The Best Gifts For Remote Employees

An estimated 32.6 million Americans (22.6% of the workforce) will work remotely by 2025. With remote opportunities on the rise, companies need to understand the needs and preferences of remote employees so they can be productive, feel connected, and thrive.

One of the best ways to make your remote employees feel appreciated and valued is with personalized gifts that recognize milestones and achievements. This blog will discuss why gifts for remote employees, along with notes of thanks and acknowledgment, are just as important, if not more important, as gifts for traditional office employees. We’ll cover what the best gifts for remote employees are in terms of practicality, utility, and keeping your employees happy. 

Why Get Gifts For Your Remote Employees?

Before we review the best gifts for remote employees, let’s address why it’s important to give gifts to your remote workers. Remote work can be isolating, so you want your remote employees to feel connected to the rest of your team. By giving your remote employees gifts, you make them feel appreciated for their hard work, included in the company culture, and valued by your team.

The Importance Of Recognizing Remote Employees

Research links positive employee recognition to higher levels of employee engagement, performance, and productivity. Gifts are a great way to express appreciation and provide recognition for remote employees. 

Gifts also signal to your remote employees that their contributions are being noticed and appreciated. You want your remote employees to feel like they are part of a unified team as well. Giving employees custom-branded gifts with your logo as part of their remote employee onboarding, for example, creates a sense of belonging and community despite the physical distance.

Boosting Morale And Motivation With Gifts

Gifts can be effective morale boosters for remote employees who may be experiencing loneliness or disconnection from their office co-workers. Employee appreciation gifts like custom office supplies have also been shown to boost productivity. 

Gifts can serve as excellent motivators for remote team members as well. Employee anniversary gifts, surprise birthday gifts, holiday gifts, or just a periodic thank you can go a long way in reminding employees that their efforts are appreciated. Plus, boosting morale and motivating your employees with gifts ultimately leads to less turnover and increased job satisfaction.

Understanding The Unique Needs Of Remote Employees

It’s important to remember that the needs of your remote employees may not be the same as the needs of your traditional office employees. When it comes to the type of gifts remote employees appreciate, consider how you might enhance their work-from-home experience. 

You want your remote employees to have a comfortable at-home workspace. Ergonomic office supplies, productivity tools, and desk equipment are some examples of practical gifts that help remote employees stay productive. To add a personal touch and make your remote employees feel more included in company culture, you can customize these items with your company’s logo and branding. 

Tailoring Gifts To Your Remote Employees’ Interests

If you really want to give the perfect gift, you should get to know your remote employees and try to custom-tailor the gifts to them, their interests, and their likes/preferences. For example, a custom travel mug makes an excellent gift for a remote employee who is a self-proclaimed coffee aficionado. Not only is it practical, but it also shows a degree of thoughtfulness in that you pay attention to that employee’s interests outside of work.

If you have a golfer in your ranks, they might appreciate custom golf balls, poker chip ball markers, tee sets, or other golf accessories with your company’s logo on them. Wine drinkers may enjoy a custom wine set. Tech enthusiasts might appreciate a custom portable charger or adaptor.

You get the idea. Whatever your remote employees’ interests may be, learn about them and tailor your gifts to them. Doing so not only ensures your employees receive gifts that they will actually use, but it also shows more thoughtfulness than a generic gift.

The Best Gifts For Remote Employees

Now that we have touched on why remote employee gifts help foster appreciation, productivity, and inclusivity, let’s discuss some of our top recommendations. 

1. Ergonomic Office Equipment

You want your remote employees to have a comfortable at-home workspace so they can be more productive. Consider ways you can improve your remote employees’ home office space to make it more comfortable. Lumbar supports, ergonomic computer mice, laptop stands, and under-desk footrests make for wonderful additions to the home office, and all of these items are designed to add comfort.

Ergonomic office chairs are designed to support the back and neck. They have been shown to reduce discomfort associated with sitting for long periods. Most ergonomic office chairs are also fully adjustable, so employees can customize their chairs to fit their ideal sitting position.

2. Noise-Canceling Headphones

Noise-canceling headphones are an excellent gift for your employees to minimize both outside and inside interruptions. Remote work can come with a host of at-home distractions (neighbors, kids, pets, etc.). You want your remote employees to be able to block out the background noise and focus on their work. 

3. Adjustable Standing Desk

Research shows that standing desks also help improve productivity. They have been shown to reduce mental fatigue, stimulate thinking, and boost overall productivity. They can also aid in lowering high blood sugar levels, back pain, obesity, and even heart disease.

4. Personalized Desk Accessories

You can always give your remote employees desk items like branded pens, notepads, or sticky notes to serve as little reminders of the office. Remember to custom-tailor these accessories to the individual. Emphasize the personalized in personalized desk accessories. 

5. Desk Organizers

Get your remote employees bins to reduce clutter, organizational trays, and even day planners to help them stay organized and make their desk space feel more breathable.

6. Personalized Drinkware

Consider getting your remote employees personalized drinkware to show your appreciation. Safeguard by Innovative offers a wide selection of custom drinkware. Choose between custom tumblers, travel mugs, insulated water bottles, and more. 

7. Plants For The Home Office

Simply having and looking at plants during the workday can help reduce stress, which in turn can sharpen productivity and improve an employee’s focus. Give your remote employees an indoor plant to help them de-stress throughout the workday. 

9. A Self-Care Gift Basket

Consider gifting your remote employees a mix of items to show your appreciation. Gift baskets make for perfect employee anniversary gifts, employee thank-you gifts, remote employee onboarding gifts, surprise birthday gifts, and more. 

The act of recognizing your employees, not just once, but periodically throughout the year, is what matters most. It is not necessarily the cost of the gift, but more so the thoughtfulness behind the gift that truly bolsters team morale and employee satisfaction.

Remember that the gifts do not need to be expensive. Safeguard by Innovative can help provide recommendations and options that fit any budget. 

If you need help with bundling or kitting services for your gift baskets, our team of experts can help with that too. We can also create custom new hire kits.