2014 Holiday Practices Survey Continued

More 2014 Holiday Practices Survey findings from this timely study, including what organizations are doing regarding employee gifts, charitable donations, and decorations.

A total of 2,666 individuals participated in this survey, conducted in October 2014.

Holiday Gifts

A cash bonus is planned for employees by 22.7%, gifts are planned by 14.1%, and 8.6% plan to offer both to their employees in 2015. The gifts include:

•     Holiday meal, provided either at work or at a company-hosted party off-site, 31%
•     “Take home” holiday meal, such as a ham or turkey, 10.5%
•     Grocery store gift card, 15.4%
•     Other gift card (e.g., gas card, prepaid debit, retail store), 21.4%
•     Extra paid time off awarded, 1.3%
•     Door prize or raffle giveaways, 7.1% 
•     Personal gifts, 13.2%

The size of planned bonuses are varied among respondents:

Holiday Cash Bonuses

Bonus amount planned	Response percent
1% to 5% of base pay	14.9%
6% to 10% of base pay	5.4%
Lump sum of up to $250	23%
Lump sum of $251 to $500	6.4%
Lump sum of $501 to $1,000	5.3%

Only gifts of nominal value may be accepted by employees from parties outside their organization (e.g., vendors, clients) for 41.9%. No employee gift policy is the norm for 24.3% and no gifts may be accepted is the rule for 16.4%. All gifts must be reported to the company for 14.9% and only if over a certain amount for 28.7%.

Deck the Halls

If their holiday decorations are within reason, 73.6% of survey participants (down from 82.6% last year) allow employees to display them. Another 18.8% (up from 12.1% last year) allow employees to display whatever they want. Display of nonreligious decorations only is allowed by 6%, and 1.6% (down from 3.2% last year) forbid employees from holiday decorating.

Along those same lines, 48.1% provide/display holiday-themed decorations in common areas at their facility, 18.3% do so only during Christmas, and 20.7% display only non-religious seasonal decor. No company-sponsored decorations are displayed by 12.9%.

Of the 72.5% (up from 70% last year) of survey participants that host year-end or holiday parties for their employees, 61.3% (57% last year) go off-site and 38.7% keep the festivities in-house. Alcoholic beverages are available for 53.9% (49% last year) and 36.6% (46% last year) allow spouses and/or significant others to attend the celebration.

Sharing

Though 10% have yet to decide about this year, charitable activities are sponsored by or participated in for 61.4% (65% last year). The types of activities are varied with sponsoring a food drive topping the list at 54.8%. Volunteer work or visits by employees during working hours ends the list at 22.7%. Here’s the complete list:

• Food drive, 54.8%
• Toy drive, 52.3%
• Angel tree and/or adopt a family, 45.9%
• Monetary donation from company, 31.5%
• Monetary donation collected from employees, 29.8%
• Clothing drive, 28.8%
• Volunteer work or visits by employees during working hours, 22.7%

Survey Participants

A total of 2,666 individuals participated in this survey, which was conducted in October 2014. Of those who identified themselves, 61.4% represent private, for-profit organizations, 20.3% represent private, nonprofit, 9.2% are public sector, and 9% work for government.

The majority (64.1%) of our survey respondents provide HR services to a workforce of 1-250 employees. Another 11.6% provide guidance to 251-500 employees at their organizations and 8.7% have a workforce of 501-1,000 employees. Companies with more than 1,000 employees account for 15.7% of survey participants.

Fewer than 8% of employers surveyed have a 50-100% unionized workforce. Also, 81.2% have a workforce with no union employees. A little over 26% of the respondents have a workforce of more than 50% exempt employees.

Over half (63.5%) of participants are in service industries; 23% are in agriculture, forestry, construction, manufacturing, or mining; 9.5% are in wholesale, retail, transportation, or warehousing; and 4.2% are in real estate or utilities.

Manager level is represented by 57.5% of survey participants and VP or higher accounts for 21.9%. Supervisors are represented by 5% and staff level account for 15.6% of survey participants who self-identified.

Thanks again to all who participated!

Source: HR Daily Adviser