Just because workers are not present on site does not mean they should not be rewarded or appreciated in addition to their paycheck. Finding appropriate remote employee appreciation gifts can be challenging to select and costly to ship. Gift cards are a likely choice, but there are many other ways to acknowledge workers.
Acknowledging your workforce shows appreciation for their hard work and boosts morale. Offering tangible recognition in the form of remote employee appreciation gifts can go a long way in creating a positive work culture.
Virtual employees of your remote team can suffer from disconnect and benefit from receiving a care package. We have some of the best gift ideas to improve morale and increase employee engagement.
Table of Contents
Why Is It Important To Acknowledge Remote Workers?
Remote employees can feel a disconnect from other team members, especially if part of the team works in a brick-and-mortar building. Some popular times for giving gifts are:
- Employee Appreciation Day
- Holidays, such as a Christmas gift or Thanksgiving food basket
- Job Completion celebrations
- Other milestones, such as celebrating a virtual team member’s work anniversary
- Hiring or retirement
- Teambuilding efforts to promote company culture
Gifts For A Remote Coworker
Gifting a remote employee might seem complicated, but it does not have to be. After all, who does not like to receive gifts in the mail? Sometimes employers will offer regional gatherings where you can give gifts in person. However, that is not always possible.
Looking for generic gift ideas that are easy to send?
- Gift Baskets: You can plan a basket in just about any theme. Let your imagination run wild. Some ideas include a chocolate theme or self-care items for an at-home spa day.
- Personalized Gifts: Send your employee a gift with their name engraved to show you chose it just for them. This might not be practical for a larger staff, but an engraved keychain, plaque, or other items would be an excellent way to show appreciation to a small group of deserving employees.
- Plants: Houseplants last longer than flowers and remind employees you appreciate them for months or years. Easy-to-grow plants such as succulents work well even for employees who do not have a green thumb.
- Snack Boxes: Who wouldn’t enjoy a box full of goodies? You can assemble your own or ship directly from a company specializing in gift snack boxes.
You can select any of these items at the price point you desire.
One of the best gifts I have ever received was a box with three bottles of wine, some meats and cheeses, nuts, and chocolate. The gift also included a link to a Zoom meeting where a chef talked us through each item.
Do Employees Like Swag Merchandise?
Swag is a term for merchandise that a business or company uses to promote its brand. An acronym for “stuff we all get,” company swag is here to stay.
Corporate gifts with the company logo emblazoned across them are often received with mixed reviews. Some people like them, some don’t – but swag merchandise remains popular.
Aside from the ubiquitous ball-point pen, popular gifts to imprint the company logo upon include:
- Apparel: Clothing such as t-shirts, hoodies, vests, etc. Hats, both baseball and winter hats, are very popular.
- Bags: Duffle-style bags, backpacks, and small string-tie shoe bags are all great options at varying price points.
- Blanket: Another great option is a blanket that folds or rolls up for easy storage in your car. Spend a few more dollars to get one with a vinyl backing for use at picnics or ball games.
- Coffee Mugs: Since everyone needs a good coffee mug for their beverage of choice, a mug is a popular offering.
- Gadgets: Pocket knives, multipurpose tools, or wine openers might be fun to gift for employee recognition.
- Golf Balls: Especially for companies who do an annual golf outing, golf balls are a hot commodity.
- Technology Items: Many items related to technology, such as chargers that can accommodate multiple different types of phones, extended-life batteries that plug into your phone, fun mouse pads, flash drives, etc., always come in handy.
- Umbrellas: On a rainy day, your employees will appreciate a useful umbrella for golf or walking to the parking lot.
- Water Bottles: As people realize how important it is to stay hydrated, imprinted water bottles are a sure hit.
What Type Of Gift Card Can You Give?
Gift cards presented in person, mailed, or emailed allow employees to select their own gifts.
When deciding on the best gift card or certificate gift, make sure it is a place your remote employee has access to.
- Amazon cards enable staff to choose from any range of items. Amazon gift cards are one-size-fits-all cards that are always a welcome option.
- Restaurants from national chains accessible in all areas or by region can offer a pleasant night out.
- Spa gift certificates might be welcome for some employees.
- Specialty shops online. Retailers from UnderArmor or North Face to Lou Malnati Pizza or Omaha Steaks offer eGift cards.
- Visa or Master Card prepaid cards offer the ultimate flexibility in gifts the employee can purchase.
If you want to reward a particular employee, you can choose a card that is a bit more personal.
What Are The Best Virtual Gifts For Remote Employees?
Of course, there are many virtual gift-giving options that will get your people together, even though they are all in their own home offices.
- Virtual Happy Hour: Send your employees each a gift box with all the items for a virtual happy hour, including beverages and snacks.
- Virtual Team Building: One great option is to get your remote work employees together for fun activities such as a virtual escape room or to solve a murder mystery.
Do Employees Like These Gifts – Or Would They Rather Have Higher Pay Or Other Perks?
While it is true that people enjoy getting trinkets and prizes, there are other perks that people want more. Who does not desire higher pay? Raising pay by only a dollar an hour amounts to over $2,000 a year.
An appreciation gift cannot compete with that value, so across-the-board pay increases are seldom an option.
For other unique gifts that are not tangible, consider these ideas:
- Time Off: Some companies offer early release to employees, whether in person or remote staff, before holidays or after completing a big project. You could also offer an extra day of PTO (paid time off) for completing a project ahead of the deadline.
- Flexible Workday: Another perk people enjoy is a flexible workday. If you can offer flexibility, such as the ability to log on early on a day the employee needs to be done early, why not grant it? As a supervisor, you can improve employee work-life balance.
- Workspace Improvements: Consider things employees might enjoy in their workspaces, such as a standing desk or noise-canceling headphones.
Tech Gift Ideas For Remote Employees
Looking for some great suggestions for tech gift ideas for remote employees below? Consider some of these.
- Chargers: Most people can also use an extra charger, particularly ones that can fit multiple devices.
- Gift cards For Tech: GIft cards for Google Play, iTunes, Spotify, Netflix, and other online services always come in handy.
- Headset: Employees who spend much time on the phone, in virtual meetings, or just trying to block out their busy household would appreciate a quality sound-blocking headset.
- Microphone: A good-quality standing microphone is a work-related gift, but one your employees might appreciate.
- Sit/Stand Desk: Not an inexpensive option, a sit/stand desk is a perfect gift for keeping your employees comfortable.
- Webcam: A high-quality webcam would facilitate better meetings for remote workers.
Appreciation gifts for remote times can buy goodwill, build your team, or say “thanks” for a job well done.
