Finding the right gift for your employees can be challenging. Everyone has their preferences for things, and what is fitting for John might not be the right gift for James. 

While corporate gifting may sound like a good idea to boost morale and show appreciation, giving your team the wrong present can easily backfire. 

A Snappy survey found that more than 8 in 10 employees have once received a workplace gift they didn’t want. The gift made them feel unappreciated and left an impression that employers don’t care instead.

So as far as giving and receiving appreciation goes, you should not be giving a coffee mug or water bottle printed with the company’s logo. 

Instead, you need to pick out the right unique gifts to show your recognition and gratitude effectively. Here are six gift ideas and examples to guide you. 

1. Practical and valuable gifts

As a start, giving practical gifts to your employees is a great idea because they will actually use them and can see the value it adds to their lives. 

Imagine someone giving you a quality set of wireless earphones — you can use them during your jog or work and will always feel thankful when you put them on. 

Practical, valuable gifts can please even the hardest to shop for employees, and you can be sure that they are actually being used instead of regifted or just collecting dust.

When picking out a practical gift for your employees, ask yourself what value it adds. Will the gift make their lives better, or does it solve daily problems? 

Some unique and thoughtful gifts you can give your employees in 2022 are:

1. COVID-19 care pack to stay connected with your team and keep them safe
2. Personal massager to relieve stress tension and improve their overall wellness
3. Ergonomic laptop stand or chair for your remote workers still doing their best

2. Gifts that solve their problems

Another idea when it comes to selecting a gift that your employees will appreciate is to think of a gift that will help them solve their problems.

For example, is your employee complaining about a leaking sink? Pay a handyman to go help them fix it. Or maybe they are complaining about a sore neck and back? Book them a session with a chiropractor.

Helping your employees solve a problem will give them the impression that you are empathetic while allowing them to focus better on work. Additionally, problem-solving gifts can also be physical items like: 

1. Weighted blankets to help your employee relax and sleep better
2. Robotic vacuum cleaner to keep household cleaning automated
3. Humidifier for aromatherapy and employees with allergies

3. Gifts that keep on giving

If you want to give a present that keeps on giving, subscription gifts can be yet another excellent choice. It is growing in popularity, and there is a whole host of subscription boxes or services out there for everyone.

From digital subscriptions like a MasterClass all-access pass to coffee gift subscriptions like Atlas Coffee Club, you can keep giving your employee something they like all year long. 

4. Gifts that are sure to please

No matter what physical items you decide to buy your employees, you need to make sure it is a luxury gift, if not the best in class. 

Nobody wants a cheap pin or mug for all their hard work. You need to show your employees that you genuinely appreciate them by actually giving them something of high value or quality. 

Even if your gift is a notebook, giving your employees a high-quality Moleskine notebook can make all the difference in value and experience. That’s why here are some other everyday items that can make unique gifts. 

1. High-quality ink pens personalised with your employee’s name
2. Hydro flask mug to hold and regulate drink’s temperature
3. Wireless fast chargers for the optimal charging speeds

5. Give your employees freedom of choice

Next on the list is a gift card. Because not only are they cost-effective, they give the recipient some flexibility to pick out their gifts. 

Though Amazon gift cards may be the standard option for its extensive goods and services, we recommend going for more unexpected gift cards that give experiences instead. 

For example, an Airbnb gift card is perfect for your employees to plan a weekend staycation to relax and return to work refreshed. Or giving a Blue Apron gift card can also treat your team to a healthy, delicious meal. 

Likewise, the idea here is to pick out a gift card that your employees will want to use. You can pick up something related to their interests or use this as an opportunity to encourage them to have new experiences like travelling abroad or trying new food.

6. Gifts that they will look forward to

Remember the feeling when we are looking forward to a trip or event? 

Gifts that involve an enjoyable event in the future can be a source of positive anticipation and excitement, making them the most memorable and appreciated gifts. 

You may already be doing this with an all-expense paid company trip, but other gift examples also include giving your employees tickets to a game or play.

Discover your unique gift at Gift Market

Whether you are managing a team of six or an international corporation with hundreds of workers, ultimately, the key to giving gifts that your employees will appreciate is to care. 

You can do this considering practicality or paying attention to each employee’s needs and desires. To recap, here are the strategies for picking up a unique, meaningful gift:

1. Practical and valuable gifts
2. Gifts that solve problems
3. Annual subscription gifts
4. Gifts that are the best
5. Freedom of choice with gift cards
6. Gifts that they will look forward to

You can find the perfect gift here at Gift Market where we will help you create fun and customisable gifts based on your budget. Reach out to our experts now to get started.