More Than 2 in 5 Say Workplace Holiday Gifting Expectations Cause Financial Stress

New Zety research finds 53% of workers don't expect a holiday gift from their employer, even as office gifting expectations put pressure on employees' budgets.

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico, Nov. 9, 2026 — Holiday gifting at work can leave employees feeling pressure to spend, with little expectation of receiving anything from their employer.

A new study from Zety®, a leading resume builder, found that 43% of workers say workplace holiday gift expectations cause them financial stress, while 53% don't expect a holiday gift from their employer this year.

Based on a survey of 1,040 U.S. workers, the Workplace Holiday Gifting Report looks at the financial pressure surrounding office gift exchanges, what employees receive from their employers, and how those gifts compare with what they actually want.

Key Findings

• Over 1 in 3 (35%) have bought or contributed toward a workplace holiday gift for their manager because they felt obligated.
• The majority (77%) would prefer a cash bonus as a holiday gift, while only 34% typically receive one.
• $50-$99 is the most common minimum value (26%) that would make a holiday gift from an employer feel meaningful.
• Employees say receiving a holiday gift would make them feel more valued (53%) and more motivated at work (35%) in the New Year.

Office Gifting Obligations Add to Holiday Budgets

Workers have felt obligated to spend on holiday gifts for people throughout their workplace, including:

• A coworker or colleague (45%)
• A manager or supervisor (35%)
• A direct report or employee (11%)
• The CEO or head of the company (8%)

These gifting expectations can carry a financial burden. 43% of workers say workplace holiday gift expectations cause them financial stress, including buying individual gifts, contributing to group gifts, or participating in gift exchanges.

More Than Half Don't Expect a Holiday Gift From Their Employer

While workplace gifting expectations can pressure employees to spend, most (53%) aren't anticipating a gift from their own employer.

When asked what would make an employer holiday gift would need to be worth to feel meaningful, $55-$99 was the top choice:

• Less than $50 (17%)
• $50-$99 (26%)
• $100-$199 (22%)
• $200-$299 (9%)
• $300-$399 (3%)
• $400-$499 (2%)
• $500 or more (8%)

For others, the price tag matters less: 13% say monetary value wouldn't determine whether an employer gift felt meaningful.

Holiday Gifts Don't Always Match Employees' Wish Lists

Cash bonuses show the largest gap between what employees want and what they typically receive: 77% would most like a cash bonus, while only 34% typically get one.

Here's how employees' holiday wish lists compare with what their employers provide:

Holiday gift or perk	What employees typically receive	What employees would most like to receive
Gift card	39 %	39 %
Cash bonus	34 %	77 %
Holiday party or company celebration	25 %	12 %
Team meal	24 %	9 %
Company-branded items	15 %	5 %
Flexible work hours	10 %	13 %
Additional PTO	8 %	24 %
Non-company-branded gifts	8 %	6 %

Holiday Gifts Could Boost Morale in 2027

Looking ahead to the new year, employees say receiving a holiday gift would make them feel:

• More valued (53%)
• More motivated at work (35%)
• More satisfied with their job (34%)
• More loyal to their employer (18%)

"The pressure to join a workplace gift exchange often comes from wanting to fit in. Employees may worry that declining will make them seem disengaged or less generous than their coworkers," said Jasmine Escalera, career expert at Zety. "Employers can help ease this concern by establishing clear guidelines for holiday gifting and clearly communicating that gifts aren't expected, including when coworkers organize them. This takes the burden off employees to defend a personal financial decision."

For detailed insights on the Workplace Holiday Gifting Report, access the full study at https://zety.com/blog/workplace-holiday-gifting-expectations or contact Skyler Acevedo, at [email protected].

Methodology

The findings presented are based on a survey of 1,040 U.S. workers, conducted on October 19, 2026 using Pollfish.

The study examined workers' experiences with holiday gifting in the workplace, including pressure to buy or contribute toward gifts, financial stress, and expectations of receiving a gift from their employer.

Respondents answered different types of questions, including yes/no, open-ended, scale-based questions where respondents indicated their level of agreement with statements, and multiple-choice questions where they could select from a list of provided options.

Demographic Breakdown

The sample was composed of 64% female, 35% male, and 1% nonbinary respondents. By generation, 26% of respondents were Gen Z, 28% were Millennials, 28% were Gen X, and 18% were Baby Boomers.

SOURCE Zety