As an employer, the relationships you build with your employees are the most important ones. Taking every opportunity to recognize their efforts and performance will make them feel valued and cherished.
Just 36% of workers in the United States are engaged at work on any given day. Engagement in this study was measured by factors like opportunities for professional development, clear expectations from the employer, and whether they feel their opinions are valued. Employee recognition gifts and awards can boost engagement and make people feel seen, heard, and appreciated.
What Happens When You Give Employee Gifts?
Companies often purchase corporate and promotional gifts to give out at banquets, team bonding outings, holiday gatherings, or to remind employees that they are appreciated. Corporate gifts and awards are an excellent way to build lasting and meaningful work relationships.
When you purchase customized gifts to recognize employees, you:
- Motivate everyone in the company to achieve more
- Improve the morale of the workplace
- Express gratitude to the people that keep your business running smoothly
- Lower the rate of employee turnover
- Foster more creativity and productivity
- Open the floor for valuable conversations and feedback by creating a more open environment
Choose Gifts That Make an Impact
At Myron, we sell quality branded products that can reward and incentivize your employees. While traditional awards, such as engraved plaques, can be used to show appreciation, consider something different. Gifting your employees with something practical they can take with them and use on a regular basis will go a long way. Here are some ideas that you and your employees will love.
1. Branded Company Apparel and Accessories
Apparel and accessories with your company’s branding on them increase your business’ brand recognition in a fun and expressive way.
Here are some examples of what can go in a branded apparel and accessory gift pack:
- Sweatshirts, hoodies, and polo shirts
- Hats and sunglasses
- Totes, duffle bags, and backpacks
- Blankets, towels, and mats
- Keyrings and lanyards
Apparel with your brand colors and a motivational phrase of affirmation can provide motivation and inspiration for your employees.
Items like these get regular use by employees, which keeps the organization’s mission and affirmation at the top of their minds. Research-backed studies also show that self-affirmed employees are more receptive to their errors, which means they’re better able to correct them.
Create your branded apparel with company values in mind, and it’ll offer inspiration and motivation that leads to happy employees. In turn, they’ll perform better and find more purpose and fulfillment in their time working for you.
2. Custom Metal Pens
Fancy pens and business deals go hand-in-hand. Companies go out of their way to bring out beautifully-designed custom metal pens whenever a critical contract is on the table. They’re perfect keepsakes for new employees, employees receiving a promotion, or they can be combined with an employee recognition certificate.
These are the types of pens that don’t get lost in the mix of the junk drawer. Your recipient will go out of their way to take care of the pen and use it, particularly if they regularly journal or brainstorm.
Here are some custom pen options you can reward your standout employees with:
Browse different color options, decide which font is best, and choose a laser engraving style that is legible and attention-grabbing. Myron has a wide variety of these pens, and you can get them in quantities of 50 to 1,000.
3. Personalized Drinkware
Professionals that work in offices for 40-plus hours are usually creatures of habit. They even have routines about the fluids they drink each day. A coffee drinker likely has a favorite brew. Avid water drinkers probably have a favorite thermos they use to count their ounces.
Glassware is a popular gift because of its versatility. It’s used to celebrate, unwind, and commemorate special moments, but it can also become a staple in your employees’ everyday lives. Gifting your employee’s drinkware lets you say thank you in a useful way.
Here are some options your employees will appreciate:
- Custom coffee mugs
- Water bottles and thermoses
- Beer, shot, and wine glasses
- Drink holders and koozies
- Custom straws and tumblers
In-office drinkware helps to keep your employees in the game. Coffee is a cognitive enhancer that promotes brain activity, focus, and creativity. Plus, staying hydrated prevents brain fog and enhances mood. In-office drinkware, such as coffee mugs and water tumblers, can help you enjoy your morning coffee and then hydrate throughout the workday.
Add a name, award, or personal touch to the drinkware, and it’ll quickly become a favorite item for your employees. Quality branded drinkware will also have features like vacuum sealing and materials that preserve the temperature and freshness of the beverage.
4. Tech Gifts and Gadgets
In a tech-centric world, you can’t go wrong with gadget gifts. These gifts are easy to use immediately, whether for work or recreation.
These tech-centric gifts are excellent for employee recognition:
- USB drives and other storage accessories
- Blue light blocker glasses
- Branded mouse and mouse pads
- Headphones, earbuds, and portable Bluetooth speakers
- Device chargers, charging cords, and power banks
- Microfiber cleaning cloths
- Smartphone and tablet cases and covers
- Wallets that hold smartphones, cards, cash, and identification
People check their devices several times throughout the day. Gadgets with your logo, colors, and company name create brand loyalty with little effort. The amount of use these devices get from the average person creates unlimited opportunities to make connections.
5. Individual Hobby Gifts
Knowing your employees is the key to finding the right gift that suits them best. Personal gifts are often more touching because they’re specific to someone’s lifestyle and show you went above and beyond to recognize them as an individual.
Consider your employee’s hobbies and interests outside of work, and shop the items they’ll love. To gather this information upfront, you can make a hobby section part of your employee’s intake form or start a spreadsheet where they input their interests. Also, getting to know the team’s individual interests can make a great topic for a Zoom meeting.
Here are some great hobby and lifestyle gift ideas:
- A set of golf clubs, custom golf balls, a golf bag, or other golf items
- Accessories for BBQs and grilling out
- Frisbees, yo-yos, playing cards, and hacky sacks
- Game boards for poker, dominos, and chess
- Pet leashes, clothing, and other accessories
No matter how small the item is, getting things a person loves makes it a gift from the heart that they won’t forget.
Strengthen Your Business Through Employee Recognition
Developing soft skills like relationship building is essential to thriving in business. When you understand how to connect with the people in your company, your employees will feel recognized and will be motivated to contribute more to the team.
Myron is here to help you do that every step of the way. Whether you have a small team of 500+ employees, our corporate gifts and awards will ensure that they all feel like #1. Shop our inventory of business gifts for any occasion to get started.