Top 20 Employee Appreciation Gifts - DIY, Inexpensive, and Premium Options

Every win— whether small or big— deserves to be celebrated. The same stands true for the workplace too. While there are numerous ways to show appreciation for your employees' efforts, giving meaningful gifts is the simplest and most effective. This article is all about the various employee appreciation gifts that will help show your employees that you value them.

You may ask anyone at your office how they would like to be treated at work. Most likely, they will express their prime desire to be treated with care and respect.

Thus, it is high time to realize that appreciating and celebrating employees is always a good idea. Still, it's especially crucial during such difficult circumstances. Now is the right time to make your employees feel valued and appreciated, which would reduce their stress.

What Is Employee Appreciation?

Employee appreciation can always be very spontaneous, like a verbal thank you or a handwritten note, especially if sent on time and with sincerity. Appreciations are also motivating and exciting. But honestly, when we talk about modern employees, they want something more than regular appreciation.

That's why, in the present scenario, saying "thank you" and announcing “employee of the month” isn't enough. Now, you need to convey your gratitude with a concrete present that is equally fruitful in enhancing one's morale. In short, your employees would love receiving tangible gifts of appreciation on top of their paychecks and verbal recognition.

Must Read: A Complete Guide To Employee Recognition

What Is A Good Employee Appreciation Gift?

I had the opportunity to discuss this question with Christopher Littlefield, International Speaker on Employee Appreciation and Remote Teams, Harvard Business Review and Forbes Contributor, and founder of Beyond Thank You. He quoted-

When paired with a meaningful compliment, a thoughtful and personalized gift can act as a physical reminder of that moment in time.

Ofcourse, personalized gifts are fun to receive and even more enjoyable to give! But finding the ideal employee appreciation gifts can be stressful. Here are a couple of things to bear in mind:

• Although whether or not a gift is liked or disliked depends on the person who receives it, we may consider a few factors before selecting employee appreciation gifts. We all prefer personalized and meaningful gifts, for example.

• Budgets will differ from one company to the next and from one campaign to another. However, providing a tangible gift does not have to be complicated, costly, or time-consuming. For example, a gift card can be a simple choice for both the person gifting and receiving it.

• Remember, the goal of employee appreciation gifts isn't to promote your business. So, attempt to keep the number of company-branded items in your gifting alternatives to a minimum.

• Suppose you're delivering food as a gift to a small group of employees. In that case, you should be able to consider their dietary limitations and tailor food alternatives to each individual. However, this may not be possible when gifting edible items to hundreds or thousands of employees.

• Although you can't judge a book by its cover, a poor gift wrap can look lame and lead to instant disappointment. Don't forget to include the cost of gift packaging when making your gift budget. Gift boxes with some branding can give them a professional look while keeping them stylish. With hundreds of gift box options available, finding one that perfectly complements your gift should be easy.

Giving gifts is an art, according to some, but knowing where to begin is challenging.

Whether you're looking for a gift option that your entire team will love, some DIY ideas, something small and inexpensive, or something that will make your employees feel privileged, here are some ideas to help you get started.

Top 20 Employee Appreciation Gifts For Different Occasions

DIY Employee Appreciation Gifts

1. Thank You Spa Gift Box

If you think of gifting something that provides relaxation, a spa gift set allows you to do that!

Make a DIY Spa Gift Basket for a unique — and inexpensive — present. You can tailor what you include to the receiver's preferences and package everything in a gorgeous gift basket within your budget!

2. Diy Cocktail Kit

Some lovely cocktail kits can be one of the best employee appreciation gifts if the holidays are approaching! Ensure you have all the components for a delicious craft drink for happy hour. Fill the jar with little versions of booze, mixers, flavorings, and some cute printable recipe cards, and you've got yourself a great gift for your employee.

If you want to upgrade your gift, put together a bartender's gift package, including a couple of cocktail kits, a shaker, bar towels, and other bartender supplies. Let's put together some drink kits together!

3. Handmade Flower Bouquet

Whether it's a valentine's gift for a coworker or an appreciation gift for your employees, you can't go wrong with a lovely bouquet of "thank you" flowers!

Flowers are not only affordable but also attractive. A gorgeous bouquet makes a nice and considerate employee appreciation gift, whether you buy it at the local supermarket, get it from a florist, or create your bouquet from hand-picked flowers grown in your yard.

When it comes to floral arrangements, be smart. Make sure the tissue papers and ribbons you use match the color of your flowers. With that little extra effort, your flower bouquet will go from ordinary to extraordinary.

4. DIY Cookie Decorating Kit

Cookie decorating kits are suitable for people of all ages. If you have a coworker who is a baking enthusiast, you should definitely think about giving them this as a gift! It will allow you to express your gratitude in the sweetest way possible. You'll only get smiles in exchange for your scrumptious, beautifully crafted, considerate, and memorable sweet treats.

Inexpensive Employee Appreciation Gifts

5. Desk Plants

Desk plants are not only great gifts for brightening up your team's workstation, but they are also great mood boosters and offer comfort. It's a low-cost approach to showing your employees that you care about their psychological and physical wellness.

The plant will be a daily reminder of thankfulness, and your staff's dedication will soar to new heights. You can include a personalized appreciation note to send a message to the recipients.

6. Tech Tools For The Techies

There are many low-cost tech tools that can be both practical and considerate.

Is there, for example, someone on staff who tends to drain his phone's battery very often? Get a charging stick for him. Other budget-friendly tech gift includes desktop cube speakers, a cell phone holder or case, and flash drives.

7. Gift Cards

Gift cards are among the most popular employee appreciation gifts in the corporate sector. They're also great for expressing gratitude to employees at any time of year.

Gift cards allow you to be unique (a card to a coffee shop for the coffee lover or a card to the recipient's favorite retail outlet) while allowing the receiver to choose their gift. It's an excellent option to ensure they get exactly what they want!

8. Assorted Teabox

Here's a gift that's both fragrant and delicious to sip on. After a hard day at work, a calming herbal cup of tea filled with various essences, such as rose petals, chamomile, and lavender, is the best way to relax. It also promotes restful sleep so they can return to work the next day with the same vigor!

9. Candles and Fragrances

Simple, beautiful, and delightful. Make someone's day by gifting them a collection of scented candles in their favorite scent, presented in a sweet little gift box. Candles can help anyone calm down, relax, and refocus. Aside from looking good, the candles you choose should be cost-effective enough to last more than a single-use.

10. Emoji Face Stress Balls

The workplace can be stressful place. There are always deadlines to meet, yet there are never enough hours in the day to complete everything. As a result, it's common to feel pressured and overwhelmed.

The stress balls, which come in a range of hilarious expressions, are an excellent gift for your entire team to help them deal with worry and stress.

11. Caricature

Wouldn't you feel great if someone gave you a personalized caricature of yourself? Your employees would appreciate it too.

A caricature with some positive wishes and other specific qualities about a person's hobbies or habits can be given as an employee appreciation gift to celebrate an achievement.

The caricature can be printed and framed, transformed into a canvas print, or embroidered on t-shirts, mugs, and other merchandise. A copy can be displayed in the main office lobby or the employee cafeteria.

Premium Employee Appreciation Gifts

12. Ergonomic Chair

Ordering ergonomic chairs for all your employees, with a special delivery to their houses if they work from home, is a wonderful idea. Because they spend so much time at home desks, a comfortable chair would be really useful.

13. High-End Headphone

What good is a gift if it isn't personal, doesn't bring utility, or doesn't feel nice? High-end headphones are versatile products that fit into every lifestyle, whether for commuting, work, or recreation. After all, who doesn't enjoy good music?

14. Home Essentials

What about gifting a favorite set of high-end home furnishings? A magnificent home style collection makes a great deal closing gift or a way to congratulate them on a significant promotion. When you present this quality gift, no matter what the occasion, you will be thought of time and time again!

15. Buy Them Those Tickets!

Get your top performer a ticket to their favorite destination, concert, sporting event, or restaurant. Or you can simply buy them the latest movie ticket! You can prove that you care about their hobbies outside of work and support them.

16. Laptop Sleeve

A laptop sleeve is a premium, one-of-a-kind option for corporate gifting. It gives your employees’ laptops a chic and urbane look and keeps the gadget safe and secure. A laptop sleeve will always be helpful, whether your employee works remotely or take their gadgets home at the end of the day.

17. Give Them The Gift Of Knowledge

Employee appreciation gifts such as books are a terrific way to show your appreciation to your coworkers. Look for something related to a shared interest, a subject they've expressed an interest in learning more about, or anything else they think they'd like.

You may also offer them a management book or a book on a topic related to their role at the company that you believe would be beneficial to them. It shows that you care about their learning and support.

Giving the same book to multiple employees can take your employee appreciation gift to the next level, giving everyone something in common to talk about. Perhaps your team can create its own book club in the future and bond by sharing ideas! Make sure you use this gift idea on team members you know enjoy reading, and don't let it become a burden over work.

18. Click Click!

In an exclusive chat with Philippa Mathewson, an employee engagement expert, and leadership coach, I asked her about her choices of employee appreciation gifts. She quoted-

When receiving a gift in appreciation, I really like to receive something that I would not normally buy myself and is more of an experience. Something like dance classes, wine tasting, a photo shoot, or even a flying lesson would be right up my street.

So here you are!

Ask your employees to bring their families for a photoshoot day at work, and you will pay for those shots, preserving the moments for all time. It is a fantastic way to recognize your employees' efforts, honor their personal lives, and meet their wonderful families (and pets)!

19. Gourmet Gift Box

Choose from various gourmet gift baskets based on the preferences and tastes of the recipient. Cookies, trail mix snacks, dried fruits, fizzy drinks, wine, cheeses, and other gourmet goodies are all excellent options available in the market to choose from.

20. Coffee Assortments

Thanks A Latte For Being An Awesome Employee! Here's A Little Gift To Espresso My Gratitude!

For some people, a cup of coffee is just another part of their morning routine. On the other hand, it is a multisensory experience for many coffee lovers. So, consider going beyond coffee mugs while gifting a coffee lover. Use your gifting creativity and explore what tools, subscriptions, and other fashionable items will make their brewing habits easier, more fun, or wholly refreshing.

You can also consider tried-and-tested items that improve the coffee-making and drinking experience, such as coffee grinders, frothers, and a temperature-control travel cup.

Thank you for reading the blog. Do let me know about the best appreciation gift that you have ever given or received. I would like to add them to my list!

Finally, lots of credit to Pexels for their lovely stock images.

This article is written by Susmita Sarma, a digital marketer at Vantage Circle. She was involved with media relations before shifting her interest in research and creative writing. Apart from being a classical music buff, she keeps a keen interest in anchoring and cooking. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com