Your employees work long hours. They sacrifice time with their families to ensure a job well done. They deal with difficult customers and other difficult situations.
To them, it all seems like business as usual. But that doesn't mean employee recognition gifts won't have a positive impact.
Recognizing your employees with a gift isn't just a nice gesture. It's becoming an essential practice of most workplaces.
Findings reveal that honoring contributions with something other than a paycheck can help you retain top talent, boost morale, and strengthen productivity and results.
You don't have to spend a fortune to get these results, either. Take a look at seven creative, budget-friendly employee recognition gifts you can start giving today:
#1 - Personalized Employee Recognition Gifts
There's nothing quite as personal as a gift with someone's name on it.
Employees won't complain about receiving any type of gift. However, having one custom-made with their name tells them you didn't get it out of a backroom prize closet.
Consider gifting practical items, such as a Yeti tumbler, pen, or desk items that won't be tossed aside after a few days.
Personalized items aren't that expensive, but they do require some planning. Unless you have a print shop in town that can add personalization, you'll need to take into account how long it will be before you can place the item in your employee's hand.
The impact personalized items make is well worth the wait.
#2 - Have a Gift Delivered to Your Employee's Home
In a corporate world full of electronic communications, sending a piece of snail mail has become somewhat of a lost art.
The best part about this idea is that a gift mailed to the home is completely unexpected. It builds curiosity and excitement as your employee searches to see who sent their mystery gift.
Inexpensive options could include a journal or a water bottle. Alternatively, you can opt for a small yet useful item, such as a pair of earbuds or a power bank.
Whatever you decide to send, make sure you include a personalized message letting them know why they're worthy of such a gift.
#3 - Pass Along a Company Trophy
This activity not only recognizes employees for a job well done. It also gets others involved in praising their peers.
To start, choose a company trophy, such as a stuffed animal, figure, or another object. You can award the trophy to someone who exemplifies one of your corporate values and ongoing dedication. He or she will get to keep the trophy for a week, then we’ll choose the next recipient the following week.
You can have fun with this by holding a weekly ceremony that gets everyone involved. The formal recognition in front of their peers can go a long way in boosting morale.
Best of all, this gift idea doesn't cost anything, but a few minutes' time and a one-time trophy purchase.
#4 - Give a Gift Straight From Your Company's Leadership
Receiving a gift straight from the higher ups can make any employee feel special.
Consider offering a block of one-on-time with the President or another company leader. This gives employees a chance to voice their ideas and opinions to the people who can make a difference. It also shows that their hard work hasn't gone unnoticed by the company's top-tier team members.
In addition, this interaction also gives managers or bosses a way to build loyalty and solidarity with employees. They're able to learn more about the people working at the company and get a feel for how they can continue to promote a positive work environment.
During this meeting, leaders can hand out a gift to the employee to strengthen the impact of their time together. This could be a fancy company pen or other higher quality item.
Any gift coming from one of the company's leaders is likely to make a lasting impression on the employee. At the very least, they'll see it as a distinctive privilege that not everyone will have the benefit of enjoying.
#5 - Host Spontaneous Surprise Parties
Unexpected employee recognition gifts can be fun and memorable, especially when the whole team is involved. Consider hosting a surprise party after hitting a goal or pushing through a hard week.
Keep some branded company cups on hand for whenever surprise occasions arise. This way, your employees can take one a memento of the gesture.
#6 - Share Your Employees' Passions
Recognizing hard work isn't just about what happens inside the company walls. Your employees may have other passion projects they work hard on, such as volunteering with a non-profit or creating artistic masterpieces.
Whatever your employees' passions, you can provide them with a small gift to fuel their efforts, such as an eco tote bag they can fill with supplies or a custom shirt that bears their non-profit's cause.
It's a simple way to show you care not just about their work performance, but about their personal goals and growth, too.
#7 - Focus on Their Well-Being
Hard work comes with a price, and that price isn't paid with a paycheck.
If your employees are stepping up their contributions, you should know they've likely had to make a sacrifice to do so.
Arriving earlier or staying later than normal means their health and well-being may take a toll. They might skip lunches to meet deadlines. They may forgo their after-work run to be present for a conference call.
You can repay them by giving them employee recognition gifts that focus on their health. A massage roller, a yoga mator other gym accessoriescan make a huge difference and encourages the right environment for them to relax and continue to grow!
When you show you're dedicated to their personal needs outside of the office, they'll feel the extra effort was worthwhile and will feel inclined to continue their performance.
In Closing
Employee recognition gifts run the gamut from inexpensive to costly, but they're always much appreciated. It's important to keep your hardworking employees happy because they're much more likely to return the favor.
7 Creative Employee Recognition Gift Ideas
Your employees work long hours. They sacrifice time with their families to ensure a job well done. They deal with difficult customers and other difficult situations.
To them, it all seems like business as usual. But that doesn't mean employee recognition gifts won't have a positive impact.
Recognizing your employees with a gift isn't just a nice gesture. It's becoming an essential practice of most workplaces.
Findings reveal that honoring contributions with something other than a paycheck can help you retain top talent, boost morale, and strengthen productivity and results.
You don't have to spend a fortune to get these results, either. Take a look at seven creative, budget-friendly employee recognition gifts you can start giving today:
#1 - Personalized Employee Recognition Gifts
There's nothing quite as personal as a gift with someone's name on it.
Employees won't complain about receiving any type of gift. However, having one custom-made with their name tells them you didn't get it out of a backroom prize closet.
Consider gifting practical items, such as a Yeti tumbler, pen, or desk items that won't be tossed aside after a few days.
Personalized items aren't that expensive, but they do require some planning. Unless you have a print shop in town that can add personalization, you'll need to take into account how long it will be before you can place the item in your employee's hand.
The impact personalized items make is well worth the wait.
#2 - Have a Gift Delivered to Your Employee's Home
In a corporate world full of electronic communications, sending a piece of snail mail has become somewhat of a lost art.
The best part about this idea is that a gift mailed to the home is completely unexpected. It builds curiosity and excitement as your employee searches to see who sent their mystery gift.
Inexpensive options could include a journal or a water bottle. Alternatively, you can opt for a small yet useful item, such as a pair of earbuds or a power bank.
Whatever you decide to send, make sure you include a personalized message letting them know why they're worthy of such a gift.
#3 - Pass Along a Company Trophy
This activity not only recognizes employees for a job well done. It also gets others involved in praising their peers.
To start, choose a company trophy, such as a stuffed animal, figure, or another object. You can award the trophy to someone who exemplifies one of your corporate values and ongoing dedication. He or she will get to keep the trophy for a week, then we’ll choose the next recipient the following week.
You can have fun with this by holding a weekly ceremony that gets everyone involved. The formal recognition in front of their peers can go a long way in boosting morale.
Best of all, this gift idea doesn't cost anything, but a few minutes' time and a one-time trophy purchase.
#4 - Give a Gift Straight From Your Company's Leadership
Receiving a gift straight from the higher ups can make any employee feel special.
Consider offering a block of one-on-time with the President or another company leader. This gives employees a chance to voice their ideas and opinions to the people who can make a difference. It also shows that their hard work hasn't gone unnoticed by the company's top-tier team members.
In addition, this interaction also gives managers or bosses a way to build loyalty and solidarity with employees. They're able to learn more about the people working at the company and get a feel for how they can continue to promote a positive work environment.
During this meeting, leaders can hand out a gift to the employee to strengthen the impact of their time together. This could be a fancy company pen or other higher quality item.
Any gift coming from one of the company's leaders is likely to make a lasting impression on the employee. At the very least, they'll see it as a distinctive privilege that not everyone will have the benefit of enjoying.
#5 - Host Spontaneous Surprise Parties
Unexpected employee recognition gifts can be fun and memorable, especially when the whole team is involved. Consider hosting a surprise party after hitting a goal or pushing through a hard week.
Keep some branded company cups on hand for whenever surprise occasions arise. This way, your employees can take one a memento of the gesture.
#6 - Share Your Employees' Passions
Recognizing hard work isn't just about what happens inside the company walls. Your employees may have other passion projects they work hard on, such as volunteering with a non-profit or creating artistic masterpieces.
Whatever your employees' passions, you can provide them with a small gift to fuel their efforts, such as an eco tote bag they can fill with supplies or a custom shirt that bears their non-profit's cause.
It's a simple way to show you care not just about their work performance, but about their personal goals and growth, too.
#7 - Focus on Their Well-Being
Hard work comes with a price, and that price isn't paid with a paycheck.
If your employees are stepping up their contributions, you should know they've likely had to make a sacrifice to do so.
Arriving earlier or staying later than normal means their health and well-being may take a toll. They might skip lunches to meet deadlines. They may forgo their after-work run to be present for a conference call.
You can repay them by giving them employee recognition gifts that focus on their health. A massage roller, a yoga mat or other gym accessories can make a huge difference and encourages the right environment for them to relax and continue to grow!
When you show you're dedicated to their personal needs outside of the office, they'll feel the extra effort was worthwhile and will feel inclined to continue their performance.
In Closing
Employee recognition gifts run the gamut from inexpensive to costly, but they're always much appreciated. It's important to keep your hardworking employees happy because they're much more likely to return the favor.
For more creative employee recognition gift ideas, check out our Newest Products for 2018