5 Corporate Gift & Award Ideas for Employee Recognition

As an employer, the relationships you build with your employees are the most important ones. Taking every opportunity to recognise 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 such as 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 Employees Gifts?

Companies often purchase corporate and promotional gifts to give out at banquets, team-bonding outings, holiday gatherings or to remind employees they’re appreciated. Corporate gifts and awards are an excellent way to build lasting, meaningful working relationships. When you purchase customised gifts to recognise employees, you:

Motivate everyone in the company to achieve more
Improve workplace morale
Express gratitude to the people that keep your business running smoothly
Lower employee turnover
Foster more creativity and productivity
Pave the way for valuable conversations and feedback by creating a more open environment

Choose Gifts That Make an Impact At ADLER, we sell quality branded products that can reward and incentivise your employees. Giving your employees 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 increase your business’ brand recognition in an expressive way. Here are some examples of what can go in a branded apparel and accessory gift pack:

Apparel with your brand’s colours and a motivational phrase can provide motivation and inspiration to your employees. Items like these get regular use by employees, which keeps the organization’s mission and affirmation at the top of their minds. 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 fulfilment during 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 or for employees receiving a promotion. They can also be combined with an employee recognition certificate. These are the types of pens that don’t get lost in the chaos 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 write in journals or brainstorm. Here are some custom pen options that you can reward your standout employees with:

Browse different colour options, decide which font is best, and choose a laser engraving style that is legible and attention-grabbing. ADLER has a wide variety of these pens, and you can get them in quantities of 50 to 1,000.

3. Personalised Drinkware

Professionals who work in offices for 40-plus hours are usually creatures of habit and even have routines about the fluids they drink every day. A coffee drinker likely has a favourite brew. Avid water drinkers probably have a favourite Thermos they use to keep track of their water intake. 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. Giving your employees drinkware allows you to say thank you in a useful way. Here are some options your employees will appreciate:

In-office drinkware helps to keep your employees minds in the game. Coffee is a cognitive enhancer that promotes brain activity, focus and creativity. What’s more, 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 hydrate you throughout the day. Add a name, award or personal touch to the drinkware and it’ll quickly become a favourite item for your employees. Quality branded drinkware will also have features such as vacuum sealing as well as 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:

People check their devices several times a day. Gadgets with your logo, colours 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 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 recognise them as an individual. Consider your employee’s hobbies and interests outside work, and buy the items they’ll love. To gather this information up-front, you can add a hobby section to your employee intake form or start a spreadsheet where they input their interests. Getting to know the team’s individual interests can also make a great topic for a Zoom meeting. Here are some great hobby and lifestyle gift ideas:

Sports equipment
Accessories for BBQs
Toys
Travel equipment
Kitchen utensils and cooking accessories

No matter how small the item, a gift you know someone will love is a gift from the heart that they’ll never forget.

Strengthen Your Business Through Employee Recognition

Developing soft skills such as relationship-building is essential to thriving in business. When you understand how to connect with the people in your company, your employees will feel recognised and will be motivated to contribute more to the team. ADLER is here to help you every step of the way. Whether you have a small team or 500+ employees, our corporate gifts will ensure that they all feel like #1. Discover our inventory of business gifts for any occasion to get started.