As a brand, we’re nothing without our employees. Though it might be cliché to say this, they are the cogs that make our machinery run. No business, no matter how successful, can run without having employees that are satisfied and willing to give it their all just for the company to succeed. And we can’t achieve that level of loyalty if we don’t treat our workers right. One surefire way of keeping the employees in-house is to provide them with appreciation gifts. But what is the best approach? After all, a gift can range from a single coupon to a sizable, pricey item. Really, there’s no single answer, since all workers have different tastes, needs, and affinities. Therefore, as brand owners, we need to combine several ideas and make sure that they fit each employee according to their performance, desire, and years of service. In this article, we will go over some of the most interesting appreciation gift ideas for employees for the 2025 work year. Hopefully, some of these ideas will serve as a good jumping-off point for new entrepreneurs.
List of Spectacular Appreciation Gift Ideas
Company-Branded Swag
If there’s one thing we can never go wrong with, it’s company swag or branded merch. Sometimes, it will be something as simple as a T-shirt or a cap with the brand logo on it, or even a private custom message for the worker. Other times it will be a piece of hardware like a USB flash drive, a power bank, or an external hard drive.
There are even brands that take that extra step and give away creative swag. Some examples include miniature Tetris games, elaborate fidget spinners, or stress balls in the shape of the employer, i.e. us. The key is to always provide an item that stands out. That way, the employee will remember our generosity, plus they will remain loyal and discuss our gift-giving with others. Right there, we have potential future clients or even employees to look forward to.
Desk Plants
How can a desk plant show that we appreciate the employee? Well, giving away a plant signals several things to our workers:
- We want them to be healthy at their workstation
- We want them to work at a spot with proper appeal and a relaxed environment
- It’s thinking outside the box when it comes to presents
- It’s a gift that they will take care of, meaning it will last for as long as possible.
A decent desk plant can achieve all of that, and there will hardly be any employee that won’t appreciate the gift for what it is. Furthermore, if enough workers have plants on their desks, it will foster a healthy working environment. And that’s a benefit in case an inspector comes along eager to grade our performance.
Charitable Donations
Yes, there are ways of making our gift into a humanitarian act. Instead of providing our own employees with goods and services, we can invest the money into an important cause. The only difference is, the cause we will invest money in will be the one our employee of choice wants.
Lots of millennial and zoomer workers are activist-minded. They will always try their best to provide for an important cause, and direct action is always the best approach. If we donate to a charity of their choosing, we show them that we’re committed to helping out. But more importantly, we show just how much we pay attention to them and their needs.
Organisational Supplies
Every desk needs a planner, a calendar, a notepad, a set of pens, etc. Our employees’ time is valuable, and they need a way to organise it. We can help them achieve that with the proper organisational supplies.
Yes, there’s obviously a way to organise one’s workday digitally. And yes, millennials are aware of it and are using it actively. However, we shouldn’t discount pen and paper organisation. It’s definitely still happening, and the sooner we tap into it, the more organised and satisfied workers we will have.
Massages
Employees stress over many things, be they big or small. They also tend to sit for hours and hours in front of a computer, in the same position. That does a huge number on the muscles, bones, stature, and mental well-being of a person. A tense worker is an unproductive one, so we must help them relax.
Booking a massage or two for our workers is, therefore, more than just an appreciation gift. It’s also a necessary element of the job, since it keeps our workforce well-rested, healthy, and eager to work.
Corporate Discounts
Our employees love to shop, and if they can shop at a lower price than usual, they will take the opportunity to do so. We can use this in two ways:
- Offer them a corporate discount on our own items
- Offer them a corporate discount on items in a different store or chain of stores.
Let’s cover both of those for a moment. As a brand, we should have merch that’s ready for distribution. That merch will have a set price, but offering discounts on these items can be a boon to us in the long run. An employee will be more eager to shop in-house if they can pay a little less, thanks to their position in the company.
Of course, if we’re the kind of business that doesn’t manufacture goods, we can always team up with a different business that will provide our employees with items at a reduced price. That way, all three parties win. The business gets to sell items, the employees get to not pay the full price, and we get a loyal workforce and a trusted partner.
Handwritten Notes
Encouragement is something that sorely lacks in the workforce, even among fellow staff members. As such, we must approach all of our employees with a dose of understanding. Few things illustrate this understanding better than personalised gifts, and few are as personalised as handwritten notes.
We can leave these notes at our employees’ offices when they’ve done something that stands out. Alternatively, we can simply give them away on a biweekly basis. That will serve as a motivator to get them to work harder, knowing that we’re thinking of their well-being and tracking their progress.
Catered Lunch
Brands tend to already provide food in the form of a cafeteria, so why would we even opt for catered lunches? Well, as it turns out, providing such a service to our employees is actually an excellent business-growing strategy.
Picture this situation. Our teams are working hard and lunchtime approaches. But instead of going to the cafeteria, someone brings them a catered meal right there in the office. And it’s a meal for the whole group working there.
This gift shows our employees that we’re willing to pay out of pocket to keep them fed, healthy, and happy. In addition, group lunches are an opportunity for individuals to boost their team-building skills. The only real issue is figuring out the dietary needs of each employee. If we’re careful and we note down everything, we can order a tailor-made meal that everyone can enjoy.
Books
Yes, books are still a favourite among readers, even in the age of Kindle and digital PDF reading. We guarantee that if an employer were to provide books as appreciation gifts, the employees would be ecstatic. Some might start monthly book clubs, others might discuss the piece over lunch. No matter what the case may be, a book is always an excellent gift.
As an employer, we can go one step further and custom-order books for individual employees. After all, some of our workers like science fiction, others like romance novels, others opt for epic fantasy, and so on.
Educational Opportunities
If our employee wants to progress, we can finance their trip to a seminar, a workshop, or a class. By doing that, we’re showing how much interest we’re taking in that employee’s life. But more importantly, we’re letting them know how eager we want them to improve and that we’re willing to support them every step of the way.
The same goes for attending online platforms, webinars, etc. We can finance a period of online learning for the workers, allowing them to take classes and learn all the necessary skills to get better at their job. That will cost us, especially if we want a large number of our employees to improve, but that improvement will earn us back every single pound invested.
Snack Packs
Earlier, we mentioned catered lunches as an option for an appreciation gift. But when it comes to food, lunch isn’t the only variant out there. In fact, we can always pick the more cost-effective route and offer snack packs to our staff.
Naturally, we would have to know what it is that our employees like to snack on. Some prefer healthy snacks, like unsalted peanuts, organic chips, etc. Others prefer sweets and chocolates. There are also those who enjoy mint hard candy. The possibilities are endless, and the cool thing about snack packs is that we can literally mix and match different options.
Employee Night Out
Once again, a gift doesn’t need to be something material. A gesture that shows how much we pay attention to our employees’ tastes and likes will be just as effective. So, instead of buying them an item, we can provide them with a night of decent entertainment.
As an employer, we can buy our workers tickets to a ball game, a concert, a museum exhibit, or an art show. Maybe we can also combine it with a couple of invitations to a decent restaurant for a fun dinner, or provide backstage passes to a local nightclub. Really, it all depends on what our worker prefers, and if they perform well at their job, their award ought to be something they would want to attend even if they weren’t working for us.
Lunch With Senior Leadership
What about gifts that may improve the work situation of our staff? Well, those are entirely possible. One frequent option is to offer them a chance to have lunch with a senior executive at the company.
There are several key benefits to this particular gift. Firstly, it shows just how serious we are when it comes to rewarding good work ethics. Next, it gives the employee an opportunity to talk to the higher-ups and maybe impress them enough for a raise or a promotion. And finally, it is a sign of mutual respect. Any worker that gets this kind of reward will speak highly of us and our own business practices in the future. And any free marketing is good in the long run.
Flowers
As we already saw with potted plants, flora is always welcome in the office. But it doesn’t have to be a cactus in a pot that our employee needs to water. Sometimes, a simple bouquet of flowers will do the trick.
Flowers have always been an acceptable gift, mostly by the ladies. But nowadays, anyone can enjoy receiving a bound gift of roses, carnations, or tulips. It’s elegant and it speaks to our employees on an almost intimate level, showing them that they matter to us and our cause.
Coffee Credit
Yes, some workers prefer tea or energy drinks, but statistically speaking, most will drink coffee. It’s an excellent boost that helps keep them awake during the day, plus it tastes pretty good. That, and there are lots of coffee options to choose from, depending on where we plan to drink it.
So, since our employees enjoy the taste of coffee, we can provide them with weekly, monthly, or even yearly credit at their favourite coffee spot. In fact, we can encourage most of our workers to visit a particular coffee house and work out a solid partnership with its owners. It’s a great way to do mutual branded marketing.
Team Outings
A team outing is an excellent idea if we want to build trust among our company workers. Naturally, we would need to participate as well, and the activities during this outing ought to be purely fun-oriented. It’s effectively a day out of the office focusing on nothing but having fun and blowing off some steam.
There are lots of activities one can try during a team outing. We personally recommend escape rooms, indoor golfing, board games, brew cycles, bowling, and even billiards.
Framed Team Picture
A lot of the gifts we’ve listed so far involve financial investment. But we can also achieve similar effects with an inexpensive, yet personal item. A notable example of this would be a photograph of the whole team.
When we take the photo, we can put it in a frame and provide it as a gift once the employee does something excellent. Such gifts are a lot more down-to-earth than swag or event tickets. They speak directly to the employees’ souls, and they humanise the employer that has gifted them. In short, it’s a win-win across the board.
Take Your Pet to Work Day
Does our key employee own a dog, a cat, a rabbit, a hamster, a parrot, or some other small mammal or bird? Are they the only ones or are there more people who have pets? If there is more than one animal owner at our office, we can set aside a day during the year when they can bring their pets over.
Bringing a pet over to someone’s workstation will help them relax and take pride in their job. Furthermore, this move is excellent for people who don’t have anyone to sit their pet. However, we need to be extra careful to keep the different animals from harming each other. In addition, we should also take any allergies into account. Several different pet days in a month may be a good idea.
Beverages
There are times when an employee does so well it brings the company’s profile up by a huge margin. This is when we will want to take out an extra special gift, and an expensive beverage is perfect for the occasion.
Normally, people opt for wine or champagne. Craft beer or a solid whiskey is also a decent option. But then again, our employee might not be someone who enjoys alcohol. In that case, a decent set of sodas or sparkling drinks will do the trick. Organic juice with different flavours can be just as effective.
Extra Vacation Time
Let’s say that our employee gets two weeks of vacation per year. If they perform extra well, why not make that vacation up to five days longer?
An employee who puts in the extra hours at the office and performs well across the board deserves some extra time for themselves. That time can be spent at the spa, the gym, the beach, the mountains, or anywhere that tickles their fancy. If we provide them with extra vacation days, they will definitely appreciate us and their future work input will improve greatly.
Office Games
Making sure our employees can relax at the office is key to a productive environment. We often see in different television series how some workers toss paper wads in bins, imitating basketball players. Others may race across the office with their chairs or play hangman at the whiteboard. While we shouldn’t encourage that behaviour during work hours, we should definitely allow it during the employee downtime.
Providing some office games such as foosball tables and dartboards will reduce the level of stress and help make our workers more creative. Some companies go the extra mile and install a gaming console or an arcade machine in a special room. All of that will work to our benefit if it helps relax our employees during their time in the office.
Self-Care Kits
Self-care kits may seem like an odd choice, but let’s put that into perspective. When we’re at the office, we get cramps, backpain, muscle aches, etc. In short, we need a bit of self-care for our own health’s sake. So, a massager, a facial roller, or a bottle of essential oil will work wonders. Let’s remember that a relaxed worker is a productive one. What’s more, if we provide this kit in a neat little basket, we will pamper the employee in the best, most cost-effective way possible.
Workout Passes and Gym Memberships
Since we’re on the subject of muscle strain and aching joints, we must understand that our employees’ health is the top priority. Some of our employees may feel a little out of shape. And that’s nothing a little exercise can’t fix.
Gym memberships with company discounts are an excellent way to motivate our employees to better themselves and maintain their physical well-being. Not only will they train to get in shape, but they’ll spend their free time in a productive, self-improving manner. That will give them a sense of routine and responsibility, which is crucial for any company’s growth.
Lunch and Learn
We’ve established that a common lunch is a good idea. We’ve also figured out how vital it is for our employees to constantly improve their skills and acquire new knowledge. So why not combine the two concepts into one?
A typical Lunch and Learn is simple enough. First, we pick a topic that is related to our industry, but will keep everyone’s attention. Next, we choose a date and a location, notifying the employees beforehand. Finally, we start working on the menu, catering to anyone’s specific dietary needs. The event will keep our employees satisfied while also helping them improve their work skills and grow as professionals.
Commuter Benefits
Bus passes, parking permits, vouchers for oil change discounts, rented bicycles or segues — if there’s a way for us to reduce the travel expenses of our employees, we ought to do it. Everyone has a different way of reaching the workspace, and some of our workers take longer than others to arrive. Oftentimes, the price they pay for commuting will amount to a significant part of their salary. And since that’s a huge demotivator, we must work on ways of reducing these commute issues to a minimum.
Local Specialities
Companies that have branches in several cities, states, or even countries can provide their employees with some multicultural specialities as appreciation gifts. For example, if we have a Greek branch, our UK office can send them over some fish and chips, while they can send some gyros or moussaka to the UK employees.
These cuisine exchanges work because, as we’ve established, all employees love food as a gift. Furthermore, it gives them the opportunity to learn about new cultures and become closer to their colleagues.
Providing Breakfast
And since we’re still talking about food, we can’t forget about providing breakfast for our team. Imagine this scenario: you’re still groggy from your sleep, and the minute you walk into the office, there’s a crumpet or ‘fry-up’ waiting at the office table. Feels amazing, doesn’t it?
A free breakfast from time to time is an excellent motivator. Part of its appeal is that it’s unexpected, which will always elicit a positive reaction. If we combine it with a group lunch and complementary candy, we will have the perfect combo that any staff member will enjoy.
Take Your Child to Work Days
Moms and dads know how straining it can be when they can’t find a babysitter, but they also can’t miss a day of work. In addition, children need their parents as often as possible, or else they start to have abandonment issues. As employees, we can solve that problem with regular Take Your Child to Work Days.
If our workers are diligent, their children can take pride in watching them work. When it comes to motivators, nothing is as powerful as the happiness of an employee’s own offspring. Plus, if our office is child-friendly and accommodating, the workers will want to continue to work for us out of sheer respect.
Office Espresso Machine
This gift is a bit pricier than others, but it’s one that keeps on giving. If we invest in an espresso machine, we will provide the office with daily espresso options that they will love. They will no longer have to spend money at the local coffee shop, and the extra luxury will motivate them to work harder. What’s more, we can even join them and grab a cup from time to time. It’s an excellent conversation piece, plus it enables us to get closer to our team. Moreover, our own team will collaborate even closer with one another if they share the same taste in espresso beverages.
Home Services
No employee wants to cook, clean, do laundry, or take out the garbage after a hard shift. Of course, it’s something everyone has to do, but if our employees work extra hard at the office, we can take the edge off by hiring some home services for them.
One way of doing it is to offer them free coupons or vouchers for certain services near their home. Ordering a meal or two at the company’s expense is also a possibility. If the employee has done a particularly good job, we can even splurge a bit and combine several services into one day. It will definitely be a lifesaver for the employee after eight long hours at the office.
Pillows, Blankets, Heaters
Broadly speaking, employees tend to be more cold than hot at the office. The difference isn’t great, but an employee that has to shiver even slightly will not be able to focus on work. As such, our appreciation gift to them ought to revolve around warmth. And that warmth will include blankets, pillows, and heaters.
We can either opt to give individual gifts to employees, or we can have a package in one corner of the office that houses all of those items. Our employees can then take out whatever they need in order to keep warm during the shift. Custom-branded items can serve as excellent anniversary gifts, or even severance packages if our departing ex-employees did a good job during their tenure.
Travel Perks
Airfare, rental car services, reduced hotel costs, specific accommodation vouchers and discounts, and promo codes for bus tickets are some ways we can make our employees’ trips stand out. Be it a vacation or a business trip, we can always help our staff out by reducing the costs and giving them benefits. Not only is it an excellent money and time saver, but this gift also lets our workers know we care for them no matter where they may be.
Personalised Recognition
Of course, sometimes you simply cannot beat the classics. Intelligent entrepreneurs would say that there is no greater reward than the recognition of a job well done. And they are right. If we let our employee know, directly, how good of a worker they were and how proud we are to have them, we’ll provide that much-needed validation.
Sometimes, we can expand on this recognition with an award, a diploma, a certificate, or a plaque. Other times, simple applause and public praise in front of their peers will make our employees feel special. Right there, we have an excellent appreciation gift that really didn’t cost us anything. Yet, it earned us an employee that will not stop wanting to improve themselves.
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Show How Much You Appreciate Your Employees With Top-Tier Gifts
As we can see, there are so many different appreciation gifts to choose from. Obviously, when we’re giving them away, we will emphasise to our employee why they’re receiving the gift.
That way, they will know to connect proper work ethic and improvement to valuable awards and the respect of the employers. But more importantly, it’s a sign to all of the other employees at our company that their hard work will eventually pay off. And the harder they work, the more growth we can expect at the company. And, consequently, we will be providing more appreciation gifts in the future.