Spend money on fun! Why You SHOULD plan a holiday company party and employee recognition gifts.

I just read an article on Inc.com by Paul Spiegelman that got me thinking about company holiday parties and employee recognition - "Lead Your Own Way: Ten pieces of management conventional wisdom you should ignore, especially in a weak economy." He mentions 10 things you should NOT do in this economy and it all really makes sense to me. What are some of the things you should do?

Grow organically, fire clients that do not fit with your core values and focus on employee and customer relationships over products and services. I especially love this 'to be ignored' conventional wisdom: "#5 - Avoid spending money on fun." According to Spiegelman, "When times are tight, it seems difficult to justify spending money on things like a holiday party.  However, these activities foster employee engagement, and help reduce employee turnover." 

We completely agree, so go plan that holiday company party! And consider this - instead of rewarding just your top performers, it is a great idea to recognize all of your employees – since they are all stars – for holding true to your company values. From company awards to apparel, there are recognition gifts for every budget.