Unique Employee Appreciation Gifts

Employee Gift Ideas: 3 Expert Tips for Employee Appreciation Gifts During the Holidays

Tip #1: The Best Holiday Employee Gifts Work to Close the Distance

Let's face it, the pandemic has been more than a little stressful and, in spite of all the social media activity and Zoom calls we're having, we're all feeling disconnected from our work team.

That's where a motivational employee appreciation gift can do the heavy lifting for meaningful recognition. A thoughtful gift can go a long way when it comes to closing the distance everyone is feeling by boosting employee morale and providing reassurance during these difficult times.

Tip #2: Think Individual Holiday Employee Gifts

Long gone are the days when a single large gourmet food gift basket for the whole office was a good bet for a holiday staff appreciation gift. Now, smaller individual gifts are very much de rigueur because remote employees are working from home. Whether you're celebrating Employee Appreciation Day or a staff member’s work anniversary, curated employee gifts are a more personalized and thoughtful way to show your overall appreciation and gratitude towards every person at the office.

There are two really important things to remember when it comes to individual holiday gifts for employees. First, employees know that company swag is not a gift, so avoid any employee gift idea with a company logo. Second, if you go the mini gift route, make sure you choose a thoughtful gift set that is well curated in order to avoid seeming cheap or like an afterthought. That means going beyond a logoed coffee mug, gift basket, or gift card if you want to boost employee morale.

Tip #3: Embrace the Virtual Office Party

Needless to say, you're going to need to re-imagine your office holiday party this year. One way to reward your team is with a virtual holiday party paired with meaningful employee appreciation gifts. A virtual office party needs to be structured a lot differently because casual in-person mingling is not an option. So make sure you have a specific, well-structured party plan focused on employee engagement at all times, such as a game, competition, or give-away. Making your virtual party a memorable special occasion can help boost employee satisfaction, motivation, and retention.

Needless to say, you're going to need to re-imagine your office holiday party this year. One way to reward your team and promote employee engagement is with a virtual holiday party paired with meaningful employee appreciation gifts. A virtual office party needs to be structured a lot differently because casual in-person mingling is not an option. So make sure you have a specific, well-structured party plan focused on employee engagement at all times, such as a game, competition, or give-away. Making your virtual party a memorable special occasion can help boost team satisfaction, company culture, and employee retention.

Bonus tip: Make sure your virtual office party is not more than 1.5 hours long. Zoom fatigue is a reality, even for casual happy hours or other culture events revolving around staff appreciation and coworker bonding. Aim to make your virtual party short, meaningful, and sweet.