Spherion Survey: 52 Percent of Americans Plan to Give Co-Workers Gifts

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newspaper roll According to a national holiday survey by Spherion, leading staffing company, 52 percent of American workers plan to give gifts to their co-workers. The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, also found that more than half (55%) of workers don’t expect to receive anything in return.

Survey results revealed that 36 percent of workers plan to give to peers at their level while 27 percent plan the gesture for their bosses. And 58 percent of respondents said they think that most employees give gifts to their bosses in order to get ahead.
“Although this is the holiday season, these results uncover how workers want to be treated in the office all year long,” Sandy Mazur, Spherion’s division president, said. “Workers want to show respect and appreciation for others, but they also want to receive gratitude from their co-workers and bosses, and not just in the form of gifts. There are many other ways to give thanks besides a traditional holiday gift.”

Other survey findings include:

  • 93 percent of workers would rather receive non-typical gifts if receiving gifts from bosses, and those include: cash bonus (74%), an extra day off (29 %), a handwritten thank-you card (12 %) or a lavish company holiday party (9%)
  • 22 percent of employees believe holiday gifts should reflect how much money the “giver” makes.
  • 37 percent of workers reported that buying gifts for co-workers stresses them out just as much as buying gifts for others
  • 60 percent of workers give presents to co-workers because they want to, not because they feel they have to
  • At 58 percent, women are more likely than men (47 %) to report that they expect to give and receive (52 percent vs. 40 percent, respectively) gifts.
  • Just 16 percent of companies host formal gift-giving events, while 83 percent of those offices set spending limitations for gift purchases

By Shala Marks