Guide to Employee Appreciation Gifts

Samantha Mikos

The key to a flourishing business is an inspiring company culture. Motivated and encouraged employees are the center from which organizational growth stems. Luckily, employee appreciation gifts can help create this kind of success. Displaying gratitude can send out ripples of positivity and inspire greater productivity, joy, and belonging.

For small and large teams, employee recognition can be achieved and help grow any business. At Cristaux, we’ve helped clients representing both tiny and massive organizations. At the end of the day, appreciation knows no size and can be tailored to any team. With useful ideas, you can design special gifts for your hardworking staff members.

What is employee reward and recognition?

Employee recognition consists of programs, events, and day-to-day actions that show appreciation for team members and their accomplishments. A positive company culture helps improve employee retention and attract talent.

Tangible examples of workplace appreciation include custom awards and personalized gifts. Without trophies and other pieces, leaders and colleagues can still recognize one another with compliments, thank-you notes, and more.

How do you recognize and reward employees?

You recognize and reward employees by developing recognition, appreciation, and incentive programs. The best employee recognition programs are well organized and have a clear goal in mind. For instance, a business may start a sales recognition program to motivate its sales team and inspire growth.

Additionally, strong recognition is objective. It helps to use data and specific benchmarks to decide honorees. Recognizing employees for achieving clear goals is a great way to inspire others. Rewards may include awards, gifts, perks, and benefits.

Find tips and ideas for how to create an employee recognition program.

Award show ceremony recipients on stage with crystal awards

Why give employee appreciation gifts?

Employee appreciation comes with countless benefits, and giving gifts is a simple way to improve corporate culture. Benefits of employee recognition include …

  • Improved engagement and productivity
  • Greater employee retention
  • Less staff turnover
  • Increased satisfaction at work
  • Better teamwork and collaboration
  • Improved customer satisfaction
  • Less absenteeism
  • More high-quality talent attracted

Gifts for employees can be very encouraging for different team members. Getting to know one’s colleagues helps create more meaningful and personal gifts.

Warner Media Wood Block Metal Numbers Gift

What do you give employees for recognition?

Choosing a gift for anyone can be complicated. For employees, it’s important to find something that appeals to the recipient and is useful. The following ideas may help generate concepts for any team.

Gifts During COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly changed workplaces and cultures. To continue employee appreciation, consider recognition pieces that include in-person and remote workers. Additionally, personal mementos can help support morale when stress increases or issues arise. Tokens of gratitude include more company benefits or thank-you notes.

Gifts for Remote Workers

It’s essential to recognize remote employees with tangible pieces because of the distance and lack of in-person interaction. For example, a customized package of company branded swag and team members’ favorite treats can feel very special. Also, for a large virtual workforce, consider drop shipping to make logistics smoother.

Discover ideas for remote employee recognition.

Achievers personalized box insert

Gifts for Large Companies

For a big corporation, employee appreciation must feel personal. Gifts may be engraved for individuals or designed for different teams. Either way, personalization is key to make each person feel valued. Also, consider organizing departmental recognition programs so that people are sincerely recognized by those they work with every day.

Years of Service

A years of service program is one of the most objective initiatives for employee recognition. By recording employee start dates, an organization can easily celebrate employee work anniversaries with gifts and awards. Also, a program like this inspires loyalty by commemorating yearly milestones.

Learn how to create a years of service award program.

Personalized Gifts

Personalized awards are especially made for each recipient. Tailoring a gift to an employee shows great thought and integrity. Personal touches like an engraved name or handwritten note elevate a gift and make an unforgettable experience. By going the extra mile, leaders show that appreciation is a priority and inspire more enjoyment at work.

crystal buffalo years of service recognition program

Gifts on a Budget

Employee recognition should not break the bank. Cost-effective solutions are useful because they respect a business’s budget. For instance, employee gifts under $10 or $25 include branded mugs and unique office accessories. These items can extend brand awareness, prove useful for staff members, and still prioritize the budget.

Browse our stock collection for more cost-effective gift ideas.

Employee Appreciation Day Gifts

An important occasion for all businesses to celebrate is National Employee Appreciation Day. This holiday takes place on the first Friday in March each year. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate team members and their hard work. Consider honoring them with a luncheon, awards, or added paid time off.

Discover 16 ideas for Employee Appreciation Day.

Holiday Gifts

Holidays are great times to show gratitude for employees. However, it’s important to respect personal religions, preferences, and more. For example, not every employee celebrates Christmas. When celebrating holidays, small gestures of thoughtfulness go a long way. For example, a thank-you note or branded ornament can inspire gratefulness.

Find out more about recognition holidays and ways to celebrate every month.

hummel champagne flut filled with champagne

Employee Wellness Gifts

Taking care of one’s health is extremely important because it helps us become more engaged and happier. Lots of employees would appreciate wellness gifts, but some may not. A good idea is to provide every staff member with a wellness stipend they can use for nutritional classes, gym memberships, mental health support, and more.

Learn how to achieve corporate wellness for your team.

Other Ideas

Employee appreciation gift ideas are endless because each organization is unique. Different passions and interests are great to encourage with workplace gifts. More ideas for employee gifts include the following.

  • Gift cards
  • Vouchers or discounts
  • Gift baskets
  • Candy or the recipient’s favorite food
  • Event tickets

Avionica-Airplane-Key-Chain

Celebrate Your Team

With thought and care, you can create unique moments for your teammates to feel truly valued. Receiving appreciation is a wonderful feeling, and employee appreciation gifts help bring joy to any workplace. Special mementos help better relationships and company culture.

Contact Cristaux to start creating employee recognition gifts today.