The world of gifting is constantly changing and moving with the times. On the voucher side we have seen the replacement of paper gift vouchers with electronic gift cards. We are now moving to an era of instant e-gifting with the emergence of eVouchers, this revolution is being led by the likes of large companies such as John Lewis and Ticketmaster.

With constant movement in gifting we need to ensure that the basic principal behind gifting is not forgotten. Don’t be bowled over in awe by all the new ways to gift and forget the reason you are giving it. The most common gifts given by a company are long service rewards and retirement gifts. Giving your employee an eVoucher is great but don’t forget the sentiment probably means more to them than the actual gift. The gift should support the sentiment, not the other way round.

We are firm believers in that personal touch and strive to achieve this for all our corporate clients through personalisation, branding and giving you the opportunity to present the gift yourself. So, what did people used to receive for their retirement in the past, and what is today’s equivalent?

Carriage clocks, these are the creme-de-la-traditional in retirement gifts. You remember, the little clock on your grandparents’ fireplace, these were the things used to commemorate years of loyal service. Something tells me a carriage clock isn’t going to look quite the same without the floral curtains and traditional fireplaces.

Crystal wine glasses and china plates, we have all come to the realisation that the Queen is probably never going to come for tea so let’s abandon this gift and leave it in the past. They look nice, but are never going to serve the purpose they were meant for, enough times to justify buying them.

Fancy pens, there is a rumour going round that letter writing is becoming a thing of the past. Maybe steer clear of the over-priced stationary

A nice watch, this one would still be appreciated today so let’s leave this on today’s list.

What makes a great modern-day retirement gift and what should you spend on it?

Like all gifts, retirement gifts need to be personal. We don’t mean you have to give them a personalised iPod, just ensure they feel like you have thought about their gift and make them feel like you know a little about who they are and what their tastes are.

Make sure you give them something that isn’t going to break on them in a few years time. This is the lasting impression your company will leave on them, make sure it is one which will last. We advise steering clear of technology, it will break eventually.

This is not only the lasting impression your company will leave, it is also an opportunity to show the employee just how much you appreciate their hard work over the years, it is your last chance to say thank you. Make sure you give a gift that reflects this.

I did say I was going to advise you on how much to spend, however, my answer on this is going to be elusive. Spend as much as you can afford, coupled with what they deserve, make sure they leave feeling appreciated and they should spread the word on how great it is to work for you. Remember, lasting impressions are everything – especially in a world where scolded ex-employees are king with the power of the internet.