If your business is running well, you owe a large gift of gratitude to your employees. Life is so much better when your staff is well-trained, dependable, and great at what they do. Smart owners and managers don’t take this situation for granted. They work to support and recognize achievements that demonstrate an employee’s dedication. They know that a staff that feels recognized and valued enjoys greater job satisfaction and is less likely to leave. 

 Handwritten cards are perfect for occasional recognition, but for more significant events, it’s nice to accompany the card with a small gift. Below you’ll find 10 winning, employee recognition gift ideas. Each is guaranteed to leave your employee feeling seen and appreciated, leading to a more effective work environment.

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EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION GIFT IDEAS THEY’LL LOVE

These ideas are sure to put a smile on your employees’ faces and deliver the recognition they deserve.

Gift Card

Gift cards are certainly the easiest, and arguably the most widely accepted, gift idea on this list. Particularly if you go with an Amazon or Visa gift card — options that allow your employee to buy whatever they want — you really can’t go wrong. 

 That’s not entirely true. Your recipient will certainly find a gift card useful but they might not find it the most thoughtful present. It certainly doesn’t demonstrate that you put time into trying to find something appropriate, which can devalue the sentiment. That said, many people love the ability to buy a gift they truly want, so judge based on the people you’re gifting.

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Cocktail Kit

Help your employees play home mixologist with a taste-tempting cocktail kit. Several companies like Shaker and Spoon offer all the fixin’s your staff need to create elaborate alcoholic concoctions. All they have to do is supply the alcohol! You can purchase a one-time kit, or a monthly subscription. Depending on your budget and the degree to which you’re looking to honor your employee, you have multiple options.

Customizable Snack Basket

Maybe cocktails aren’t your employee’s thing. That’s okay, because everyone loves snack foods. Services like SnackMagic allow you to send a snack gift box that your staff can build themselves. All you do is choose a dollar amount, and then your recipients will get to choose the snacks they want. It’s the best way to send the snacks they love!

Cookies, Cookies, and More Cookies!

If choosing their own snacks is too much pressure, choose something everyone will love! Cravory Cookies allows you to send the gift of fresh-baked cookies. Items are always shipped within 24 hours of baking to ensure premium freshness and quality. With flavors like Chocolate Truffle, PB Overload, Salted Caramel Cream, and Peppermint Bark, there’s something for everyone!

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Scratch-Off Tickets

Scratch-off lottery tickets are a fun way to give both entertainment and the chance for fabulous prizes. A good idea is to mix up the cards you buy. Choose some with a higher probability of winning lower prize amounts and others a big, but hard-to-win jackpot. A mix of games and probabilities will keep your employees engaged and possibly put a big windfall in their pocket.

Winter Work-From-Home Kit

If you have employees still working from home, you can support their nesting instincts by sending a care package containing comfy items they can use to bundle up in while sitting in their home offices.  

 Knit blankets, cozy sweaters, sweatpants, and similar items all make welcome additions to your employee’s work-from-home wardrobes. Your employees already likely appreciate the flexibility to work remotely. Now they can do it in style.

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All the Coffee They Want

More people than would probably care to admit it need their first (and sometimes second) cup of coffee just to be a person in the morning. If that’s your employees, consider giving them a french press and travel mug in one.  

 This lets them brew and carry in the same container. If they don’t have the brain cells to operate electronic equipment until they have some joe in their system, the simple french press mechanism makes single-serving coffee easy. Then it goes right on the road!

Gourmet Popcorn

Along with cookies, popcorn is another universal favorite. The snack has a lot going for it. It’s healthy, low calorie, and nicely filling.  

 But why stop at the ordinary when you don’t have to? Gourmet popcorn makes a great gift because it lets your employees enjoy new experiences. One brand, Funky Chunky popcorn is available in a popcorn-acopia of flavors. Your staff can happily gorge themselves of flavors like Peanut Butter Cup, Caramel Latte, Vanilla Sweet Creme, and Birthday Cake. Their taste buds and productivity are sure to soar.

Wireless Earbuds

Wireless earbuds are the tech equivalent of a handshake. They’re always appreciated and uncommonly effective. Plus they’re small and inexpensive to ship for gifts around the world. 

 Earbuds get misplaced all the time, so having a spare or two is a smart move. As a bonus, they’re a tech gift that doesn’t cost a lot. You can find decent models starting around $70. You can almost guarantee your staff members either need ear buds or are looking for a spare.

Trophies and Plaques

Trophies, medals, and similar recognitions are prevalent in professional sports for a reason. They motivate top performers to always outdo their best. Businesses can use this association to inspire similar patterns of excellence in their employees.

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SEND YOUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION CARDS WITH SIMPLY NOTED

If you aren’t handwriting your cards, you’re missing out on an opportunity to strengthen team cohesion. However, if you’re still handwriting your cards yourself, you’re losing time and money. Instead of doing the work yourself, or farming it out to employees, let you and your staff focus on what they’re good at and let Simply Noted take care of the cards. 

 We’ve built a fleet of advanced handwriting robots that create stunningly realistic handwriting using real ballpoint pens. If you can send an email, you have the time to mail any number of personalized, handwritten cards. And if you want to send an employee recognition gift card along, you can just add it to your order and we’ll drop it in the mail!