Ever since the pandemic, we’ve been a fully remote team. To put it lightly, no one wants to go back to the office. Well, except for HR. They love the office. We’ve all continuously held our ground that we want to stay fully remote, despite the polite protests from HR and the CEO.
Well recently, the company announced that we would be adopting a hybrid work model. Let’s just say most of us were less than pleased. David from Accounting and Jane from Marketing already quit. The rest of us are barely hanging on by a thread.
Truth be told, we do love our company and our boss, which is why we plan on sticking it out. But the CEO and HR are nervous that they’re going to lose the rest of us. So they decided to invest in some employee appreciation gift ideas as a part of an employee appreciation initiative. They plan on giving these clever employee appreciation gifts each week.
And while none of us are actually going anywhere, the gifts are a nice touch.
Small Appreciation Gifts For Employees
So in order to try to appease all of the employees for having to come into the office, HR decided to invest in some small appreciation gifts. Because we’re a decent sized company, they would have a good amount of gifts to order…
As a part of this employee appreciation initiative, HR ordered a ton of staff appreciation gifts in bulk. These small appreciation gifts for employees came in a huge order. We’re talking a couple of truckloads full of inexpensive employee appreciation gifts. We got everything from curated snack boxes to pens, there were even some small electronic gifts in there.
We think they misjudged how many gifts they’d actually need to be quite honest. It seemed that for every 1 employee there was, 20 employee appreciation gifts were ordered. Here are a few of them-
1. Chocolate Chip Cookie Bag
Price: $7.69
Show your appreciation with this classic treat! A simple yet thoughtful gift, this cookie bag is perfect for employee appreciation day or any occasion to recognize your employees. Boost morale and foster a culture of appreciation with this delicious snack—because showing appreciation doesn’t have to be complicated.
2. Almond Butter Banana Chocolate Mighty Bite
Price: $19.99
A way to show appreciation that’s both nutritious and indulgent! Recognize your employees with this energy-packed bite, crafted for those who appreciate a mix of flavor and wellness. A perfect addition to holiday gifts or appreciation days, making team members feel valued while keeping their workday fueled.
3. Sriracha Crunchy Ancient Grain Puffs
Price: $2.74
Spice up employee engagement with a selection of employee appreciation snacks that deliver a flavorful kick! These Sriracha puffs are a unique way to show appreciation, keeping team members energized. A great addition to recognition gifts or appreciation ideas for a culture of appreciation that employees feel.
4. Hazelnut 70% Dark Chocolate Bar
Price: $6.26
Show your appreciation with a sophisticated selection of employee appreciation treats! This rich dark chocolate bar is perfect for recognition gifts, making employees and team members feel valued. An indulgent yet thoughtful gift, great for boosting morale on employee appreciation day or as a holiday gift.
5. Ultimate Snack Mix
Price: $50.00
A selection of employee appreciation snacks that every team member would love! Packed with a mix of sweet and savory, this snack mix is a great way to show appreciation. Recognize your employees with a tasty boost for their workday—because a well-fed team is a happy and productive one!
Inexpensive Employee Appreciation Gifts for Remote Employees
The excessive amount of gifts seemed a little overboard. Don’t get me wrong, we got remote employee appreciation gifts when we were fully remote. Now that we’ve been forced to go hybrid, the gifts have more than quadrupled in number.
There were so many gifts that no one knew where to put them…
We don’t know for sure, but we’re convinced that HR made a mistake when typing in the order quantity. Yeah, it makes sense to order snack bags in bulk if it’s a part of an employee incentive program, but thousands of baskets? It was insane.
HR started keeping the extra employee appreciation gifts in their office. But their offices quickly filled up with swag bags, plants, beverages, and other employee appreciation gifts that they had ordered. One of the HR employees could barely get their door open because there were so many employee gift boxes and bags in there.
1. Goodie Bags
Price: $30.00
A thoughtful gift to boost morale and recognize your employees! These goodie bags are the perfect way to show appreciation on employee appreciation day or any company celebration. Packed with treats employees love, they’d like receiving this fun and engaging gift that reinforces a culture of appreciation.
2. Watermelon Rush ACE Collagen Recovery Juice
Price: $4.39
Refresh and recognize your employees with a wellness boost! This collagen-packed juice is a way to show appreciation while keeping team members energized. Perfect for appreciation days or holiday gifts, it enhances company culture and makes employees feel truly appreciated and valued.
Heirloom Almonds
Price: $3.07
A simple yet effective way to show appreciation, these heirloom almonds make for a healthy and thoughtful gift. Show your appreciation by adding them to recognition gifts, giving employees a snack that supports wellness and productivity while fostering a culture of appreciation.
3. Pretzels Original
Price: $2.19
Crunchy, classic, and a great way to show appreciation! These pretzels are a perfect selection of employee appreciation treats for any workday. Recognize your employees with a snack that boosts morale and keeps the energy up during meetings or breaks. A thoughtful gift they’d like!
4. Astonishing Almond Butter Vanilla Organic Energy Bar
Price: $3.29
Give employees a nutritious treat with this selection of employee appreciation snacks! A perfect recognition gift that fuels the workday, this organic energy bar is a way to show appreciation while supporting well-being. A great holiday gift idea to make employees feel valued.
Personalized Employee Appreciation Gifts
Despite the fact that our office was flooded with gifts, we weren’t complaining. In fact, these gifts were really nice. We received personalized employee appreciation gifts, such as custom food baskets curated with our favorite foods, scented candles, self-care products, and custom water bottles.
It got to the point where HR couldn’t even walk from the door to the desk because there were just too many employee appreciation gifts being stored there. That’s when a lot of the gifts started migrating to our offices. First, it was marketing, then it was sales, then it was IT and soon there wasn’t a bare office in the building.
1. Port & Company Knit Cap
Price: $5.98
Keep team members cozy while showing appreciation with this stylish knit cap! A great addition to employee appreciation day gifts, it’s a way to show appreciation during colder months. Recognize your employees with a useful and thoughtful gift that promotes company culture and morale.
2. Unisex Two-Section Pocket Waist Apron
Price: $6.95
Perfect for employees who love practicality! This apron is a unique way to show appreciation, making employees feel valued with a useful recognition gift. A great choice for appreciation days or as part of a selection of employee appreciation gifts that blend function with appreciation.
3. YaYa Budget Non-Woven Shopper Tote
Price: $2.24
An eco-friendly way to show appreciation! This tote bag is a thoughtful gift that supports sustainability while recognizing employees. Ideal for employee appreciation day or holiday gifts, it makes employees feel valued while practically promoting company culture.
4. Easy Squeezy Spirit 24oz Sports Bottle
Price: $2.61
Boost employee engagement with this hydration essential! A way to show appreciation, this sports bottle is perfect for employee appreciation days, holiday gifts, or recognition gifts. Show your appreciation while promoting wellness—because staying hydrated is key to a productive workday.
5. Palo Case for Apple AirPods 3
Price: $3.28
A sleek recognition gift that team members would love! Show your appreciation with this durable and stylish AirPods case, a way to show appreciation while offering a practical and thoughtful gift. A great addition to employee appreciation day giveaways or company culture swag.
Inexpensive Swag Bag Ideas
As Anne was ordering the swag bags that she feared would once again end up in her office, she realized that there had to be a better option. Sure employee appreciation gift bag ideas and inexpensive swag bag ideas are great for employee appreciation, but not when they take up her whole office! She decided to do a bit of her own research before she hit confirm order…
1. Happy Holidays
Price: $30.00
Celebrate appreciation days with a curated selection of employee appreciation treats! This holiday gift box is a thoughtful way to show appreciation and boost morale. Recognize your employees with festive treats that make them feel valued and enhance your culture of appreciation.
2. Movie Night
Price: $30.00
A way to show appreciation that employees would love! This movie night box is a fun and thoughtful gift, perfect for recognition gifts or holiday gifts. A great selection of employee appreciation treats that make team members feel appreciated beyond the workday.
3. Personal Wellness Journey
Price: $30.00
Promote wellness while showing appreciation! This thoughtful gift helps employees feel valued with self-care essentials. A great selection of employee appreciation day gifts that reinforce a culture of appreciation and boost morale. The perfect way to show appreciation while supporting well-being.
4. Foodie Forward
Price: $30.00
A selection of employee appreciation snacks that make team members feel valued! This foodie box is a great way to show appreciation, perfect for employee appreciation day or holiday gifts. A recognition gift that combines taste and thoughtfulness to enhance employee engagement.
5. Snack Appreciation
Price: $30.00
Show your appreciation with a snack box filled with treats employees would love! A selection of employee appreciation goodies that boost morale, recognize your employees and make appreciation days extra special. A thoughtful gift that fits any company culture and keeps team members feeling appreciated.
Inexpensive Staff Appreciation Gifts
The entire office was completely flooded with inexpensive staff appreciation gifts. And since HR had accidentally ordered a ton of duplicates, no one wanted to take them home. They honestly had no idea what to do with them. Even the CEO’s office was full of company swag and other branded employee appreciation gifts.
And that’s when the CEO decided to take matters into his own hands…
The CEO announced that since the whole office was basically just a storage unit, the hybrid work model was canceled and we could all go back to being fully remote. There was a sigh of relief from everyone in the office, well everyone except HR of course.
Little did our boss know, we could have stayed hybrid if they’d just used the Swag Locker from SwagMagic to store all of the extra employee appreciation. With the swag locker, they would have been able to store all of the bulk swag in a swag locker in the SwagMagic warehouse. Once they were ready to give the gifts out, SwagMagic would pick, pack and ship the swag to wherever it needed to be shipped – whether in bulk or in curated kits.
All in all, everything worked itself out. We’re back to being fully remote, productivity has gone up, everyone is in a good mood and we all feel extremely appreciated given that we each own at least a dozen employee appreciation gift boxes.
1. Snack Appreciation Gift Box
Price: $50.00
Show your appreciation with a snack box filled with treats employees would love! A selection of employee appreciation goodies that boost morale, recognize your employees, and make appreciation days extra special. A thoughtful gift that fits any company culture and keeps team members feeling appreciated.
2. Honey Flavored Graham Crackers
Price: $2.74
A sweet way to show appreciation! These honey graham crackers are a delicious selection of employee appreciation snacks, great for recognition gifts or appreciation days. Recognize your employees with a thoughtful gift that brings warmth and nostalgia to any workday.
3. Peanut Butter & Chocolate Nibbles Snack Mix
Price: $4.13
A selection of employee appreciation treats that employees would love! Show your appreciation with this delicious snack mix, perfect for boosting morale and recognizing employees. A thoughtful gift that’s great for holiday gifts or any workday pick-me-up.
3. Double Chocolate Treats
Price: $3.49
A rich and indulgent way to show appreciation! These double chocolate treats make employees feel valued, perfect for employee appreciation day or recognition gifts. A selection of employee appreciation snacks that sweeten company culture and enhance employee engagement.
4. Goodie Bags
Price: $30.00
An easy and fun way to show appreciation! These goodie bags are filled with a selection of employee appreciation day treats that employees and team members love. A thoughtful gift that boosts morale and recognizes employees while reinforcing a culture of appreciation.
