UK employees have a taste for tipples

A new study reveals that half of the UK workforce would prefer to receive alcohol as their corporate gift this Christmas. This statistic is weighed against the mere 7% who would like to have a charitable donation made in their name. Perhaps the most shocking finding is the fact that 6% of decision makers only provide presents to those they find attractive.

The Corporate Gifting Report compiled by online drinks retailer 31dover.com conducted independent research of 1,000 UK office workers. Of the half that prefer a tipple over any other gift, 70% are aged 55 years and older, while a third of these are 18 to 24-year-old. Wine is the most popular choice for gift givers who say they’re sending alcohol and this is followed by spirits and champagne.

There appears to be a gender divide when it comes to preference, as two times more women than men would like to have a charitable donation made in their name this Christmas. Meanwhile, more men say they want chocolate as a festive treat than the fairer sex (26% compared to 21%). If employees don’t like the gift they receive almost a third agree that they will give the present to a relative, while 15% will pass it on to a colleague and another 15% will make a profit by selling the item on eBay.

An overwhelming 88% believe that providing clients with Christmas presents benefits the firm for the year ahead and 79% say the main criteria for deciding who receives a gift is how much money the organisation has spent in business transactions with them.