactful branded merch for your business

What kind of gifts do employees appreciate? Those that are useful and meaningful. In other words, not something that’s going to clutter the desk untouched or be stashed away in a drawer and forgotten about. 

A favourite that can be branded is reusable water bottles, such as those from Ocean Bottle and SHO. Likewise, reusable coffee cups are a staple in so many office worker backpacks. Those by Circular & Co are saving even more single-use coffee cups than your average reusable, because they’re made from old disposables too. 

Fresh notebooks and other stationery are an eternally useful office gift. You could brighten up desks with VENT for Change’s recycled pieces, which also fund global education projects. For something bigger, a Madlug bag is ideal for carrying all those reusables and stationery. The idea behind this brand is simple but powerful: for each of their bags sold, a specially designed travel bag goes to a child in care. 

A welcome pack is a great way to show appreciation and make a good impression from day one. With social enterprise products inside, yours can also reassure new joiners that the company culture and values you promised in your job ad are the real deal. Having something physical in hand, especially the same branded merch as teammates, also builds a sense of identity and community among employees. 

These are just some examples of branded merch you can find on our Team Gifting Platform. It’s packed with more gifts to align with your goals and values. The platform makes measuring the exact impact of your employee rewards easy too. After shopping for your gifts, you’ll be able to download a personal impact report. For ongoing employee rewards, talk to us about creating a bespoke branded merch store. We’ll hold the stock for you to draw down on as and when you need. 

Find your feel-good employee rewards on the Team Gifting Platform now or drop us an email with your branded merch or gifting needs.