Custom Ink, an online leader in custom apparel, accessories, and swag for organizations, groups, and communities, has released new survey results showing that employees who regularly receive swag—gifts with a company logo—are more satisfied with their jobs and more likely to stay with their organization.
According to the survey, 94% of employees who receive swag at least once a month at work say they are “very satisfied” with their current employer, in comparison to 33% of employees who received swag less than once a year and just 18% of employees whose companies never gave them swag. Swag has also proved a powerful retention tool, with 93% of employees saying they would be more likely to stay with their companies for another year if they received a branded gift from their employer.
“The power of custom swag is truly amazing,” says Davis Doctoror, CEO of Custom Ink. “Every company wants to increase the feeling of connection and belonging among its employees, and our research finds that one of the best ways of fostering that team connection is through branded gifts. In addition to building a team connection, the right swag will also strengthen retention and help ensure employees feel more satisfied in their jobs. By making swag a regular part of employee recognition and corporate events, forward-thinking companies can build a stronger, happier, and more cohesive team.”
Additional key findings include the following.
- Employees overwhelmingly believe swag increases retention, with 93% saying they would be more likely to stay with their employer for another year if they received the right piece of swag.
- A similar percentage (88%) of employees said they felt more positive about their company after receiving a favorite piece of swag.
- Most employees (92%) said wearing company swag increased their feeling of connection and community to their team.
- More than two-thirds of employees (70%) say they receive swag from their employer at least once a year, with one in five (22%) saying they get such items from their employer every month. Those monthly swag recipients reported the highest job satisfaction by far, with 94% saying they are “very satisfied” with their current employer.
- One in four employees said their favorite swag item was apparel (t-shirts 13% and hoodies/jackets 12%). Other popular items included backpacks (7%), drink containers (travel coffee cups 7%, mugs/glasses 5%, and water bottles 5%), and tote bags (5%).
- By a four-to-one margin (81% to 19%), employees would rather receive a piece of swag that they love and use to celebrate a team success over a happy hour or meal with their team.
Surprisingly, retention increased regardless of the employee’s current satisfaction level with their employer, as even 81% of dissatisfied employees said a preferred piece of swag would make them more likely to stay.
