A thoughtful gift is a great way to show your employees that you recognize and appreciate all the work they do day in and day out. Even a simple gesture can be just the encouragement he or she needs to keep the momentum up and spirits high! When looking for a gift for an employee, we tried to find gifts that are useful, consumable, or unique to brighten an employee’s day!
Best Gift Ideas for Employees
NERO MANETTI Leather Portfolio
The Leather Portfolio is a great choice for an employee who often travels off-site to meet with clients. It is like a small filing cabinet on the go! This padfolio can hold A4 and letter-sized paper. It includes a stick-on phone wallet, two cardholders, a 50-page notebook, and more. This is a great gift for an employee who loves organization and needs a portable way to keep all important job-related information together!
Wine Country Coffee and Tea Gift Basket
The The Coffee and Tea Gift Tote by Wine Country Gift Baskets is a great gift to treat your employee to a high-quality snack. This set includes something for the coffee-drinkers, tea-drinkers, cocoa drinkers plus shortbread cookies to add energy to the day! We think this set with its 2 mugs will be a hit with the employees in your office!
Original Donut K-Cup Pods
If you have a Keurig in your office… or if your employee does, this Original Donut Gift Set could be the perfect gift! This set includes 6 pods in 3 different flavors and an Original Donut Shop mug in a happy green color. Your employee can have a new stash of coffee and a fun new mug for the office!
Keurig Mini Plus Coffee Maker
The Keurig K-Mini Plus Coffee Maker is an excellent gift for the coffee-drinking employee in your workplace… if the budget can afford it! It comes in 7 different colors and is a perfect compact size for any desk-top. Coffee is simple to make and quick to clean up with this mini Keurig. If it’s a stretch for the budget, this coffee-maker could also be a great addition to the office break room. You can surprise the office with a coffee maker and give each employee a starter set of pods and/or a unique mug. By offering a simple and easy way to make personal cups of coffee in the office, you can help each employee get the burst of energy they need to keep the balls rolling!
Mindspace Desk Organizer
This Desk Organizer can help your employee in a practical way by corraling his or her desk necessities. The 6 compartments are well thought out size-wise to fit notebooks and important papers, pens, pencils, sticky notes, and paper clips. It even comes with a handy drawer! About the size of half a sheet of paper, this organizer gives more space than it takes. It can make your employee’s life easier, and they may even be thanking you for this thoughtful gift!
Thank You Gift Basket
This Thank You Gift Basket can be a great way to show your appreciation for a hard-working employee. It includes a mug that says “thank you,” 4 Tazo tea bags, a scented candle, an air plant, an imported toasted waffle, and a card that reads: “Thank you for being so wonderful.” This is a great way to spoil a tea-lover in your office and show your appreciation!
Starbucks Classic Travel Tumbler
This Starbucks Classic Green & White Traveler Tumbler is a 12 oz travel mug with a lid to take a drink on the go! It is not dishwasher safe so make sure you hand wash it. Drink the taste of Starbucks in your new mug and choose either hot cocoa with miniatures marshmallows or Starbucks’ own Verona blend. This is a great gift to brighten an employee’s day at any time of the year!
Starbucks Gift Cards
Starbucks Gift Cards are always a welcome treat! You can show your appreciation of your employees by letting their next Starbucks run be on you! A warm cup of coffee can help them start off the day right get their energy up for a day at work! A gift card is a great way to remember your employees and also let them choose what they really want. This pack comes in a set of 5 cards with $20 on each card.
Silensys Noise Cancelling Headphones
These Noise Canceling Headphones are a great idea for employees, especially for surviving work-life in a pandemic. For the employees who spend much of their time working from home or traveling, this microphone headset can be a life-saver to keep up with virtual meetings! Employees can use these headphones for work or spend time relaxing and listening to music. The noise-canceling capabilities ensure that your employee will be able to focus on the task at hand… and also make sure that no environmental noises are interfering with the sound quality of your planned meetings!
Minelife Ceramic Airplant Holders
These Plant Holders can brighten up any office space. Plant an air plant of your choice for each figurine’s hair and you have the perfect funky team to cheer on an employee while at work! These tiny friends stand at about 3 inches high to fit in the smallest cubicle space and brighten an office with a touch of green. Air plants are not included in this set, but tillandsias will be a perfect fit or you can also use the figurines as stand-alone decor.
Air Plant Grab Bag
This Air Plant Grab Bag can be a great way to add some greenery to your employee’s desk space! These air plants are great for the employee who loves to have plants around but isn’t always on top of watering them! These plants only need to be fed and watered once a month and come with special instructions for their care. These would make a great gift pairing with Minelife Ceramic Airplant Holders.
IEFLIFE Thank You Necklace
For an employee who gives her all day in and day out this Thank You Necklacecan be a great daily reminder that the work she does is appreciated. It is made of high-quality material and plated with white gold. The chain is 18 inches and adjustable and should withstand daily wear without breaking. This can be a sweet gift for an employee who puts her heart into the work she does!
Premium Leather Journal Set
This Leather Journal Set can be a great gift for employees that loves to put their thoughts into words or sketch out their ideas! This set comes with a blank white journal, a blank brown journal, and a lined journal to suit all writing and sketching needs. Also included are metal clips for pen holders or page markers, a compass divider, and a leather styler pen. your employee can get creative with this journal set and get his or her creative juices flowing!
Tough Teams Journal
This Tough Teams Journal bears the quote, “Tough times don’t last, tough teams do” on its front cover. This can be a great gift for an employee that has had a lot on their work plate! It is a nice reminder that “no man is an island” and that they have a team who is ready to back them up! This journal has 120 lined pages for an employee to fill with his or her thoughts and ideas. Writing down their thoughts can help spark more creative ideas that your employee can put to use in the workplace!
Work From Home Employee T-Shirt
This Work From Home T-Shirt comes with a subtle sense of humor for those who have been working at home through the pandemic. Even if your employee has not been in the office in recent history, a gift can be a great way to remind them that they are not forgotten through time and distance. Everyone can be an employee of the month in their own home! This can be a funny gift to give long-distance employees to show them that you still appreciate the work they are doing from far away.
Relaxing Spa Gift Basket
This Relaxing Spa Gift Basket can be a great way to spoil some of your hard-working employees and show them that you appreciate the work they do. This set is a bit of R&R in a box and includes handmade soaps, body butter, a bath bomb, and a 12 oz insulated tumbler with the words “Thank you for being awesome” written on it. You can also personalize the card in the box by writing a heartfelt note to the box’s recipient. This spa set is a sure way to help employees lower their stress levels and refresh their spirits!
Employee Thank You Keychain
For a note of appreciation that your employee won’t easily forget, this Employee Appreciation Keychain steps up to the mark with an engraved reminder that the work your employee does is seen and appreciated. This can be a gift that is also practical by helping an employee more easily keep up with keys from work whether it be for doors, desks, or lockers. Made of high-quality stainless steel, this keychain will not rust, discolor, or cause allergies to sensitive skin.
Takeya Cold Brew Maker
To make a great low-acid cup of coffee this Cold Brew Maker will come in handy! This coffee maker allows you to make a great cup of cold coffee without the need for hot water. All you need is some coffee grounds and a bit of time! It has an airtight lid, a non-slip handle and is designed to fit in most refrigerator doors. The filter in this Takeya coffee maker will also withstand heat for the employee who also enjoys hot cups of coffee. This can be a simple way for your employee to make cups of coffee while at work!
Teabloom Tumbler and Infuser
This stainless steel Teabloom Tumbler is an infuser and travel tumbler in one! It comes with a fine 2-way filter to make sure no grounds enter your beverage. It can be used to make cold-brew coffee on the go or to carry hot tea or other beverages. This can be a useful sidekick for an employee who loves to carry his or her caffeine on the go!
Dayspring Personalized Pen and Case
This Personalized Pen and Case is a great gift for the employee who is worth their weight in gold! Plated with 18 karat gold, and made with an ergonomic rubber grip for comfort, this pen will be sure to add some pleasure to an employee’s next work assignment. You can also personalize this gift with an employee’s name to make it extra-special and show you put time and thought into this gift.
Thanks For Being Awesome Pens
These thank you gifts look like pencils but are actually Black Ink Pens! Each pen gives a short thank you message to the recipient. They come in a set of 5 so they are easy to give to groups of employees, and they are a simple and whimsical way to say “I appreciate you” to your employees. These pens would make a great gift idea when paired with a desktop organizer or a motivational journal!
Dessie Inspirational Cards
These Dessie Inspirational Cards are a fun way to remind an employee that they are special! There are 60 cards in this set so you have a lot of ways and chances to show appreciation! A fun idea would be to place a card in your employee’s office space every day during the month of employee appreciation day or your employee’s birthday month. Then on the big day, you can include one last card in a gift basket for your employee! This could be a great way to build morale… and also suspense until their day arrives!
FineInno Mini Vacuum
For all the crumbs, paper shreds, and pencil shavings on or around a desk, this FineInno Mini Vacuum is ready to tackle the job. It is like a tiny employee for your employee that goes around cleaning up the small stuff so your employee can spend his time tackling the big stuff! This hand-held vacuum is battery-operated, so it is not limited by a cord, and it is also easily portable to a messy area. This can be a great practical and unique gift for an employee who enjoys working in a spic and span environment!
Computer Monitor Organizer
This Computer Monitor Riser raises your monitor to eye level to reduce back and neck strain. It has an angled shelf for your cell phone to see messages as they pop up on your phone. Also, storage racks hold your iPad, laptop, calculator and anything else you need to corral! Important papers can be kept under the monitor area for easy access. This shelf can hold a monitor or printer and can hold weight up to 55 pounds. This can be a great gift for increasing your employee’s workspace, and for taking some stress off their back!
EasyAcc Phone Charger & Organizer
To organize a desk or to hold a phone, this Wireless Charger & Organizer comes in handy! Not only does it hold your phone, pen and small accessories, it also charges a phone in the process! We love this gift idea for something unique and useful for an office worker!
Anti-Slip Car Organizer & Food Tray
This Car Organizer & Food Tray is a helpful tool for the employee that spends a lot of time in his or her car! This tray takes the place of a passenger and helps hold your goods while you drive! It is covered in non-slip rubber and has a strap to tie down coffee carriers and more. The “feet” on this tray create a level surface to reduce spilling while on the road. This can be a great help for an employee who is always on the go or who volunteers for office snack runs!
Go Away Coffee Mug
For a touch of humor, this Go Away Coffee Mug can be just the laugh your employee needs! It comes with 3 line levels that say: “Go away,” “Not yet,” and “How can I help you?” This mug is perfect for the employee that needs that first cup of coffee to get going in the morning. It is microwave and dishwasher safe!
Wacaco Minipresso
For the employee who is a serious coffee-drinker, this Mini Espresso Machine could be the perfect gift! This portable hand-held espresso maker is able to brew espresso anywhere there is hot water! It holds up to 70 ml of water in its tank and can reach 8 bars of pressure to make an espresso with crema! It weighs less than a pound so it can go anywhere your employee does! This is a great gift for the employee whose job often takes him or her on the road. A portable espresso maker can help an employee stay awake on a long drive!
Cravebox Snack Box
For the employee that always has snacks on hand this CraveBox Snack Box will replenish their supply! This pack of 45 snacks is a mix of salty, sweet, and healthy from some of America’s favorite snack selections such as Pringles, Twizzlers, Mott’s Fruit Snacks, Oreo Cookies, Chex Mix, and Quaker oat bars just to name a few! This sampler can give your employee that extra energy he or she needs to get the job done!
Echo Dot
With the Echo Dot, Alexa can join any room in the home or office! This is a practical and relatively inexpensive gift for an employee. If you use it in the office, you can connect the speakers and make announcements via these compatible blue tooth devices. With over 10,000 skills, this device can be used for music, fitness tracking, games, and more!
New Entertainment Desktop Golf
For the employee that can’t stay away from the green for long, this Desktop Golf will bring the green to him! This mini desktop golf set is sure to bring a smile to a golf lover’s face! It comes with a self-swinging club and magnetic flag pole to retrieve the ball. Also, the green is adjustable to change the playing field. Give your employee the gift of a few minutes of stress relief and relaxation at this desktop gold course, and he is sure to re-enter with fresh energy for his job!
Zen Garden Meditation Set
This Zen Garden Kit can be a relaxing sensory experience to add to an employee’s desktop. It comes with sand, rakes, moss rocks, and decorations to add a bit of garden space to your employee’s office! Create different patterns in the sand and add the garden designs for a few minutes to relax while at work. Maybe it will get the creative juices flowing to add inspiration to your employee’s next project!
Bath & Body Stress Relief Set
For guys or girls, this Aromatherapy Set can be a relaxing treat! These eucalyptus and mint-scented products can help the mind unwind after a long day! The set comes with a body wash, a body lotion, and a wick candle for the ultimate relaxing experience. This is a “treat yourself” experience in a box!
THE COMFY Wearable Blanket
For the employee who never can quite adjust to the office a/c setting, this Wearable Blanket can help keep them warm and cozy! This soft blanket with sleeves is one-size-fits-all and comes with pockets to warm cold hands or carry a cell phone. This can be the perfect solution for the employee who can never seem to warm up!
Desktop Block Calendar
This Desktop Block Calendar is a great way to keep pens corralled and also set the date! The cube comes with months of the year and number blocks to easily change the date! At the back is an area to keep pens, paper clips, scissors, and other small office items. This wooden block can be decorated with crafting paper or paint by the DIY fans in your office, or left as is. This can be a fun way to keep the day’s date in view and add some decor to an employee’s office space!
Employee Of The Month DVD
What better way to recognize your employee of the month than a movie that is specifically about this title of honor! The Employee Of The Month DVD is a comedy that can provide a few hours of relaxation and much-needed laughs to a hard-working employee. It may even be a new tradition to give this movie to employees that become employee of the month. This can be a fun gag gift that an employee with a sense of humor should enjoy!
Movie Night Popcorn and Seasonings
For employees who love the spice of life, this Popcorn and Seasoning Pack is a fun and unique gift! This set comes with 3 kinds of corn and 5 spice options. So if some like popcorn sweet and some like it savory, there are some great options from which to choose! After the popcorn is gone, these spices can still be used to add spice to meals. This can be a fun gift choice for employees who enjoy movie nights and gourmet flavors!
The First-Time Manager
The First-Time Manager is a how-to book to handle challenges in the job environment. It covers everything from leadership qualities and team motivation, to how to hire and fire. If you are wanting to help a first-time manager come into his own and build confidence, this book can be a useful tool! While this book has a lot of great ideas that can help up-and-coming employees, if it is a gift, you may want to pair it with a chocolate or coffee so doesn’t come off as just another homework assignment.
Motivational Keychains Pack
The gift of a Motivational Keychain can be a simple gesture to remind an employee that they are doing a noteworthy job! These keychains come in a set of 12, so there should be plenty to go around. They are made out of aluminum and the quotes on each keychain are taken from famous historical individuals such as Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, George S. Patton, and Henry David Thoreau. Your employees can be inspired to do their best with these encouraging reminders from past successful members of society!
Wacky Waving Tube Guy
What better way to announce the employee of the month than this Wacky Waving Tube Guy to wave down everyone in the office and let them know for you! This desk-size waving inflatable guy can add some fun office culture to the environment by sending him once a month to the desk of the new employee of the month. He is sure to add some laughs and a spark of fun to the office atmosphere! This novel gift requires a 9-volt battery to begin his hilarious waving.
Hand Cell Phone Holder
The Hand Cell Phone Holder can be a fun and useful addition to an employee’s desk! Made from a combination of plastic and concrete, this unique gift makes a great paperweight and device holder. When it comes time for a zoom meeting, these hands can give your employees’ hands a break by holding their device for them! This creative gift can be something new for the employee who has all the gadgets.
Hydroponics Herb Starter Kit
For the employee that loves some green space, but doesn’t like the mess, this Hydroponics Starter Kit may be just what they’ve been looking for! It comes with an LED grow light that is programmed to turn on and off for the correct amount of photosynthesis to grow plants. It is also equipped with a fan and a water pump to recreate a natural growing environment. This pot will grow up to 12 plants at once and can hold enough water to last a month! This can provide a fun indoor garden for employees in their office space or home!
WiFi Range Extender
This WiFi Range Extender can be helpful for the work from home employee! This wifi extender can eliminate dead zones by providing up to 2500 square feet of additional coverage for up to 20 devices. It comes with a LED indicator to help find the best location for wi-fi. For employees who are spending a lot of time on conference calls and zoom meetings, this wi-fi extender can help to make a solid and secure connection.
MLVOC Memory Foam Neck Pillow
For the employee whose work takes them to the skies… or who just enjoys a bit of relaxation, this Travel Pillow can be a thoughtful gift! This pillow is made from memory foam and is designed to relieve neck pain during travel. The fabric is covered with soft, magnetic therapy cloth, is sweat-resistant, and also machine washable to make sure you are feeling fresh each trip! This set includes an eye mask, earplugs, and a carry case that helps this set fold down to half its size.
Natural Bath Bomb Gift Set
A little self-care goes a long way towards bringing the right energy to work! This Natural Bath Bomb Gift Set is creative, fun, and a great way to relax after a rough day at work! Each bath bomb is creatively shaped to look like a sweet treat. They also each come with different aromatic scents to either energize or wind down depending on the need. This set can create a spa-like experience for an employee to enjoy!
Pop-Up Floral Bouquet
If you know an employee that loves flowers but has allergies. or just doesn’t enjoy the mess they make when they begin to wilt, this Pop-Up Floral Bouquet can be a nice gift option! These paper flowers are long-lasting and recyclable! They can flatten to easily send in the mail to work-from-home employees, or employees that are on sick leave or maternity leave. These flowers can cheer up any area and can be a nice reminder of your appreciation!
Teabloom Set with Blooming Tea
For the tea-lover, this unique Teabloom Set will be an unforgettable gift! This beautiful glass teapot can go directly into the microwave or on a stovetop to heat water for tea! It comes with a removable loose tea infuser and holds 4-5 cups of tea. This set also includes 4 small double-walled glass teacups and a set of 12 gorgeous blooming tea flowers in a gift canister. The glassware is dishwasher safe for easy clean-up. This set will make an employee feel like royalty!
YETI Rambler Mug
The YETI Rambler Mug is a great gift for an employee always on the go. Yeti is a popular and trusted brand… for good reasons! This travel-friendly mug keeps liquids hot or cold with its double-walled vacuum insulation. It is made of stainless steel so it is durable and shatterproof. Unlike the simple steel camp mugs, Yeti provides an additional exterior coating to ensure that hot liquids will not be too hot to handle. A magnet slide helps to keep liquids from splashing out… but note that this mug is not fully spill-proof. Your employee can take their coffee with them wherever duty calls in this reusable Yeti tumbler.
Smirly Cheese Board and Knife Set
This Smirly Charcuterie Platter is actually two boards in one! The large cheese board, which is over a square foot in size, holds all the tools needed for preparing and serving in a slide-out drawer. The round fruit tray is divided into 5 sections to keep fruits, or any other snacks, separate and fresh. The boards are made of bamboo and the utensils from stainless steel to withstand frequent usage. This is a classy gift choice for a hard-working employee!
Bonnie & Pop Chocolate Gift Tin
Almost everyone is a fan of chocolates! In this Chocolate Gift Tin, each truffle comes individually wrapped for freshness and hygiene safety. Over a pound of kosher chocolates are included in this keepsake tin with an assortment of different flavors. You can also include a personal message when you check out through Amazon to thank your employee for all the hard work!
Oh! Nuts Dried Fruit Basket
The Oh! Nuts Dried Fruit Basket is a unique and healthy gift! Encourage healthy snacking in the office with this set of dried fruits and nuts! This is a vegan and no-sugar-added mix for your health-conscious employees! It comes on a wooden trivet, which can also turn into a fruit bowl! This gift is one of a kind and is both edible and practical!
Buffalo Bills Jerky Gift Pack
For meat lovers or those on a Keto diet, this Beef Jerky Sampler could be a great choice! This consumable gift can add some solid low-carb protein to keep the energy up while at work! The 12 piece jerky sampler comes in a mini soft-side cooler that can hold a 6-pack of drinks. This simple set could become a picnic party!
Cam Cover & Screen Cleaner Clips
These Web Cam Covers are a fun and practical gift! They are made to cover your screen until you are ready to open your camera. These come in a set of 5 different colors with encouraging and motivational phrases such as “You rock!,” “#1 Team,” and “You’re awesome,” among others. The “hair” on these miniature friends’ heads is made to clean a camera lens without scratching. These clips can be used on laptops, phones, and tablets to provide privacy when needed.
Pizza Socks In A Box
If your employee is a pizza lover, these Pizza Socks In A Box are sure to be appreciated! With 4 different kinds of pizza socks, your employee can choose which mood he is in for the day… Italian? or Hawaii? These can be a fun gift for your pizza-loving employee!
How We Selected Gifts for Employees
Finding the right gift for an employee is not always the simplest task! You want unique gifts for employees that will show that you see your employee as an individual and not just part of the collective. We also want the gifts we choose to be meaningful and show our appreciation for their efforts. Here are the things we kept in mind when choosing our gift list:
A Personal Touch
When we are looking for gifts for employees we want to choose something that will help them feel appreciated and encouraged. Adding a personal touch to the gift by showing you know a bit about your employee’s interests and tastes will make your gift that much more special! You can also do this by personalizing a gift with the employee’s name. The extra thought you put into the gift will be appreciated by your employee!
Size and Practicality
We want a gift that an employee can easily fit in his cubicle or work-from-home space. If a gift is too large, an employee may feel obligated to display it in his or her office space, but may it may take up more desktop than they can afford to lose! Practical gifts that can be used in the interest of the job such as office organizers, notepad sets, or a nice pen can be appreciated. Also, consumable items such as lotions, snacks, coffee, and tea can be enjoyable treats that won’t take up office space (for long!).
Budget
While we certainly don’t want to make an employee feel that their gift was found in a bargain basement, we realize that a budget is also a real concern when it comes to gifts! This is why we also included gifts for employees that can be bought on a budget. A nice gift doesn’t have to cost a fortune! The thought that you put into it will be more important than a gift’s cost.
FAQs – Gifts for Employees
Having questions about which gift will be perfect for your employee is completely natural! Also, you are not alone! It is very likely that many people may have the exact same questions that you do! Here are our answers to the most frequently asked questions when it comes time to buy gifts for employees:
What is an appropriate gift for an employee?
When giving gifts to your employees, you will want to give a gift that makes your employee feel valued without feeling uncomfortable. While every workplace environment is different, you usually want to avoid gifts with offensive comments, alcohol-related, and if you are giving a humorous gift, you want to make sure that it is humor the employee will find funny. Generally, edible gifts and practical gifts will be well-received by all employees. Many companies have gift-giving policies to check before giving a gift to an employee.
Should a boss give a gift to an employee?
While not required, a gift is a nice way to boost employee morale. An appreciated employee is more likely to be able to keep up his or her energy in the workplace. Common times to give gifts to employees throughout the year are employee appreciation day, birthdays, and Christmas. Generally, bosses or managers may give presents to their employees, employees may give gifts to each other, but employees are not expected to give gifts to their supervisors or employers.
What are some good gift ideas for employees on a budget?
A gift such as a mug, pen, coffee, or chocolate can be nice inexpensive gifts that can bring a smile to an employee’s face. Some gifts we recommend on a budget are the Essential Employee Mug, adorable planters, or an Amazon.com Gift Card in a Flower Pot Reveal.
How much should an employer spend on gifts?
Meaningful gifts for employees don’t necessarily have to cost a lot of money! It will really depend on the type of job and the budget. Spending too much money or becoming too personal may actually make an employee feel uncomfortable rather than appreciated. But also very cheap gifts may make an employee feel that they are not valued. The usual cost range is under $100 per gift for gifts for employees’ appreciation. If you have several employees make sure that all gifts are the same, or at least have the same monetary value.