You might not be organised enough to find the right gift for your team and the best way to reward would be with a cash bonus.  The Christmas bonus is given at the discretion of the employer.  They are not usually performance-based or part of a salary package.  However, be mindful that it is treated in the employees' hands as part of the normal salary and wage income.

Your staff will have to pay tax on this bonus, so remember to deduct PAYG Withholding and pay your team the net amount in cash.  You might even want to consider deducting PAYG Withholding at their marginal tax bracket.  This might help them avoid a tax debt when they complete their next tax return.

Christmas bonuses are considered Ordinary Time Earnings (OTE) for superannuation.  Please remember you have to pay 11.5% superannuation on the gross amount of the Christmas Bonus.

The best approach is to offer a bonus inclusive of superannuation and tax.  This way your expenses are capped and then you can make the appropriate payments as required.  I once remember receiving a $1,000 bonus, back in the days when I still had a HELP debt.  Once superannuation and tax (including HELP) were deducted, I received about $475.