FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Oct 12, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

With the holidays around the corner, companies are seeking creative gift ideas to show appreciation to employees, business partners and customers. A recent survey from Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, Inc., reveals how even small gestures of gratitude with holiday gifts can positively impact employee motivation and productivity.

Corporate holiday gifts can help companies build and extend brand loyalty, foster stronger business relationships and thank employees for a year of great work. According to the Staples Advantage survey, employees said receiving holiday gifts from their companies:

• Improved employee morale (75 percent)
• Made employees like their company more (60 percent)
• Improved employee productivity (33 percent)

The survey also found that goodwill doesn't stop with employees as one in three people surveyed said receiving a gift from a business partner made them more likely to do business with that company in the future.

Corporate Gift-Giving Made Easy: Timely Tips for the Holidays

Picking out gifts for friends and family is hard enough; shopping for colleagues and customers doesn't have to be. Through its promotional products division, Staples Promotional Products, Staples Advantage offers the following tips for personalized, easy and affordable corporate gift shopping, to help companies leave a lasting impression:

• Keep it personal. You wouldn't send a holiday card without signing it, so don't give a gift without putting your mark on it. Adding your company logo to gifts can help your company gain mindshare and visibility. More than 60 percent of respondents said they kept their gifts for more than six months, keeping the company top of mind.
• Don't procrastinate. Start planning early so you have enough time to collect orders, customize gifts with branded images and ensure everything arrives before the holidays. Companies can save time by accumulating orders from employees using Staples Promotional Products' customized website tool, "Book & Runā"," which makes it easy to manage orders and ship gifts.
• Get everything on your list and on budget. To help get the best value from your gift purchases, consider ordering items in bulk and selecting items that can be shared, such as food baskets.

"Holiday gifts that are thoughtful and personalized can go a long way toward deepening business relationships and reminding employees you value their work," said Barbara Wells, senior vice president, Staples Promotional Products. "At Staples Promotional Products, we help companies create customized corporate holiday gifting solutions to create a positive impression that lasts far beyond the holidays."

Avoiding Corporate Coal with Great Gift Ideas

For holiday gifts that generate grins, consider these top three wish list ideas according to the survey data:

• Food and drink (70 percent). The way to your recipients' hearts may be through their stomachs - especially if you're providing cheesecake samplers, s'mores kits, hot cocoa and/or gourmet cheeses.
• Electronics (60 percent). You can select a range of electronics to fit your recipients' interests and your budget. While devices including headphones, speakers and MP3 players are always appreciated, smaller items like tablet cases and USB drives are also popular options.
• Apparel (20 percent). Popular apparel items include winter hats, scarves, gloves, fleeces, grill aprons and more.

For more information, including additional holiday gift ideas and offerings, please see http://www.staplesadvantage.com/promotional-products/.

About the Survey

Staples Advantage conducted an online survey, with responses from 215 office workers at companies of various sizes and across industries. The survey, completed in September 2011, asked respondents about holiday gifts they had received from their employers and business partners, and how those gifts had impacted them. Respondents spanned various levels and departments within their organizations.

About Staples Advantage

Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLS), serves organizations of 20 or more employees up to the Fortune 1000, including global businesses, local, state and federal government, healthcare organizations and educational institutions. The Staples Advantage one source solution includes comprehensive products and services from office supplies, technology and printing to promotional products, furniture and facility supplies. Dedicated to providing organizations with greater cost savings and improved ordering efficiencies, Staples Advantage provides a customized level of account support and best-in-class customer service. More information is available at http://www.staplesadvantage.com/.

About Staples

Staples is the world's largest office products company and a trusted source for office solutions. The company provides products, services and expertise in office supplies, copy & print, technology, facilities and breakroom, and furniture. Staples invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and now has annual sales of $25 billion, ranking second in the world in eCommerce sales. With 90,000 associates worldwide, Staples operates in 26 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia, making it easy for businesses of all sizes, and consumers. The company is headquartered outside Boston. More information about Staples (Nasdaq: SPLS) is available at www.staples.com/media.

Follow Staples on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/staples and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/staples.

SOURCE: Staples, Inc.

Staples, Inc.
Nina Akerley, 508-253-1078
nina.akerley@staples.com
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Sara Card, 781-418-2431
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