Gifts For Employees

Are you looking for a gift for your employees that is unique, personal and thoughtful at the same time? Then look no further!

Don’t just opt for a generic hamper or a bottle of wine, take it up a gear! Choose a useful gift that reflects your brand image, then add your logo and marketing message; you will be surprised at just how well it will be received.

From trendy insulated travel mugs, to the latest tech gadget, to gift packs full of wellbeing treats, there are copious amounts of items that can be personalised. And they don’t need to cost the earth, even a simple ball pen with your employees name on can inspire company pride. Keep reading to spark ideas for your next campaign.

What Gifts Should I Give My Employees?

1. Useful Desktop Items

If you are office based, desktop branded products are sure to be crowd pleasers. Items such as coasters, mugs, charging cables, wireless chargers, phone accessories, calendars, notepads and not forgetting pens and stationery – will not only be handy, but will also help to keep the office space uniform and tidy.

You could even incorporate some healthy team competition with a branded desktop item. Why not lead a competition to see who can grow a plant the quickest with a promotional desktop garden? These kinds of gifts will not only encourage team building and morale, but can be used for fun and engaging social media content too.

2. Make Work Life Easier

Make life easier for your employees in the work place. If you have a sales team on the road, why not gift them a travel mug or drinks bottle to help keep them hydrated? A business bag, an umbrella or lunch box or even hand warmer would all be handy items, or a power bank or a wireless charger so they are always connected?

If your team follows a hybrid model and works from home, an item to help home life is bound to be appreciated. A wireless speaker, headphones or even a cosy blanket or something for the kitchen would be a nice touch.

If your work is mostly client facing, your team may appreciate a new branded note book or conference folder to keep all their notes in one place. These types of gifts will not only make your staff feel pride in their company, but also, your brand will come across as professional to your clients. Better still, you could personalise the gift with the employees individual name; an extra special touch to show your gratitude and make them feel truly appreciated.

3. Team Clothing

Quality corporate clothing will help to create a sense of pride at work and boost team morale. There are some superb retail style clothing options available to you.  If you go for more subtle branding, like an icon or small logo, they will be more likely be worn outside of the workplace too.  If subtle isn’t in your brand vocabulary, you could go bold and showcase your branding and artwork to their full impact. Either way, staff will appreciate the investment and feel a unity with other team members. From beanies, t-shirts, hoodies and jackets right to socks and even trainers – there is a clothing option for any budget.

Read more about why team clothing is a worthy investment in our Why Branded Uniforms Important blog.

4. Relaxation Gifts

A good way to reward your team for their hard work and dedication is with a gift that helps them relax. Pamper packs with bath salts, candles, bath bombs, lip balms and pulse point oil are ideal for adding a thoughtful message onto.

For more mindfulness ideas, check out our blog Wellbeing and Mental Health Promotional Products.

5. Celebrate Achievements with Awards

A great way to celebrate your teams achievements and milestones is with an award engraved with your employees name. Whether you award the top employee of the month, award hard work or anniversaries, or even have an annual internal business awards ceremony; awards will instil a sense of pride and recognition in your employees. Awards can be made in all shapes, sizes and materials to suit your branding.

The prospect of winning an award can also help to motivate your staff to do their best in the acknowledgement they will be recognised. They may even encourage brand advocacy, with award names being shared on social media.

6. Tasty Treats

A real crowd pleaser is a tasty treat. But, instead of something you can get from the supermarket, by investing a little more thought, you can create an item that will make your brand stand out and be memorable.

Whether you create a gift with the wow factor (a chocolate bar with an individuals name on for example) or a substantial item that can be re-used after all the delicious morsels have vanished (like mint tins, jars of sweets or tins of chocolates)!

If you want to combine a number of treats, you can present them in a branded gift box or hamper with branded belly band.

7. Luxury Gifts

Blow your employees away with luxurious, stylish gifts they will want to brag about! An item with a high perceived value will be kept for longer and brand recall will be higher, meaning your spend will keep on giving. Think high tech gadgets engraved with your logo, high quality drinkware or deluxe stationery.

See a selection of Premium Gifts here.

8. Gift Packs

Let’s not forget the impact you can make when you combine several branded items in a neat gift box. The great thing about them is you can pick and choose the items to suit your budget and branding. You can choose from a number of off-the shelf branded gift packs, and decide whether to add branding the to box itself or have a plain presentation box.

See our Care Gift Packs for Employees here.

When can I give my employees gifts?

• To say thank you for hard work
• For completing a project or consignment
• To mark a work anniversary
• To mark special occasions like Christmas or the New Year
• To reward achievements such as passing a qualification
• To incentivise hard work or achieving goals

Branded gifts are a great way to either say thank you, to mark special moments like anniversaries, or to provide an incentive for achieving goals. Not only will employees feel appreciated but if they really buy into the brand and company they can endorse the company and become brand advocates.  Just think how many times you tell friends and family about a free gift you have received and really valued.

How much can you give an employee as a gift UK?

According to gov.uk, you can give an employee a gift up to the value of £50 and not need to pay tax. Also if:

• it isn’t cash or a cash voucher
• it isn’t a reward for their work or performance
• it isn’t in the terms of their contract

This is known as a ‘trivial benefit’. You can read more about it on here.

Why do I need team appreciation gifts?

Let’s face it, if employees aren’t happy, they are less likely to perform to the best of their abilities and this could dramatically effect the success of a business. Studies show that happy employees are 20% more productive at work and are also less likely to call in sick; so it makes business sense to invest in and nurture a work force. An easy and effective tactic to add to your business strategy is with appreciation gifts for your employees. Promotional gifts will boost satisfaction, loyalty and morale. Here is why:

Recognition and Appreciation

Branded gifts can be used to recognise and celebrate your employees. They are a simple way to let your team know that their efforts don’t go unnoticed and that you are grateful for their dedication to their job. When employees feel valued, they are happier, and are much more likely to do their best at work.

Motivation

Promotional gifts can be used to motivate employees. Both as an incentive to reach goals or better their performance, or as discussed above, if they feel happier at work they will become more motivated. Additionally, motivating your employees to be more mentally and physically healthy by gifting items such as fitness trackers, wellness journals and water bottles, will in turn help them to become happier and more productive.

Team Building

Gifting your work force with a valued branded item can help to promote a unified team. As well as providing a reason for interaction between peers, it is a way to create a sense of unity and belonging. So for example, a welcome gift pack with essential branded items in can give the new employee a sense of belonging and appreciation. Promotional gifts can also be used to create excitement for sporting events or after work social occasions, which can encourage the team to bond and build upon their relationships.

Corporate Culture

Promotional gifts can also reinforce the culture of your company. By choosing items that align with your brands ideology, you will resonate with your employee, creating an engaging connection. Plus, if an employee truly values the gift, it will enhance their sense of pride of being part of the company and they will be more likely to reflect the culture in their behaviour towards others in and outside of the workplace.

Continued Brand Promotion

As well as contributing to a happier and more productive work-force, branded employee gifts will continue to promote your brand well after the gift itself has been received. A useful item that is used on a daily basis such as bags, drinkware or stationery, will showcase and advertise your company. If the gift is continually used or in plain sight, it will act as a constant reminder of the emotional connection your employee had when they received the gift, and reinforce that feeling of satisfaction for years to come.

In conclusion, branded gifts for employees will significantly enhance their sense of appreciation, recognition, motivation and loyalty. They will help to promote a sense of being part of the team and culture, as well as encouraging your employees to do their best at work. By incorporating a thoughtful mix of promotional gifts throughout the year, you can reinforce a positive employer-employee relationship.

If you need guidance on what promotional gift would work best for your branding and company culture, our experienced UK team will be pleased to help you. Contact us here.

Read Next: Welcome Packs for New Employees