Hyderabad: Secret Santa has become an indispensable ritual at IT companies. This Christmas tradition from the West helps boost team morale and increase engagement ahead of the holiday season. With the number of employees at IT companies increasing by the day, it is difficult for them to get to know each other personally, even when team sizes are small. Companies in India have started using Secret Santa as an ice-breaker, hoping that it will lead to the creation of new bonds in the New Year. Given that networking is considered a crucial aspect of career-building and development in the IT sector, this fun ritual gives employees an opportunity to get to know more people.
Every member of the workforce is randomly assigned a person for whom he must buy a gift anonymously. There is generally an organising committee which sets a minimum and maximum price limit for the gifts. Abhishek Gupta, who recently joined an IT firm, says, “I am excited about the whole idea. I am getting to know people with whom I otherwise would not have had an opportunity to interact with at work.”
While some people take this to be an opportunity for them to show their colleagues how much they appreciate working with them, others try to get off the hook by buying standard gift items. Freshers who have recently joined a company tend to be more careful while picking out gifts; they try to figure out the likes and dislikes of the people they are shopping for.
N. Rakesh, an employee of a multinational company, is organising Secret Santa for his team. “Mugs, wall hangings and show-pieces are the default gift items. While participation is voluntary, not participating may portray that an employee is not a real team player.”
Some people don’t like others to know where a gift has been purchased, as it adds to the mystery. “While we appreciate the effort behind the purchase, a HyperCity or Lifestyle gift wrapper gives away from where the gift has been purchased,” says Swati Dubey, a techie. Nonetheless, Secret Santa gives employees a chance to find out more about the people they spend long hours with.
