Ten Employee Gifts Perfect for the Whole Team

Employee recognition is key to business success. Employees recognized for their hard work are happy employees; happy employees are productive employees, and productive employees lift the rest of the company. Honoring and rewarding your employees with employee gifts for the effort that goes above and beyond is not only a way to put a smile on their faces, it's also a powerful motivation tool. That element of recognition can prove to be very powerful when it comes to boosting the work of other employees within the company.

So what kind of employee recognition works best in modern business? Chances are that many of your employees - in your office or elsewhere - are familiar with the same tired types of employee recognition (gift cards, for example) that so many places use. It's time to get creative. Here's our list of ten creative employee gifts that are perfect for the whole team.

1. Remote Work Days. If you're part of an organization that generally has their employees within the office, switch it up as a reward for the team's hard work. Make arrangements to let the team work from home - or from a different remote location - on a pre-selected day. Try reserving a space at a coffee shop or a nearby restaurant and make a meal out of the recognition. It's a great, refreshing way to show your appreciation by taking the team somewhere that's a little bit out of the norm.
2. Give the Gift of Entertainment. How about a movie? Arrange for your hardworking team to take some time off and provide your employees with a few tickets to the nearest theater. They can enjoy the latest superhero smash-em-up or romantic comedy and come out of it feeling refreshed and ready to work hard again. This is especially helpful for companies with a global presence; systems like the one CoreCentive provides can deliver those global entertainment reward options in over 150 countries.
3. LinkedIn recommendations. This is a very modern form of recognition. Write up your kudos for the team and deliver it to their individual LinkedIn pages, and then remember to share it on your own page and the company's page. Not only will provide a nice boost and bit of recognition, but it will also allow a wider audience of network members to see all of their excellent efforts - and the extraordinary effort you put into recognizing those efforts.
4. Food trucks! Tell the team to be sure not to bring their lunch on a particular day - and treat them to a meal out of a food truck. Most major cities (and many smaller ones) now have plenty of food trucks driving about. These mobile meal hot-spots provide a fun, active way to get the team out of the office and say "thank you" for all the hard work. Google some of the best food trucks in your area and give one a call to see when they can stop by.
5. Develop a "rotating" trophy. This is an idea popular for many professional hockey teams - so why not bring it into your organization? Pick up some type of trophy or item that would have special meaning to your organization and pass it around to the team or employee who has gone above and beyond.
6. Get them moving. Get their blood pumping and allow them to blow off some steam with some unique group exercise as a thank-you. Try going to a boxing gym, karate class, or even a dance lesson. Getting the body engaged will help the mind as well.
7. Enjoy some libations. Reserve a spot at a local brewery or winery, and arrange for a tour or a tasting. Not only will your employees enjoy some fine beverages, but they'll also learn some interesting facts and get a first-hand look at the hardworking behind-the-scenes action. It's a great way to have some fun as a reward and keep them motivated for the future.
8. Office entertainment day. Remember how exciting it was when your teacher decided to show a video for the day? Take that idea and use that for your employees. Chunk off a period of time, turn down the lights, get some popcorn, and treat the office to a few hours of entertainment. Watching The Office in the office might be a fun way to have some laughs.
9. Game night in the office. Bring in some old-school board games (Monopoly, Risk, Chutes and Ladders, The Game of Life) and set up game stations for the afternoon. This is an always-delightful way to have some fun in the office.
10. Furry friends. Dogs have a delightful way of pumping up morale in an office environment. If your team has delivered, tell them that it's time for a "pet day" in the office. Have them bring their dogs into the office and stock up on treats for both human and animal.

Looking to give your employee recognition program a boost? CoreCentive is the answer. CoreCentive delivers a host of solutions - including point-based programs, performance recognition, service anniversary awards, and sales and safety incentives to help keep your employees challenged, engaged, and motivated. Come and see what we can do for you!