Giving a small, thoughtful gift is a great way to show your employees you appreciate their hard work throughout the year. But while 57% of workers want to receive a holiday gift, more than half don’t like their company’s gifts.
It’s best to look for gifts that include everyone — for example, not everyone drinks alcohol or eats meat, and different employees probably celebrate different holidays. Let’s look at 10 inexpensive gifts your employees will appreciate receiving.
10 budget-friendly gifts for employees
1. Gift cards
It’s hard to go wrong with a gift card since they are still the number one requested gift. A DoorDash or UberEats gift card allows employees to buy food from thousands of restaurants and stores. Visa Rewards, Amazon, and Starbucks are also popular gift card options.
2. A day off
Your gift doesn’t have to be a physical item — it could just be an additional day off of work. Let your employees pick a day off of their choosing to relax and spend with friends or family. Taking time off is likely to benefit your employees both mentally and physically.
3. Subscriptions
Another option to consider is buying some sort of subscription for your employees. An Audible subscription allows employees to listen to their favorite audiobooks, or you could purchase a streaming subscription to Hulu or Netflix. Wellness perks are popular with employees, so you can also consider a subscription to meditation apps like Calm or Headspace.
4. E-learning class
Over 90% of employees will stay with a company longer if that employer invests in their ongoing professional development. That’s why e-learning classes are another great option for an employee gift. LinkedIn Learning and Udemy Business are two great options that offer a large library of courses on leadership and skills training.
Your gift doesn’t have to be a physical item — it could just be an additional day off of work.
5. Donation
Giving back is a great way to strengthen company culture and show your employees that the company prioritizes social responsibility. So another option is to let your employees pick a charitable organization, and you can make a donation on their behalf. You could also provide a small charitable giving stipend to your employees so they can make the donations themselves.
6. Self-watering planter
Plant lovers might appreciate being given a self-watering planter, which is a container that automatically delivers water to the plant’s roots. That way, your employees can add a little bit of greenery to their home or workspace, but there’s very little maintenance involved.
7. Charging station
If there’s one thing every employee needs, it’s a charging station. The average person has 3.6 devices, so a single charger just won’t cut it. A charging station makes it easy for employees to charge multiple devices at once, and it won’t clutter up their workspace. A portable charger is another option since so many people need to charge their devices on the go.
8. Water bottle
Many people have become more health-conscious in recent years, so a high-quality water bottle could be an excellent gift. Stanley tumblers, Hydro Flask bottles, and S’well are all popular options employees might appreciate, and there are tons of colors and styles to pick from. Providing reusable water bottles is also a good way to eliminate plastics in the office.
9. Mug warmer
A mug warmer is an excellent gift because it’s useful, but many people won’t buy it for themselves. These small, portable devices heat the bottle of a coffee mug to keep drinks warm throughout the day. That way, employees don’t have to worry about their coffee or tea going cold if they don’t drink it right away.
10. Book
A book is a timeless gift that employees can use over and over again, though choosing a book that all of your employees will enjoy is a bit tricky. If you have a smaller team, you could choose a different book for each employee based on what you know about them.
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