Inside India Inc's Diwali hamper: Paid leaves, group experiences and more

Companies are opting to offer indulgences with social responsibility added to the package

As Diwali brings cheer to the economy, companies in India are curating a bouquet of treats for their employees. While some are offering paid leaves, gift vouchers and home appliances as a mark of gratitude, others are choosing to bring every member of the organisation together to celebrate the festival of lights.

Employee feedback is playing a vital role in determining the gifts. At health insurer Niva Bupa, for instance, gift vouchers were the preferred choice.

“In the past, we greeted our team with physical items like crockery sets, kitchenware and other household items,” says Tarun Katyal, Niva Bupa chief human resources officer (CHRO). “However, after taking into account the valuable feedback, suggestions and preferences shared by our employees, we decided to go differently this year.”

New Delhi-headquartered Singer India, meanwhile, is gifting its employees the company’s vacuum cleaners. “We actively sought feedback from our employees — after last year's gift of Singer Ceiling Fans. They mentioned that home cleaning is one of the biggest and time-consuming activities for most households,” says Rakesh Khanna, managing director and vice-chairman, Singer India.

The 170-year-old sewing products and home appliances company is also encouraging employees to buy eco-friendly Diwali decoration products from the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Kavita’s Women Support Home, which has been invited to set up a stall at Singer India’s office. The company will also decorate its premises with products bought from the NGO of the founder who is an acid attack survivor.

Buying locally and from NGOs is a theme cutting across corporate India.

Bengaluru-headquartered ad- and consumer-tech player InMobi gave a curated Diwali hamper to its employees. The goodies included some made by Sandesh, an NGO that works with people having intellectual and developmental disabilities. “We hope to inspire our employees to consider contributing to or volunteering with Sandesh to further this cause,” says Sahil Mathur, CHRO, InMobi group (InMobi and Glance).

In its Diwali gift basket, which included a Borosil sipper, dry fruits, chocolates and almond brittles, Cryptocurrency exchange WazirX also had diyas hand-painted by children from an NGO. "We decided to include something utility-based besides sending perishable items,” says Rajagopal Menon, vice-president, WazirX.

Companies are also respecting their staff’s need to switch off from work after a busy festival season.

Noida-based robotics firm Addverb is giving 10 days of paid post-Diwali leave to its employees, along with a gift voucher worth Rs 2,500 each.

The company is also conducting a clothes donation campaign.

LED lights maker Ledure Lightings and real estate company SS Group are also providing paid leaves to employees to help them refresh and recharge.

Digital networking firm Space World group, meanwhile, is gifting staffers a jade plant, which has air purifying capabilities and is considered a symbol of prosperity and sustainability, along with the customary box of dried fruits. 

Auto major Tata Motors, meanwhile, is hosting special festival lunches for its employees across its commercial offices and plants. It will also hold sports competitions and group activities to engage with them.

Beverages player PepsiCo India organised a 'Family Day’ across the country for its employees and their immediate and extended families. “We partnered with NGOs like Nirmaan Foundation (which works on sustainability), Recity (plastic recycling and waste management), etc, who set up stalls at the event," says Pavitra Singh, CHRO, PepsiCo India.

Realty major K Raheja Corp’s annual Diwali celebration, ‘Sparkles’, saw employees indulging in painting, tarot card reading, karaoke, dance and fashion shows, with the Mr and Ms Sparkles crown bestowed at the end of the day-long extravaganza. These festivities “foster a sense of community” and provide “opportunities for multiple businesses and cross-functional teams to collaborate,” says the firm’s CHRO, Urvi Aradhya. 

At crypto investing app CoinSwitch, employees and their families were treated to an evening of food and games. They also received gifts consisting of a traditional urli bowl, a combination of something sweet (hazelnut bars) and salted (cashews), alongside candles and diya holders.

PVC pipe-maker Finolex Industries chose the theme of inclusivity, making both on- and off-roll employees a part of the Diwali celebration and presenting gifts to them as well as their children. It also had tenure celebrations, academic milestones of employees’ children and talent show participation, says Sarita Tripathi, CHRO, Finolex Industries.

While companies are trying to do their bit, how satisfied employees are by these initiatives is another matter.

According to a survey by company review and salary insights platform AmbitionBox, while 66 per cent respondents expect special benefits or bonuses from their employers during the festival season, 43 per cent said they hadn't received any perks.

Of those who received any benefits, only 29 per cent said they were satisfied.

Diwali unwrapped

Niva Bupa: Offering gift vouchers based on employee feedback

Singer India: Gifting company’s vacuum cleaners

InMobi: Gave curated Diwali hampers from NGO Sandesh, which works with people with intellectual, developmental disabilities

Addverb: Giving 10-day paid post-Diwali leave to employees and a gift voucher worth Rs 2,500 each

Ledure Lightings & SS Group: Giving paid leaves to employees

Tata Motors: Hosting festival lunches for employees across commercial offices and plants

PepsiCo India: Organised ‘Family Day’ for employees and their families. Partnered with NGOs like Nirmaan Foundation and Recity, etc

CoinSwitch: Gifted traditional urli bowl, hazelnut bars, cashews, candles and diya-holders

WazirX: Hamper included Borosil sipper, dry fruits, chocolates, almond brittles, diyas hand-painted by children from an NGO

K Raheja Corp: Annual Diwali celebration, ‘Sparkles’, included painting, tarot card reading, karaoke, dance and fashion shows

Finolex Industries: Made on- and off-roll employees a part of the Diwali celebration; gave gifts to employees and their children

Space World: Gifting air-purifying jade plant and box of dried fruits 

What employees want

Preferred benefits

Cash bonuses: 66% 

Gift cards: 30% 

Electronics & gadgets: 27%  

Customised gifts: 24%  

Destination holidays: 21%  

Experiences, such as spas: 12%  

Note: Respondents could choose more than one option

Source: AmbitionBox survey