12 employee appreciation gifts your team will love

By Zach Links|5 min read|Updated Oct 4, 2024

Employee appreciation gifts aren't just a nice gesture. They're a strategic investment in your team's engagement, productivity, and loyalty.

The right gifts show your coworkers you value their efforts. They foster a positive workplace culture. And they deliver measurable business results.

Let's explore the impact of employee appreciation. Then we'll dive into gift ideas your team will actually want — for every budget and work environment.

Smart companies know employee appreciation pays off. Here's how a small investment in recognition can boost your bottom line.

Appreciated employees are engaged employees. A Gallup study found that employees who receive regular recognition are 5x more likely to feel connected to their company culture and 4x more likely to be actively engaged in their work.

Engagement drives real business results. Highly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability according to Gallup's meta-analysis.

Want to keep your top talent? Make them feel valued.

Companies with formal recognition programs have 31% lower voluntary turnover. And 87% of employees say that meaningful recognition increases their job satisfaction.

Remember: The true cost of replacing an employee can be up to 2x their annual salary. Retention through appreciation delivers major cost savings.

Appreciation boosts productivity. The Harvard Business Review researched leaders across industries and found that managers who excel at recognition have more engaged employees. These employees put in higher levels of discretionary effort — more than the minimum effort required.

The impact is significant. HBR's analysis shows leaders rated in the top 10% for providing recognition had employees at the 69th percentile on engagement. In contrast, leaders in the bottom 10% had employees at just the 27th percentile.

Appreciated employees also felt that they were better informed about the company’s business, enabling them to perform better at their job.

Consistent appreciation strengthens bonds between employees and employers. Over 86% of HR professionals say values-based recognition improves office relationships, yielding a more collaborative work environment.

Kudos, Atlassian's internal employee recognition program, rewards employees who go the extra mile. The small tokens of appreciation, which can be as little as $25, have Atlassian ranked as one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For.

“The Kudos program lets us thank each other for our hard work,” said Madison Lohrum, Global Project Coordinator at Atlassian. “It’s a huge part of our culture here.”

You don't need a huge budget to show appreciation. These affordable options pack a meaningful punch.

Handwritten thank you notes

A personal, handwritten note of appreciation costs almost nothing. But it shows you took time to recognize someone's specific contributions. Keep a stack of notecards handy to dash off quick thanks.

For maximum impact, be specific about the employee's actions and their positive outcomes. You can also turn the note into a keepsake by inviting team members to sign it and add their own messages.

Team snacks

Stock the kitchenette with a mix of healthy and indulgent snacks. Consider dietary restrictions and preferences when selecting options. Rotate choices regularly to keep things exciting.

Include both quick grab-and-go items and ingredients for simple office-made treats. Encourage team members to suggest their favorites to keep everyone involved.

Extra PTO day

An extra paid day off is a highly-valued gift that doesn't impact your cash budget. Be clear it's a bonus day on top of regular PTO. Encourage its use for self-care, pursuing personal interests, or recharging.

This work anniversary gift shows you value work-life balance. For a personalized touch, you can tie the PTO to the employee’s tenure (e.g., one extra day for every two years of service).

Charitable donations

Make a small donation to a charity of the employee's choice. This aligns with many workers' desire for purposeful giving. Even $25-50 donations are meaningful when personalized.

It’s worth noting that charities and nonprofits may be subject to 2-3% credit card processing fees. So, if you’re giving a charitable donation as a gift, you might want to explore fee-free options.

It’s especially important for remote workers to feel connected and appreciated as they collaborate from a distance. Consider these gifts for distributed teams.

Home office upgrades

Help remote staff optimize their workspace. Popular options include ergonomic accessories, noise-canceling headphones, or ambient lighting. Match items to individual needs.

Consider conducting a brief survey to understand each employee's home office setup and pain points. This allows you to provide targeted upgrades that directly address their specific challenges, maximizing the impact of your gift.

Virtual team building

Gift an online experience the whole remote team can enjoy together. Virtual escape rooms, trivia nights, or cooking classes build bonds across distances.

To enhance engagement, consider rotating team members as hosts or organizers for these events. This empowers employees to showcase their interests and skills while fostering a sense of ownership in team activities.

Personalized awards

Create bespoke items that celebrate each employee's unique contributions and milestones. Instead of traditional plaques, you could gift custom-engraved desk accessories, artisanal trophies, or even commissioned digital artwork.

Incorporate personal touches like quotes from teammates or clients highlighting the employee's impact. These items can serve as lasting reminders of appreciation and become cherished mementos.

Flexible rewards

Let remote workers choose their own gift with a flexible digital reward from Tremendous. They can select from gift cards, prepaid cards, or donations to causes they care about.

In-office teams benefit from gifts that enhance the workplace experience and foster a sense of community. These expressions of appreciation can transform the physical workspace, encourage collaboration, and create lasting positive associations with the office environment.

Consider these options to boost morale and productivity for your on-site employees.

Office amenities

Upgrade shared spaces with items like an espresso machine or collaborative tech tools like smart whiteboards and noise-canceling speakerphones. These show investment in creating a great work environment.

Consider creating a rotating "amenity of the month" program where employees vote on new additions. This encourages engagement and ensures amenities stay aligned with team preferences.

Professional development

Fund attendance at an industry conference or training course. This demonstrates commitment to employees' growth and career advancement.

According to a LinkedIn study, 94% of employees say they would stay longer with their employer if their company invested in their career progression. Consider creating personalized learning plans that align with both the employee's career goals and company needs.

Wellness perks

Bring wellness into the office with options like onsite yoga classes, massage therapy sessions, or fitness challenges. These boost both health and morale.

Partner with local wellness providers to offer a variety of options catering to different interests and needs. Consider implementing a wellness stipend that employees can use flexibly for gym memberships, mental health apps, or other health-related expenses.

Recognition wall

Create a dedicated space to showcase employee achievements and milestones. Update regularly to keep appreciation visible and ongoing.

Incorporate digital elements like QR codes linking to video testimonials or project highlights. This adds depth to the recognition and allows for easy updating. Consider featuring a "spotlight" section that rotates weekly or monthly to ensure all team members get moments of prominence.

Employee appreciation gifts are a powerful tool for boosting engagement, productivity, and retention. Whether you're recognizing remote workers, in-office teams, or a mix of both, thoughtful gifts show your staff you value their contributions.

Tremendous simplifies employee appreciation gifting for all types of workers. Our platform lets you send personalized rewards at scale — from gift cards to charitable donations — with:

2000+ reward options, ensuring every employee finds something they love
Instant digital delivery for both remote and in-office staff
Rewards available in 200+ countries — perfect for global teams
Customizable branding to reinforce your company culture
Bulk sending capabilities for efficient, large-scale recognition
Detailed tracking and reporting to measure program impact

The best part? Tremendous gives employees the gift of choice. They can select rewards that align with their personal preferences, whether that's a practical prepaid card, a gift card to their favorite retailer, or a donation to a cause they care about.

Ready to elevate your employee appreciation strategy? Sign up for Tremendous today and start sending meaningful rewards in minutes. Or, book a demo to see how our platform can transform your recognition efforts.

Employee appreciation drives engagement, retention, productivity and stronger workplace relationships. Gallup found that employees who don't feel recognized are twice as likely to quit in the next year. Regular appreciation boosts individual and company performance.

While consistent recognition matters most, some key times for employee gifts include:

Work anniversaries
Completing major projects
Exceeding performance goals
Holidays and end-of-year
Employee Appreciation Day (first Friday in March)
Personal milestones like birthdays or new babies

The best employee gifts feel timely and personal rather than generic or obligatory.

The best employee gifts are:

Personalized to the individual's interests
Aligned with company values
Appropriate to the achievement being recognized
Delivered with sincere, specific praise
Consistent with gifts given to peers for similar contributions

Thoughtfulness enhances the impact of any gift. A personalized note accompanying a gift can significantly boost the gesture's meaning. This personal touch transforms even modest gifts into memorable tokens of appreciation.

Small but meaningful tokens of appreciation include:

Handwritten thank you notes
Workspace enhancements like desk plants
Public recognition in team meetings
Small gift cards ($5-25)
Extra breaks or early release on a Friday

Gift budgets vary widely based on company size, industry norms, and the specific achievement being recognized. Some general guidelines:

Spot recognition: $25-100
Annual bonuses: 5-10% of salary
Years of service awards: $20-50 per year of tenure
Team celebration: $50-200 per person

Remember that consistency matters more than dollar amount. A regular cadence of smaller rewards often has more impact than rare, larger gifts.

Investing in employee appreciation pays off. A study by Deloitte found that organizations with recognition programs have 14% better employee engagement, productivity, and performance compared to those without.

Show your team you value their efforts. The return on investment in employee morale, retention and results makes employee appreciation gifts a smart business strategy.