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Employee Appreciation Ideas

Showing your employees appreciation and recognition isn’t just something to check off your to-do list at year-end, but a habit to keep year-round as it can help reduce turnover and boost company morale. Showing gratitude to employees for their contribution is motivating because it shows that a positive work ethic will be celebrated and rewarded.

Studies by Harvard Health Publishing Study showed gratitude boosts well-being and performance in workplaces. According to Graziadio Business Review, expressing gratitude toward others also improves job satisfaction, loyalty, productivity, and even profitability.

Between the hustle of day-to-day to-do’s, though, employers may miss opportunities to say thanks and deepen relationships with employees. That’s why we put together some examples that go above and beyond a thank-you email.

Here are some employee appreciation gift ideas:

1. Share a gift card 

seed paper petal gift card holders

If you’re unsure what to give, gift cards are a great option. Try getting a gift card for the local café where your employees can stop by on their way to work. For a bonus gift of planting, use a seed paper petal card holder that can be planted after into wildflowers!

2. Uplift with a wellness-themed gift

Scents speak to emotional memory. Handmade soaps are infused with popular and familiar spa-inspired essential oils in woodsy, floral, fruity and gentle scentless blends. Give away as a stand-alone gift, tuck into a baggie with other wellness items or go with a pre-packaged gift box with 4 artisanal blends for an elevated experience. Whichever you choose, they’ll love opening up and smelling the goodies inside. Plus, they’re made with extra-moisturizing natural ingredients that will keep their hands from getting dry.

3. Give a stationery gift

Note-taking and scheduling are universal tasks, so why not go with classic stationery gifts? Employees will likely need agendas, pencils, or business cardholders. If you’re looking for an eco-friendly option, try seed paper notepads or plantable notebooks filled with recycled paper.

4. Send a nice handwritten card

seed paper thank you card

Putting pen to paper for a handwritten card is a short, sweet, and universal way to say thank you. Whether it’s a way to welcome a new employee to the team or celebrate an employee’s work anniversary, employees will appreciate your personalized expression of gratitude. You could send seed paper thank-you cards as a stand-alone gift, as they already give the gift of gardening!

5. Delight them with a food delivery

charcuterie board from The Board in Winnipeg, Manitoba

The quickest way to someone’s heart is through their stomach! Nowadays, the options for food delivery services are wide-reaching. You could send a digital gift card for a food delivery service, so they can choose what they’d like to eat. Or, you could pre-order and deliver assorted food platters. In the past, Botanical PaperWorks sent a charcuterie-board-for-one with a small bottle of sparkling wine and crackers to employees for an end-of-project celebration.

6. Give them public praise

Thank You on a social media post on a phone

After the performance, it’s nice to hear the applause. Especially for significant accomplishments or contributions, instead of saying thank-you in private, make a public announcement. Post the thank you on your team’s social media account, project management message-board, workplace bulletin board. You could even record a thank-you video to share on your website blog.

7. Send flowers or give them a planting kit 

herb sprouter grow kit and a bouquet of flowers

The sweet smell of flowers is a welcome break from the business of every day. Deliver fresh flowers to their door, or if you want to make the gift more experiential, give employees a herb sprouter grow kit that they can plant at home!

8. Give a plaque or engraved gift

employees clapping together

For significant milestones or anniversaries, a plaque for longtime service or an engraved gift can be more meaningful. You could even schedule a day with the entire staff to present this gift to them, once gathering in groups is allowed again. Don’t hesitate to think outside-of-the-box and give an engraved gift that they will get a lot of use out of, such as a wallet, tote bag, or pair of headphones.



We all like to know that our hard work is appreciated. Whenever there’s the chance to, it’s worth it to put some thought into saying ‘thank you’ with an employee appreciation gift. Your relationships with staff will only deepen when you show that you care!


seed paper business promotional products

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