Gift-giving can be difficult in the best of times, but when you’re a busy high school senior on a tight budget, it’s even more challenging. My brother-in-law Drew drove to Walmart in his teens to buy his mom a Christmas gift with only $10 in his pocket. The ironing board cover he purchased boasted a perfect pattern with all her favorite colors. Trouble was, she didn’t iron.
His thoughtful gesture is now a funny family memory, and while Christmas may be far from your thoughts right now, this is unfortunately what happens in healthcare every day: Oftentimes the choices made for employees are based on budget and urgency rather than on what they really want or need.
