How to Manage Corporate Gifting for 500+ Employees

Managing corporate gifting for 500+ employees can feel overwhelming— but it doesn’t have to be. 

From collecting addresses to ensuring timely delivery, things can quickly get messy without a solid plan. 

At TapWell, we’ve helped over 400 brands simplify this process with ready-to-use solutions like branded gift stores, personalized hampers, and direct-to-employee delivery. 

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to plan, manage, and scale your next gifting campaign—without the chaos.

👉 Don’t treat it like one big task. Build a simple system.

When we started TapWell in 2015, I saw many companies struggle. They would collect addresses in a rush, choose gifts late, and then panic when deliveries got delayed.

Over time, we learned that big gifting projects work best when you plan like a system. That means choosing gifts early, setting a clear process, and using tools that help you track everything.

That’s why we built things like the TapWell Company Store. It lets your team pick their own gift, and we take care of everything else—packing, branding, delivery, and even tracking.

You don’t need stress to give great gifts. You just need the right plan—and a partner who’s done it before.

By Rases Changoiwala, CEO of TapWell (India’s leading corporate gifting company)

The common challenges companies face when gifting at scale

Managing gifts for a large team isn’t just about picking a product and placing an order. There are real challenges that come with scale. 

Here are some of the most common challenges companies face when gifting at scale. These are practical roadblocks that often slow down the process or lead to mistakes.

1. Logistics complexity

Coordinating deliveries for hundreds of employees across multiple locations is one of the biggest headaches. 

You’re not just sending one parcel. You’re managing hundreds, each needing proper packaging, labeling, and accurate shipping details. A single error in an address can delay or disrupt the entire batch. 

Bulk courier services may offer discounts, but they often lack the flexibility for custom packaging or staggered deliveries based on internal timelines.

What you can do:

✅ Use a gifting partner that handles end-to-end delivery with real-time tracking. TapWell offers direct-to-employee shipping and live updates, so you don’t have to manage it manually.

2. Lack of personalization at scale

Most companies want to move beyond generic gifts. But when the count hits 500 or more, personalization becomes a massive operational task. Whether it’s printing names, custom notes, or selecting gifts based on roles or regions, doing this manually is error-prone and time-consuming. 

Without a proper system, teams either skip personalization or end up with inconsistencies that affect the overall employee experience.

What you can do:

✅ Choose a platform that allows personalization through automation. With TapWell, you can personalize items with names, company branding, and even set up gift points for role-based selections—all without manual effort.

3. Rigid deadlines and event dates

Corporate gifting is often tied to specific occasions such as work anniversaries, festivals, or year-end milestones. 

With large volumes, even a small delay in procurement, printing, or packaging can throw off the entire timeline. Last-minute changes or supplier issues become real risks. Without buffer time or proactive planning, you may miss the moment and send gifts after the occasion has passed.

What you can do:

✅ Finalize your gifting plan at least 3–4 weeks before the event. TapWell usually dispatches within 5–7 days, but early planning gives you a safe buffer and better customization options.

4. No real-time tracking or visibility

Once the gifts leave your office or warehouse, tracking them becomes a blind spot. Without a dashboard or a reliable partner who shares regular updates, you end up responding to constant “Where’s my gift?” messages from employees. 

For a large team, that quickly turns into dozens of daily queries, increasing the load on your HR or admin staff. And without delivery confirmation, there’s no way to know if every employee received their gift.

These problems are common, but with the right systems and planning, they can be avoided. Now that you know what challenges you might face, let us take at some of the best possible options to manage the corporate gifting campaign for 500+ employees.

What you can do:

✅ Ask your gifting partner for a tracking dashboard. TapWell’s logistics dashboard shows which gifts are in transit, delivered, or delayed— saving HR teams from answering endless “Where’s my gift?” queries.

Managing Corporate Gifting For 500+ Employees

Option 1: Do-It-Yourself (DIY Gifting)

Many businesses start by managing gifting in-house. It feels manageable in the beginning like sourcing gifts, packing them, and shipping them out. While this approach works if you have a dedicated admin team, storage space, and extra time on hand, it often becomes a burden when the scale crosses 500 employees.

What starts as a simple gesture can quickly turn into a logistical headache. While it gives you full control, the time and effort required can take focus away from core responsibilities. Most of the time, the end result is delays, errors, or a lack of consistency across the gifts.

Here are some common challenges of the DIY approach:

• Collecting accurate shipping data from all employees
• Managing bulk procurement and vendor follow-ups
• Storage and inventory handling
• Custom packaging and personalization at scale
• Coordination with courier partners and tracking deliveries

But do not worry, this isn’t the only way. Let’s take a look at the next option that can save you time and reduce the hassle.

Option 2: Done-For-You by TapWell

The next best option is to outsource your corporate gifting to a trusted partner like TapWell. We are one of the leading corporate gifting companies in India, helping over 400 brands create memorable gifting experiences without the stress. 

Whether you’re planning a festival campaign, onboarding hampers, or employee milestones, we make sure every gift is delivered with care and precision.

When you connect with us, we handle everything from start to finish:

• Curating and customising gift options based on your budget and theme
• Bulk procurement from verified vendors
• Custom branding, packaging, and messaging
• Safe warehousing and handling
• Pan-India shipping with real-time delivery tracking
• End-to-end coordination with zero internal team stress

The only downside here is that it still requires you to shortlist products from our corporate gifting catalogue, approve designs, and provide delivery data for all employees. This can still feel like a task at scale.

Here’s a quick comparison 

Option 3: The Special Way – TapWell’s Company Store

For large teams, we offer something even more efficient — a custom Company Store by TapWell. This is a smart, self-serve gifting solution built specifically for scale. We help you design a free, branded online store featuring pre-approved gift options curated by you.

Here’s how it works:

You can assign gift points to different employee levels or milestones. Employees can then log in, browse the options, select the gift they love, choose their preferred delivery address, and even track their shipment — all on their own.

Here’s what makes it powerful:

• No spreadsheets, manual approvals, or address collection
• Every employee gets a personalised gifting experience
• HR or admin teams don’t need to manage orders or follow-ups
• Real-time tracking and delivery updates are built in
• Zero extra cost for setting up the store

So, if you want to simplify your corporate gifting without compromising on experience, get a custom company store set up with TapWell. It’s hassle-free for you and delightful for your team.

🔧 Need help setting up a company store? Talk to our team for a free demo.

👉 Further reading: How to set up a custom company store for your employees 

How to budget your corporate gifting campaign

Budgeting right is the difference between a smooth gifting roll-out and a regretful, last-minute scramble. 

When you’re planning gifts for 500+ employees, even a small miscalculation can snowball into cost overruns or logistical issues. A thoughtful budget helps you stay in control, make better decisions, and deliver a seamless experience.

⭐ Before you plan gifting for 500+ employees, go through this quick checklist to see where you stand:

Here are the key elements to consider while budgeting:

Gift value per employee

A common gifting range is ₹500 to ₹2500 per employee. 

This varies based on the occasion, employee grade, and intent. For festive gifting, ₹800 to ₹1200 works well, while milestone rewards or leadership gifts may go higher.

👉 Check our detailed guide on how much you should spend on corporate gifting.

Delivery charges

Bulk shipping to office locations is more cost-effective than individual deliveries. But if you’re doing home deliveries, especially pan-India, factor in ₹70–₹150 per gift depending on weight and location.

Branding and packaging

Custom branding like logos, printed cards, and premium packaging add ₹50–₹200 per unit, depending on complexity and quantity.

Buffer gifts

Always keep 5–10% extra stock for last-minute additions, misplacements, or delivery issues. It’s a small cost that saves big trouble later.

Example Budget Calculation:

Let’s say you’re gifting 500 employees for Diwali.

• Gift: Premium gift box with dry fruits, a custom mug, and a greeting card – ₹950
• Branding & packaging: ₹100
• Individual delivery: ₹100
• Buffer stock: 10% extra (50 units)

Total Cost:

• Gifts: 550 units x ₹950 = ₹5,22,500
• Branding & packaging: 550 x ₹100 = ₹55,000
• Delivery: 500 x ₹100 = ₹50,000

Grand Total: ₹6,27,500 for 500 employees, with everything taken care of.

When planned properly, a corporate gifting campaign doesn’t have to be stressful or expensive — it just needs clarity, structure, and the right partner.

With TapWell, you would get additional discounts for bulk orders, free PAN India delivery, and low customization rates. So, if you are looking for corporate gifts for your employees, clients, and brand promotion, reach out to us.

How to plan your corporate gifting in 5 simple steps

Step 1: Set your gifting goal

Is it for Diwali? Work anniversaries? Onboarding? Knowing the purpose helps you pick the right type of gift (and tone).
TapWell Tip: Use hampers for festive seasons and tech accessories for long-service awards.

Step 2: Decide on your budget

Choose how much you want to spend per employee, including delivery and packaging.
Example: ₹800–₹1200 is ideal for Diwali. Add ₹100 for branding and ₹100 for delivery if it’s pan-India.

Step 3: Choose your gifting approach

Pick what suits your team:

• DIY – Full control, more work.
• Done-for-you by TapWell – Less stress, full support.
• TapWell Company Store – Fully automated, self-serve experience for large teams.

Step 4: Gather employee data

Collect names, email IDs, delivery addresses, and (if applicable) clothing sizes or gift preferences.
Pro Tip: If you use TapWell’s Company Store, employees fill this themselves—saving HR hours of work.

Step 5: Set your timeline

Work backward from your delivery deadline. Include:

• 2–3 days for approvals
• 5–7 days for dispatch
• 3–4 days buffer

TapWell Insight: Our team helps you build a custom timeline with automatic reminders so nothing falls through the cracks.

Ready to simplify your corporate gifting solutions?

✅ Need gifting ideas? – Explore our 4,000+ corporate gift products

✅ Want someone to manage it all? – Talk to a TapWell expert

✅ Planning a custom gift store? – Book a free setup call