A bonus would be the best gift companies could give their staff this Christmas, according to new research published by the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM).

Nearly half (48%) of the 3,300 managers surveyed said a bonus would be the ideal Christmas present from their employer. Just one in 10 opted for a promotion, with one in six (16%) choosing more training and development, and 12% to have more staff. Just 11% would prefer to have an increased budget.

Penny de Valk, chief executive of the ILM, said: “Financial security is clearly the top concern for workers this Christmas, with most thinking more about their wallets than their long-term career progression right now. Where possible, organisations looking to thank staff for their hard work can rest assured that some sort of seasonal bonus will be particularly well received this year.”

Approaching Christmas, nearly half of those surveyed (45%) consider office Christmas parties to be fraught with difficulty, with 15% concerned they will embarrass themselves this year by getting drunk, while 42% are afraid that staff will argue or become aggressive and nearly three-quarters worry that their team members will drink too much. However, despite concerns over behaviour, over half of respondents (54%) think their office Christmas parties are good for staff engagement and are value for money.

When asked what New Year’s resolution respondents will be making this year, 38% said they want to improve their work-life balance. Interestingly, only 11% will be looking for a new job, with 9% wanting to focus on keeping their current job. Almost one in five (17%) aim to be a better manager in 2011.