The 18+ All-Time Best Employee Recognition Gifts (2021 Edition)

We have put together a list of the 18+ All-Time best employee recognition gifts that will help you acknowledge the achievements and hard work of the people who work for your company.

Your company is as good as your team. With hardworking employees giving their best, your business would never be successful, thriving, and blooming. Recognizing the efforts they put in and the tough grind they go through is a key ingredient for your success.

The million-dollar question is: what should you give to your employees that you treasure and respect? With so many employee appreciation gift ideas out there, it gets hard to make a choice. Luckily, in this article we have put together a list of the best employee recognition gifts in today’s day & age.

What Should I Recognize My Employees For?

Wondering when to shower your employees with quality gifts? Well, you can show your appreciation whenever you want. For instance, if you are satisfied with their performance on a project, you can give them a small bonus as a token of appreciation.

However, as a general rule of thumb, there are two main reasons to recognize your employees for.

  • Workplace Achievements: For instance, if your employees reach a milestone, complete a tough project, win a new client, or get a promotion, you can give them a meaningful gift.
  • Personal Achievements: Weddings, holidays, birthdays, having babies, a special event, etc. all come under the banner of personal achievements. 

Basically, it isn’t about why you should recognize your employees or for what, it is about the HOW. You have to make sure that you are making the staff feel wanted, needed, and appreciated.

You can get generic gifts, or you can get custom, personalized gifts for them. However, personalized corporate gifts take it up a notch and leave your workers feeling happy and valued. Based on the interests of your employees, you can select a personalized gift that resonates with them.

This can be a gift card to their favorite shop, a wine basket, or a ticket to a sporting event. Employee recognition is about building a positive relationship with your staff so that they become more engaged in their work.

The List

1. S'mores Gift Set - $

Who doesn’t love some good, ol’ s’mores? This package will always leave a smile on your employees faces. Give your staff something sweet to nibble on to show that you love the hard work they have been putting in lately!

2. Personalized YETI Mug - $$

YETI mugs aren’t common, run-of-the-mill mugs. They are shatterproof, insulated. And are meant for more than just a classic cup of joe. They are practical, yet personal and are something the employee can use on a day-to-day basis.

3. Branded Gift Set - $$

You can give branded gift baskets filled with goodies that the employee is bound to love. From leather wallets and keychains to perfumes and face masks, you can choose any branded gift set depending on the interests of the employee you are giving the classic gift to.

Add a handwritten, personalized message inside the box to take employees appreciation up a notch.

4. Tower of Treats - $$

Each decadent chocolate in this generous tower is guaranteed to delight your recipients and comes individually wrapped for extra convenience. Great for sharing—if they don’t choose to keep it all for themselves! With so much variety there will be something sure to please the employee, if not everyone in the office.

5. Succulent Box - $

When you are giving someone a functional gift, make sure to get them something they will see or use regularly, and won’t simply put it in a drawer. With the help of a succulent box, bring the outdoors inside for your employees.

6. Google Nest Mini - $$

Tech gifts have grown in the ranks over the past years. You can give Google Nest Mini, an amazing speaker and a great way to extend Google Assistant to different parts of your office, to your employees.

This AI gift will bring fun and freedom to the workday, and will definitely help in making your office a tech-oriented place.

7. Custom Stationary Kit

Employees that receive this kit will be provided all they need to create and maintain organization in this kit. Included in the kit is pencils, a journal, buttons, stickers and a papertoy astronaut that they can build.

It’s a fun and cool way to say thank you to some of your best employees.

8. Time Off Work - $$

Appreciation tokens aren’t always something that you buy for your employees. One of the best employee service awards you can give is the gift of time. Paid time off work will be highly appreciated by your employees as this gives them time to spend with family & friends.

When they come back, they will be fresh, energized, and ready to give their best!

9. Snack Attack Gift Basket - $$

This classic wooden crate is overflowing with flavor! Fruity candies pair with amazing popcorn varieties for a snack perfect for any occasion. Every recipient will find something here to enjoy and know just how much you appreciate them.

10. Custom Galactic Award

This award is a striking mix of clear and blue optic crystal accented by chrome-plated stars. It makes this awards the perfect choice for your stellar performers.

The engraved plaque will serve as a constant reminder of your appreciation for the employee.

11. Vacation Getaway - $$ - $$$

Not all companies can send their workers on a Hawaiian adventure, but you can certainly show your appreciation by buying tickets for your employees to someplace you can afford. It doesn’t have to be a first-class trip to Italy – you can book a vacation for your employees at a local bed and breakfast or high-end resort.

12. Wine Tasting Gift Set- $$

Want to send a gift to your remote employees working from home? Create a wine tasting experience for them that they can enjoy from the safety of their homes in these harsh times. You can get them an 8-pack of wine to help them put their new wine-tasting skills to use as well.

13. Bluetooth Speaker - $$

A Bluetooth speaker is a great gift. It will be used often and every time your workers use it, they will be reminded of the fact that it is a token of your appreciation for them. This will keep them motivated for a long time!

14. A Box of Donuts - $

A box of donuts is a simple, yet a yummy gift. It is perfect for companies that don’t have a lot of money to spend on employee recognition. You can top the box off with a handwritten positive message to add a personalized touch to the gift.

15. Amazon Gift Card- $ - $$$

Who hasn’t shopped from Amazon, at least once, right? By getting your employees an Amazon gift card, you are allowing them to choose whatever they want. The employee can spend money on whatever they want & will actually use the gift certificates.

16. Custom Speaker- $$

Long and sleek custom speakers enabled a user to listen to music out loud. With incredible surround sound. Custom speakers are a perfect gift that will get anyone excited.

Speakers have so many uses, listen to music, broadcast a podcast, or even leave it in a boardroom for those who call it. This custom speaker is both desirable and awesome.

17. Stress Ball - $

Who doesn’t get a bit stressed after a long day at work? Gift your employees a stress ball to help them get some of that load and anxiety off their shoulders!

18. Spotify Premium Subscription - $$

We all love listening to music, and Spotify is the go-to music application for most of us. However, the free version of Spotify is riddled with ads. Gift your employees a Spotify premium subscription and they will appreciate listening to music as they work without the annoying ads!v

19. Catered Lunch - $$- $$$

If you want to show your entire team how much you value and appreciate them, you can get them catered lunch.  It is a great option for company-wide employee recognition gifts, and if you get food from local businesses, you can free two birds with one key!

Employee Recognition Gifts FAQ's

Q. Where can I find good employee recognition gifts?

Here at Inspire, we provide high-quality, thoughtful gifts that can be personalized to your company. 

Q. How do I give gifts to employees working at home?

Employees who are working from home often feel alone and disconnected, and will definitely appreciate an award. From an amazon gift card and virtual wine tasting, there are plenty of virtual gifts you can give them.

You can also send a box of donuts to their home through UberEats. 

Q. How much should our company spend on employee recognition gifts?

The amount of money you should spend on staff appreciation gifts depends on the size of the business & the annual budget. Set aside some amount of money for professional gifts each year, and see how it goes from there.

Q. Are employee recognition gifts necessary? 

Employee motivational gifts aren’t necessary but are highly encouraged. They boost company morale, keep your team motivated, and show your workers that you appreciate all the hard work they do for you.

Closing

In this article, we have put together all the ideas we think will establish a stronger emotional relationship between you and your workers. Moreover, it will help the employees feel appreciated, energetic, and motivated.

With the help of an employee appreciation gift, you can reward, thank, and motivate your staff. From employee appreciation days to work anniversaries, you should keep custom drinkware, subscription cards, and other gifts on hand to let your team know they are valued and cherished.

If even one idea works for you and your staff, this post will have been worth writing. All the best!