February 12, 2025
Employee Appreciation Day falls on the first Friday of March, so be sure to circle March 7, in your business planner. While it’s great we have a dedicated date to celebrate staffers, appreciation shouldn’t be limited to just one day—making it a year-round priority is key to meaningful employee support. Regular gestures of recognition, whether for birthdays, work anniversaries, or major client wins, can have a lasting positive impact.
Well-timed corporate gifts for employees does more than brighten their day—it strengthens your company culture. People who feel recognised and valued are more likely to bring their A-game.
If you haven’t already got something planned, now’s the time. Recognising your team is brilliant for workplace morale, productivity, and staff retention.
Why Employee Appreciation Day Matters for Your Business
Aside from the fact that happy staffers make for a thriving business, studies show that employees who feel appreciated are more engaged, productive, and less likely to be looking for a new job elsewhere.
A ‘thank you’ is always nice, but pairing it with a well-thought-out corporate employee gift? That’s building a culture of trust and satisfaction.
Zippio, a career platform, says that 29% of employees haven’t received recognition for good work in over a year, if at all. What a terrible statistic – let’s rectify that immediately!
While a Glassdoor survey found when gifting staff appreciation gifts and offering ‘thanks’ meant that:
‘80% of employees say they felt motivated to work harder when their boss shows appreciation for their work’.
“There is a wide variety of ways to show employee appreciation that can go far towards keeping employees satisfied, engaged and retained,” said Allyson Willoughby, Glassdoor’s senior vice president of people and general counsel. “Even inexpensive forms of appreciation, like thank you cards and treats, or offering flexibility like telecommuting, show employees you value them.”
Tips for Choosing the Right Staff Appreciation Gifts
Not sure what to get? Keep these key points in mind:
- Make it meaningful – Show that you’ve thought about it with a personalised message.
- Be inclusive – Be mindful of cultural, dietary, or lifestyle preferences when choosing employee corporate gifts.
- Tie it to your company values – If sustainability is critical to your business, opt for eco-friendly gifts. If wellness is a priority, consider self-care-focused ‘Well-Being Gift Sets.’
Personalised Employee Gifts & The Best Staff Appreciation Gifts to Buy Now
- Engraved water bottles or insulated coffee cup with their names etched or UV printed.
- Custom notebooks or planners – including printed page inserts – special notes or diary dates, and front cover debossed with initials. (Check out our luxury Moleskine notebooks).
- Personalised desk accessories – think desk plant, business planner or tech accessories.
- Branded gift sets with treats like chocolate, coffee, fizz or workplace wellness with nootropics.
- A personalised printed notecard with a thoughtful ‘Thank you’ message along with a high-quality pen engraved or printed with their name.
Making Employee Appreciation Day Special
Staff appreciation gifts are great, but they’re just one piece of the puzzle. Make the day extra special with activities that show appreciation in a meaningful way:
- Surprise the team with a breakfast or lunch treat — after all, who doesn’t love free food?
- Offer creative shout-outs! Whether it’s a thoughtful email, a social media post, or a fun video message from leadership, publicly recognise the team’s hard work.
- Arrange a team-building activity, such as an outing, a virtual game, or a friendly competition, to keep the day lively and engaging.
- Let employees choose their gift – Set up a mini ‘gift shop’ where employees can pick what they want – gift cards, tech accessories, wellness gift boxes, branded flasks and drinkware…
Final thoughts…
Employee Appreciation Day isn’t just a date on the calendar—it’s a fantastic opportunity to reinforce a positive, engaged, and motivated workforce. A thoughtful corporate employee gift paired with genuine recognition can make all the difference in creating a thriving workplace culture.
Your team deserves the best – so contact us today to learn how we can help with employee appreciation day gift ideas – big or small!
