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More than half of New Zealand employers use Christmas parties or gifts to boost staff morale, a new survey shows.
Staff parties are arranged by more than 60 per cent of 2360 employers surveyed by recruitment firm Hudson. Alternatively, 30 per cent of employers prefer to give presents such as hampers.
About one in three spend between $50 and $100 on each staff member and the same number spend between $100 and $500. But 2 per cent do not feel the need to reflect the sentiment of the season of goodwill by giving staff anything.
The survey found little difference between generosity shown by small or large organisations, though government organisations seemed to be the more prudent.
The survey found most employers do not measure how effective their investment is in boosting moral or in keeping staff. However, most do not rely on Christmas benefits and bonuses as a way to retain staff.
Between 30 and 35 per cent of employers rely on year-round individual career planning to keep staff and 25 to 30 per cent, particularly small and medium sized employers, use financial incentives.
Many employers commented that the opportunity to say "thank you" was what really drives their Christmas giving.
