Paid vacations and potatoes: Employees share their best and worst gifts

EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION: As the end of the year fast approaches, employers are trying to find just the right way to say thank you for a job well done. Yet many of them are missing the mark.?Employee Benefit News asked employees for the best and worst gifts they've received from their employer during the holiday season. Employees were not impressed with branded items like mugs, notebooks and other office supplies. One employee even shared that their boss's gift sent an insulting message.?

"The worst holiday gift I've ever received from a boss was a daily planner," the employee shared. "It might seem like a thoughtful gift, but it felt like a backhanded gift that told me he thought I was disorganized."?Check out which gifts left employees less than thrilled to receive:

Read: The best, worst and weirdest corporate gifts employees have received

WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY: Most employees can agree that mid-December signals the end of most productive work and the beginning of the end-of-year wind down, punctuated by holiday parties, gift swaps and PTO countdowns. But for those hoping to squeeze a little more productivity out of the end of the year, they may appreciate motivation via some festive music.

But not just any holiday song will do —? a study commissioned by online gambling site CSGOlucky.com scanned the 200 most popular holiday songs on Spotify to determine which songs hinder or help employee productivity.?The study analyzed the beats per minute of popular holiday tunes — songs like "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee clocks in at 67 beats per minute, while Bing Crosby's classic "Silver Bells" is a pleasant 70 bpm, perfect for getting into the flow at work.?See which songs to add or avoid to the office playlist this year:

Read: Bah humbug! Skip these distracting holiday songs in the workplace

DEI: "The real challenge that DEI proponents face as they seek to create an inclusive strategy is their own biases around what diversity is and who "deserves" to be included," writes Adam H. Michaels , founder and CEO of Enrollify . "Unfortunately, all too often DEI programs are envisioned and established through a one-dimensional lens. Addressing these limitations is crucial for rectifying the exclusion of Jewish experiences from DEI conversations, despite the often misperceived notion that the group is well-represented among those deemed successful."

Michaels shares his thoughts on what should change to acknowledge the Jewish experience in the workplace:

Read: The pitfalls of overlooking Jewish experiences in DEI