Help take the stress out of the Christmas crunch

Each year, Christmas celebrations start to creep into conversations earlier and earlier, and this year is no different. In fact, given the difficult financial situation we are all facing, there is now even more reason to get a jump-start on the Christmas preparation.

For many of our family, friends, employees and colleagues — as well as ourselves — money is being stretched further than ever, whilst festive expectations remain just as grand. That means thinking about Christmas spending earlier if you’re going to keep everyone happy.

 

Spreading cheer — and cost

Distributing the cost of Christmas is nothing new. Whether it’s 0% interest free credit on sofas, or suspect-looking hampers with more sugared almonds than you’d want in a lifetime, it just makes sense to try and save. But even more modest Christmas plans can currently be a challenge, especially during a time when the energy crisis will push up winter bills to unprecedented levels.

With the cost of Christmas already amongst the most stressful parts of the season for people in the UK, how can we help our employees and colleagues with the costs of the essentials — and the not-so-essentials?

You might be expecting us to say that Asda for Business gift cards are involved. And of course you’d be right.

 

Rethink your Christmas plan

In previous years, the novelties and frivolities of Secret Santa may have been fun in the moments before they hit the nearest waste paper bin. But in a year when belts are tightening, garish scarves may not be well received.

If your company has a budget allocated for Christmas rewards, consider spreading that generosity across multiple months. If your employees are starting to make their purchases during October and November, why not devise new ways to administer rewards when they’ll actually be the most useful? As you know, Asda for Business Gift Cards and e-gift Cards are perfect for everything from the Christmas dinner fundamentals at hundreds of stores, or contributing to in-demand gifts, homewares and electronics.

 

Offer a little autonomy

The most important part of a gift card this flexible is that your employees are able to use the extra funds wherever they need it the most. Not everybody wants to publicly ask for the less glamorous expenses of festive life, and this allows them to make decisions on their own terms.

This isn’t to say that Christmas parties should be off the menu. If your company can afford them as well, they can provide a much-needed break during a tough time. That said, if you have to make a choice, why not ask your employees where they would find the spend most useful?

As you know, any stress that you can alleviate for your employees is going to create a much more productive, positive work environment — as well as being a genuinely good thing to do.

 

It’s not just those in the office who might need help

As we all know too well, Christmas often leaves us with a surfeit of things we neither want nor need. But what if we could turn those unwanted gestures into something much more heartwarming, and help those most in need?

If your company or your employees are fortunate enough to have rewards they don’t need, they can be exchanged for a warm, fuzzy feeling through Asda’s partnership with FareShare and The Trussell Trust. Fight Hunger Create Change makes it easy to make donations of food and essentials in any Asda store, ensuring that those who need access to food banks have the things they need throughout the festive period.

Why not make it an option for your colleagues to opt to donate rewards to those in need? If your organisation or its employees can spare the time, volunteers are also enormously appreciated.

 

It’s about the people, not the presents

Though Christmas might feel different for a lot of us this year, there’s an incredible opportunity to focus on the welfare of our employees rather than traditional corporate gestures. If you’d like to explore using Asda for Business Gift Cards to ease the cost of Christmas for your staff — and those less fortunate — they can be used for everything from groceries to gifts and homewares either online or in hundreds of Asda stores.