HR professionals share their wish lists ahead of the holiday season

Between conducting performance reviews, calculating holiday overtime and bonuses, coordinating office closures, and organizing and attending donation drives and volunteer events, it’s the most wonderful chaotic time of the year for HR. They deserve a gift—or three.

We asked HR pros what’s at the top of their wish lists this year. Feel free to casually forward to your loved ones, or buy a few for yourself. We won’t tell.

For the recruiter. Recruiters are constantly on the go. At PwC, for example, they’ve been known to pack in 1,500 events a year in an attempt to fill 12,000 entry-level positions. If you want to score points with this crowd, give them the gift of comfort.

Steven Alibrandi, talent identification manager at PwC, told HR Brew that he’d love a pair of comfortable sneakers—standing for hours on end at on-campus recruitment events can take a toll on the toes. Also from PwC, talent acquisition onboarding strategy leader Kristie Silva said she’d like a “comfortable and cozy” outfit that looks professional enough to go from the airport to the conference room.

For the executive. HR leaders are often the face of their companies’ policies, but as individuals, they can be a bit overlooked. For the holidays, they’d like gifts that speak to their unique interests.

“Something that is more personal means a lot to us,” Jeanne Hernandez, VP of HR at SourceCode Communications, told HR Brew.

Gifts that speak to specific hobbies can go a long way, said DeAnne Aussem, PwC’s well-being leader. The self-care enthusiast is hoping for hot yoga classes this holiday season. Not sure what your leaders do outside of work? Don’t be afraid to ask.

“This may be the perfect time to [schedule a] ‘get to know you’...virtual coffee with colleagues,” Patricia Mayers, senior manager of DE&I at Seismic, advised.

For the HR pro in need of an escape. This past year has been a tumultuous one for workers in the people profession. And while some may not want to unwrap a book this season—as Denis Okema, director of DE&I at SEI Investments, pointed out, reading is part of the job—Maggie Smith, VP of HR at Traliant, suggested gifting an easy “read they can get lost in.” She’d love a copy of The Lake House by Mikaela Bee.

Above all...Remember: A gift doesn’t have to break the bank. The HR professionals we spoke to would be grateful for a cup of coffee (caramel latte, please), a flexible schedule, or a good old-fashioned “thank you.”

“Receiving a thank you note from an employee or colleague about how you helped them or made a difference in their professional journey would be amazing,” Smith said. “It keeps HR professionals going, and reminds us that we are making an impact.”—SV

Do you work in HR or have information about your HR department we should know? Email [email protected]. For completely confidential conversations, ask Susanna for her number on Signal.