- Gift-giving can boost employee morale, potentially increasing productivity in the workplace.
- 95% of employees say that proper recognition leads to a more engaged and positive workplace culture.
- Gifts for employees should be work-appropriate and not lavishly expensive.
- This article is for business owners looking for gift ideas for their employees.
Your employees are indispensable to your business, and a thoughtful gift is a great way to express your appreciation for their hard work. Also, recognizing your employees is a good business practice. According to a study by Snappy Gifts, 95% of employees attribute recognition in the workplace to a stronger, more positive and engaged company culture.
Unfortunately, 30% of employees feel undervalued, and 45% say they feel that their value is reflected by the gifts they receive. This can make the already-difficult process of finding a gift for employees even harder – you want to give a gift that won't break the bank, is work-appropriate and will show employees how much you appreciate them.
We're here to help you find the perfect gift. Check out these 20 special gifts for your employees. [Need more holiday gift ideas? See our recommendations for co-worker gifts or gifts for your boss.]
Tech
Bamboo charging dock ($33.99)
This bamboo charging dock combines beauty with function, with the ability to charge up to six devices from a single wall outlet. The dock is compatible with any USB device and provides surge protection, quick charging, and temperature control.
Google Nest Hub ($49.99)
The ultimate smart assistant, the Google Nest Hub offers an immersive digital photo frame, live assistant, entertainment center, and smart home controller all in one sleek device. You can use Google Nest to ask for directions, watch YouTube videos or secure your home.
Noise-isolating headphones ($14.95)
As anyone who's ever worked in an open-plan office will tell you, focus can be difficult to achieve. The key to a productive day is often a set of quality headphones (and sheer willpower).
The Sephia SP3060 Earbuds tout noise isolation and bass-driven sound. The 3.5-mm audio jack fits nearly any laptop or phone. The earbuds come with six sets of ear pads in small, medium and large to fit anyone's ears.
Portable power bank ($21.99)
A great gift for the employee on the go, this portable power bank offers 2.5 iPhone X or Galaxy S9 charges. The Anker PowerCore Slim 10000 is small and light, and it quickly charges phones, so your employees can get powered up and back on the go in no time.
Amazon Echo Dot ($28.99)
Perfect for a busy multitasker, the Amazon Echo Dot is a smart speaker that can easily be tucked into a desk. Alexa can make lists, play music, order office supplies straight from Amazon or control other smart devices in the office. The smart assistant can also be programmed with skills to make office life easier, like conference management, email assistance and document creation.
Touchscreen gloves ($9.99)
Gloves are a necessity in the winter, especially if you commute to work and walk a decent distance to your office. However, it can be frustrating to try to use your phone with your mittens on – you often end up with one freezing hand and a mitten tucked precariously under one arm as you type out a Slack response.
If your team works in a cold climate, consider Trendoux's winter touchscreen gloves. Employees can answer calls and texts, shuffle music, browse social media, or type an email while keeping their hands warm.
The gloves have touchscreen-friendly conductive material on the thumb, pointer and middle fingers, as well as a silicone panel on the palm to maintain a good grip on the phone.
Work-from-home necessities
White noise machine ($41.95)
Handy for anyone working in a noisy environment, this noise machine offers 10 different fan sounds and 10 ambient noise variations, including white noise, pink noise and brown noise. It includes features like volume control and a safe, solid design without any moving parts.
Lap desk ($26.99)
A great gift for the couch potato on your team, this lap desk offers the ability to be productive from any spot in the house. It features a wide surface that can fit most laptops, a phone slot and a soft cushion that will conform to your lap.
Dry-erase desktop easel ($27.95)
If you have an employee who often has to jot down quick notes or reminders, but doesn't want to waste countless sticky notes or sheets of paper for things they only need to remember once, this glass dry-erase desktop whiteboard from Quartet is the perfect gift. The board is the size of a sheet of paper and can stand upright or lay flat for easy writing. It even comes with a 15-year warranty.
YETI Rambler ($29.99)
YETI thermos bottles are renowned for their ability to keep liquids hot or cold, depending on your beverage's original temperature. On a cold winter day, your employees will appreciate their coffee's heat, which lasts for hours. In the summer, their water will still be fresh and cold by the end of their workday.
YETI Ramblers also boast extreme durability, which makes them great gifts for workers with rougher jobs. The rambler features a durable coating that won't sweat, a magnetized lid to avoid spills and double-walled insulation.
Coffee gift card (price varies)
Your caffeine-addicted employees likely spend a chunk of their salary purchasing coffee. The next time they head over to their favorite coffee house, tell them it's on you with a gift card.
Coffee mug warmer ($10.99)
It's a classic dilemma: discovering your coffee has gotten cold while you've been working. With this mug warmer from Mr. Coffee, your workers won't have to chug their coffee when it reaches the perfect temperature to avoid a lukewarm beverage a couple of minutes later. The 17-watt warmer has a long cord to stretch to desks and can be used for any hot beverage, such as coffee, tea and hot cocoa.
For the joker
Head basketball ($24.99)
For the employee who can't sit still, this simple game offers a fun distraction with a co-worker (or family member – they're pretty much one and the same these days) with foam "head baskets" and balls.
Cornhole bean bag toss game set ($89.99)
Treat the whole office with a GoSports Cornhole game set. It will liven up your next office party, is good for lunch-break tournaments, and makes a great team-building experience. It comes with two tailgate-size cornhole boards, eight all-weather regulation bean bags, a carrying case and an official set of rules.
Moodycards ($9.88)
Want to add some comic relief to the office? Break the tension with Moodycards. Employees can write their own messages to display on their desk or choose from more than 30 flip-over messages to express how they feel, like "Do I look like Google??" and "Try turning it on and off …" Your team will appreciate humor during a stressful day, even if it's over Zoom.
Dundie Award ($14.95)
Everyone loves The Office (or should!). If you've watched it, you likely know that Michael Scott created a great reward system to express appreciation to his team: the Dundies.
While he might not have awarded the most appropriate titles (like the Extreme Repulsiveness Award – sorry, Toby!), you can customize your Dundie and use the trophy as a token of appreciation for your workers.
Self-care
Foot spa ($69.99)
For the employee who loves a bit of luxury at home, this foot spa from HoMedics comes with three pedicure attachments and offers shower massage jets, bubbles and comforting hot water all in one small machine.
Biscotti cookie gift basket ($35)
For your resident employee with a sweet tooth, you can't go wrong with this gourmet biscotti gift basket from Oh! Nuts. The wrapped gift box contains 18 different toppings on dark and white chocolate cookies, including nut brittle, caramel chocolate chips, craisins, nonpareils and shredded coconut. The cookies are certified kosher and made fresh.
Bonsai starter kit ($29.99)
These ornamental dwarf trees will bring a smile to any nature-loving employee's face and add some life (or even, according to feng shui, good luck) to the office. Caring for them through maintenance pruning is one way to cut stress, too. (Remind the recipient not to overwater it – bonsai do not require very much water to thrive.)
This bonsai starter kit comes with seeds to grow four varieties of bonsai, biodegradable pots, expanding-soil discs, plant markers, a bonsai clipper, and instructions to help your employee channel Mr. Miyagi and start their very own bonsai garden.
Mrs. Meyer's soy candle ($19.36)
What better way to brighten someone's day than by gifting them a calming and comforting candle? Mrs. Meyer's is known for its clean scents and natural products; the company's candles are no exception. This two-pack soy candle burns for up to 35 hours and is free of animal-derived ingredients.
Essential oil diffuser ($29.99)
Essential oils can encourage tranquility and offer a sense of comfort in your personal space. Employees can use the VicTsing 300ml Cool Mist Humidifier natural diffuser in the office or at home to clear their mind and unwind. It runs for up to 10 hours and powers off automatically when it runs out of water.
The diffuser features seven light color options and 15 lighting modes, so your employee can set the light that best suits their mood and workspace.
Prices accurate as of publish date.