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65% of employees feel dissatisfied in their current roles.  Half of disengaged employees will look for a new job.  Some Studies predict that every time a business replaces a salaried employee, it costs 6 to 9 months’ salary on average. The statistics speak for themselves. The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on the American workforce well beyond the economic downtown. This past year has been the first time most employees have worked from home. Add the mental and emotional stress of a pandemic. As well as the burden of assuming childcare duties or caring for sick family members. And you have yourself a challenging work environment. But there’s hope…   There’s a lot employers can do to boost employee retention and hire (yes, hire) during these times. From virtual small talk to new employee welcome gifts, here are 6 small acts that make all the difference. Because 2021 has got to be better than 2020.    1. Prioritize Face-Time Whether it’s a daily one-on-one with direct reports, a weekly team meeting to kick off Monday or a department-wide happy hour every Thursday, it’s so important to ritualize video check-ins with employees. Not only do these meetings create stability and accountability, but they also help nurture connections and drive engagement, increasing employee retention.    2. Create Fun Activities  If you were to ask your employees what they miss most, it’s socializing! How do you get this back… and virtually? Have a weekly meeting with your team with a game or activity. A few ideas: Two Truths & A Lie, Describe Your Mood in One Word or Daily Jeopardy. Make it even sweeter with cool swag for the winners like customizable wireless speakers. Obviously, to play “We Are the Champions.”    3. Allow for Small Talk Hmmmm… how exactly? Aren’t we remote? Make sure to ask employees about how they’re feeling or how their weekends went by carving out 2 minutes out of every meeting. Take this to the next level by creating Slack Channels with labels like “Weekend Rehash,” “Watercooler Talk'' or “Run Club.” Specialized channels like these let employees know it’s okay to talk about interests outside of work.    4. Celebrate Employee Wins  When you aren’t running into coworkers in the kitchen or elevator, it’s easy to forget to congratulate them on a job well done. Finding time to celebrate can be as easy as creating a Slack “Kudos” channel, taking 2-minutes during the All-Hands for employee shout-outs or even rewarding top performers with small prizes like DoorDash credits or these customizable virtual Happy Hour kits.    5. Invest in Learning & Development  Pandemic or not, investing in an employee’s growth (outside of his or her contributions to the company) is one of the easiest ways to boost employee retention. Make learning a company-wide pursuit by hosting virtual “Lunch and Learns” or giving employees one day off every month to dedicate toward growth.    6. Welcome New Hires If you’re lucky enough to be hiring during this period, don’t take it for granted. While company culture may look a little different, there’s a myriad of ways to make a big, bold impression for those new to the team. A welcome email with a short bio can work wonders, especially when sent to the whole company. And never underestimate the power of swag. Customizable work-from-home gifts— coffee mugs to charging stations —make for the perfect new employee welcome gifts.  You’d be surprised how much employee retention will soar when these strategies are employed. And the best part? They’re really easy to implement.  Especially when it comes to ordering swag. We’ll handle all the details, from sourcing to shipping. Reach out to one of our account managers to get started today. 

Working from home certainly has its perks—wearing comfy clothes, getting extra pet snuggles throughout the day, and having easy access to the fridge are just a few of the WFH benefits we’ve all been enjoying. But even if the PJs-all-day look is right up your alley, working from home isn’t always easy, and many of us are still adjusting to this new way of life.  That’s where you come in, fearless team leader. How do you show your employees that you care when your interactions are limited to Zoom calls? The answer is easy: thoughtful gifts that come from a place of appreciation.  Cue InTandem. We’re experts at making swag count and making it “wow.” Your employees have journeyed through quite the year. We’re here to help you show them that although the workday may look a little different, they’re still valued members of your team. So without further ado, here are seven work-from-home gifts that they’re sure to love.    1. Desktop Vacuum We’ve all been there… the impromptu Zoom meeting during lunch hour. The result? A pile of crumbs dusting your workspace. Say hello to Crumbee™, the miniature vacuum that can tackle any mess. Even those potato chips that have taken up residence in your keyboard. 2. Smart Writing Set    If you happen to know an employee who has a thing for errant post-its, look no further. Meet the next generation of notetaking with Moleskine’s Paper Tablet. With the help of the companion app, notes are effortlessly translated from journal to screen. Your employee’s life just got easier.    3. Cozy Blanket The home “office” can mean many things this year: a corner in the garage, the garden shed, or even the backyard deck.  Throughout winter and into spring, these spaces may not be the most insulated. Although a chilly office is nothing new for most employees, this throw blanket certainly can’t hurt.   4. Charging Station Whose workspace isn’t a mess of tangled cords? Even the most organized among us have found ourselves tripping over a rogue cord or dashing to an outlet mid-meeting to plug in.  Enter The Docksy, a three-in-one charging solution that enables you to charge your smartwatch, earbuds, and iPhone. For your employees, a clear workspace means a clear mind.   5. Oversized Tumbler Meetings on meetings? If your company is all too familiar with marathon zoom sessions, then this is the gift for your employees. When there’s no time to run to the kitchen, this 32-ounce tumbler will keep them going all day long. Seriously, it keeps drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12. Plus, it’s vacuum-sealed to prevent spills. Especially important when IT happens to be remote.   6. Desk Cornhole Game  The office ping-pong table may be retired, but there’s still an opportunity to build morale with this desktop cornhole game. Set a timer and have a virtual round of play. It goes well with virtual happy hour if we do say so ourselves. Besides, what’s a better gift than bragging rights?    7. Upcycled Mini Backpack  Was your annual volunteering day put on hold this year? Find purpose in a gift that gives back. This mini backpack is made from six recycled PET bottles. Plus, for every backpack purchased, the National Forest Foundation will plant a tree. Your employees will look good and do good. How’s that for a win-win?  Have questions about our work-from-home gifts? We’re more than happy to help. Get in touch with one of our account managers today to learn more about how we can be your personalized holiday shopping helpers.  All you have to do is take the credit. 

Question: Why do custom gifts mean more?  Answer: Because custom is better, and your customers deserve better. (And no matter how many times people say they want gift cards, you know deep down the personal touch means more.) Does that mean your branded corporate holiday gifts need to take you too much time? No, and that’s why we’re here: to make the process of finding/customizing/buying/shipping unique holiday gifts for clients so easy it feels like holiday magic.  We can help you with branded corporate holiday gifts. Ready to get started with InTandem? Here’s how it works:    Curated Collections    Don’t have time to figure out exactly what you want to gift? Good, because that’s what our trend experts are here to do. Whether you’re looking for essential classics or the trendiest tech item, our job is literally to do the shopping for you (and we’re good at it). To get started, send us your goals, and we’ll build a personalized gift collection for you. Or, you can browse our holiday gift guide for ideas below!    Start Shopping    Budget-Conscious Choices    Set your budget, and then let us manage the rest. We work with all kinds of budgets — big and small. Want to spend a lot on a small group of people? Want to spend a little on a large group of people? We’ve got options to make sure that you create a lasting impression with your branded corporate holiday gifts, no matter how big or small.   Easy Online Shopping    You buy everything online already. Why should your branded corporate holiday gifts be any different? We make it easy to find great gifts by having hundreds of options available on our website, and you can check out online, too. Or, if you don’t want the hassle of searching our inventory, let our team build you an online portal with only the options that fit your goals. Give us a call today to get started!      Start Customizing   Try our special services.    Did we mention our special services can go the extra mile to get you exactly what you want? We’re here to deliver unique holiday gifts for clients that they won’t ever forget, ranging from branding and designing services to white-glove boxing and delivery.    Branding & Designing Customization   Show your clients that you’re interested in building something that lasts with design that protects your brand while sharing it with your customers. Example: We’re here to make sure that your embroidered logo still looks like your logo — whether it’s on a tote bag, a North Face jacket, or a Snuggie.    Boxing & Delivery    You know that “Christmas morning,” “Hanukkah night,” “Solstice season,” feeling of joy when you unwrap a beautifully designed gift? That’s our game — and we make it happen with every shipment. We prioritize the delivery moment with a personal touch, whether it’s a personalized note or something else, and we make every recipient feel really good when they open our boxes.     Concierge-Level Account Management    Not only are we here to do all of the work, but we’re also here to keep you updated from Day 1. We’ll update you with product lead times, shipping estimates, and everything else that goes into making sure gifts are delivered on time. You don’t have to keep up with us — we prioritize keeping up with you.    See what our clients have to say about working with us.   We’re not here to toot our own horn, but we do want you to know exactly what it’s like working with us, and no better way to do it than to hear it straight from the people who trust us with their brand.     “Our previous swag was costing us 60K a year. Three months into working with InTandem, we were profitable. InTandem just really goes above and beyond. We were in the middle of taking multiple companies into one brand and one voice when we started working with InTandem, and they’ve helped us protect our brand." - Doug    “They never quit; they always try to find a solution even if their back is against the wall. Intandem is nimble and they never give up. They never make excuses either, whether it’s in their control or out of their control. They’ve been really good to us.” - Tracey    Be everyone’s favorite gift giver this year with InTandem.    So, ready to take the holiday plunge? Let us help you with all of your holiday gifting needs this year by giving us a call today. 

Have questions about our unique work-from-home gifts for clients? Want to learn more about our branding and design capabilities? Or perhaps you just want to know what lead times would be for these branded products. We’re more than happy to help.

I was in my late 20’s when I first went skiing. This Southern girl rarely saw snow, so I was thrilled at the idea of actually being able to ski...

As an emerging promotional product company, I have had to define our voice in the social media and promotional product landscape. 

It’s hard to believe that it has been five years since the passing of my friend and mentor, Janelle Nevins. She is the one with brilliant smile in red on the second row behind the two crazy young whipper snappers in grey. Janelle has always been my larger than life hero and set the bar very, very high for me to attempt to go after. I started in this business while I was still in college. My first day on the job – I.got.SWAG! WHAT?!?! For a starving college kid that was getting paid to do a job, that was seriously cool. And from that day on, my love of promotional products became my passion and very much a part of who I am today. Janelle taught me about work ethic. I would come in on the weekends, she was there before I was. She stayed later than I did (or could keep my eyes open for!). She was there in the mornings before I could even get in. Janelle knew the business inside and out. She asked questions. She never took a report for face value. We would come in and have a million post-it notes on our desk with questions about projects, numbers, and reports. Her knowledge about all aspects of the business kept her ahead of the game and enabled her to be a solution driver. Janelle taught me to never give up. With over a million products in our industry, there was a solution for any challenge. Product stuck in customs? We have a solution. Out-of-stock? We have a solution. Not able to imprint just as the client would like? We have a solution. Same-day turn? We have a solution. Janelle taught me the value of partnerships (before this was a thing). She showed me the POWER in being a human. She was constantly sought after with our supplier partners as The Coca-Cola Company was her largest and longest account (over 30 years!). She received crazy emails, product samples, phone calls – it was a revolving door of suppliers trying to get their products into the Coca-Cola catalog. And yet, she took the time to listen and to learn from everyone that came to visit. Janelle never played politics. You always knew where you stood and she always shot straight. I can’t tell you how many times she would give me a look over her glasses that would simply say, “You can do better than that.” or “You know the right thing to do, just do it – even if there is a price to pay.” Janelle taught me to be fearless. There are many legends and stories about my hero Janelle. But the one that I know for sure is true (I was there) goes like this: We were attending a conference in Las Vegas. There are thousands of people from our industry and many festivities and parties at night. One of the nights that we were there, we were invited to an exclusive party at MGM Grand. There was a group of maybe 5-6 of us and we were all trailing behind our fearless leader. The line at MGM was wrapped around the building. Janelle walks right up to the bouncer, whispers a few words in his ear, and we are escorted in past the crowd. This happens 3 more times until we are allowed entry into a very, very fancy VIP lounge. We felt like rockstars! Except, when we enter in, there is no one from our industry there. Not one person. She calls someone on their cellphone and discovers that we were at the wrong location! However, she got us in without being on a list, without having to name drop, without even knowing who was performing! She was fearless. The teal in the InTandem logo was Nevins teal PMS #327. I miss her everyday. When a challenge arises, I would love to call her up and brainstorm with her. I would love to listen to her stories and see what direction she thought that the industry was turning. To keep her with me, to remind me to reach for the high bar, to do what is right (even if there is a cost), and to never give up, we incorporate her teal in all of our branding. For every woman out there, you are a role model. You are impacting the next generation. You are being watched. You are leaving behind footprints in the sand. What is your legacy? What change are you creating for the next generation? Will you be talked about years after your passing? May you be smiling brightly from heaven as your legend grows drinking a Kir Royale and toasting to us all! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In celebration of Janelle’s life and her passing, InTandem Promotions will be donating 10% of our profits from the month of August to her favorite charity the Orbit Village Project. If you would like to learn more about this organization or donate in honor of Janelle, please visit their website at: http://www.orbitvillage.org/orbitvillage.org