Affordable Bulk Appreciation Gifts Employees Will Love
KEY POINTS
- Improve employee morale and productivity by showing appreciation with corporate gifts.
- Use bulk gifting to reward employees for small wins to include more people.
- Browse 21 creative gifts that become more affordable when purchased in bulk.
When was the last time you showed your employees you appreciate them? Did you know there’s a significant difference in how your workforce behaves when you do or don’t show appreciation regularly?
If not — you’re not alone. Many bosses fail to realize the importance of showing employee appreciation. So to give you some perspective, here are some stats to prove the benefits:
- Retain more employees: 63% of recognized employees are less likely to look for another job. Another 44% of employees switch jobs due to lack of recognition.
- Build employee morale: 82% of employees feel they’re not recognized, which in turn hurts morale, productivity, and profitability. Another 40% say they’d put more energy into work if they received recognition more frequently.
These two benefits alone should be enough to get your interest piqued. But what are some ways to show your appreciation? One option is to offer unique employee appreciation gifts.
Let’s take a look at different ways you can use gifts to show appreciation.
How Do I Make Employees Feel Appreciated?
Different organizations show employee recognition in different ways. For instance, some may personally reach out to the employee and praise them publicly. Others may host an awards ceremony each quarter to recognize high-performing workers.
And while these tactics can work, it leaves out the bulk of your employees who may never “earn” recognition in the eyes of the leadership. This is why you should find ways to reward things like:
- Small wins
- Dedication
- Effort towards stretch or growth projects
- Or you can send a simple “thank you” that they’re a part of the team
If you’re ordering gifts for a large number of employees, we recommend buying employee appreciation gifts in bulk. In doing so, you can ensure all of your workers are recognized for the hard work they put in each day.
You can do this in any industry, including healthcare, legal, and corporate firms. Rewarding your secretaries or nurse practitioners is simple when you buy gifts in bulk.
But you may worry that something like this will cost a bit much. The good news is there are bulk employee appreciation gifts you can purchase at affordable prices.
Note: Don’t forget to show appreciation to your remote workers as well! Virtual team workouts, video happy hours, virtual movie nights, and other eGifts can promote engagement among co-workers.
What Are Good Employee Appreciation Gifts?
You want to be able to show employee appreciation without breaking the bank. This way, you can turn it into a regular tradition within your organization.
So how do you show staff appreciation on a budget?
The idea is to find something that everyone will like and can use. Nothing too big — it’s the small things that count.
For example, you can give everyone a gym membership to a local fitness center (or a gift certificate to online workout platforms). Or you can buy everyone movie tickets for a family flick (ideal if your employees are parents).
The idea is to choose something fun and memorable. For instance, for secretaries, you may want to buy an ornament for their desk. And for a nurse, you can get something functional, such as a spiffy smartphone carrying case that clips to their pocket. Check out these additional inexpensive employee appreciation gifts for more inspiration.
What is a Good Small Gift to Show Appreciation?
If you’re a small or medium-sized business with dozens (or even hundreds) of workers, then you’ll want to find something small and simple as a gift.
For instance, you can host a free lunch for everyone, which can promote togetherness. Or you can buy keychains with personalized sayings for each employee.
Gift ideas that can fit in a home office are also ideal. For instance, succulent plants, calendars, and terrariums. These can act as small reminders of the time you showed appreciation for their work.
How Do You Thank Employees for a Gift?
Did you receive a gift from one of your employees? Then congrats — you’re an exceptional boss! But now, you’re likely wondering how to say thank you. Well, besides saying it with words, you can purchase a personalized thank you gift.
For example, you can buy a wine basket featuring popular cheeses, fruits, and other snacks. Think of what the employee likes and find a suitable gift. For instance, if they recently bought a home, then consider a housewarming gift, such as a vase or abstract painting.
Unique Employee Appreciation Gifts to Consider
Just because you’re buying affordable employee appreciation gifts in bulk doesn’t mean you can’t get creative. We put together a list of unique employee appreciation gifts you can buy. Plus, we made sure to include several employee appreciation gifts under $10.
Let’s check them out!
1. Inspirational Keychains – 12 Pack
Send with Sendoso via Amazon
Description: You like the idea of motivating your teams to be all they can be. Aside from showing your gratitude for their hard work, you can use these inspirational keychains with motivational sayings to give them spunk. You can buy these in bulk for under $20 for a pack of 12.
2. Skinny Tumblers – 12 Pack
Send with Sendoso via Amazon
Description: Keep your employees hydrated with skinny tumblers. These are thermo-regulated to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot. It comes with different color lids and straws. Plus, they’re reusable and don’t create unsightly liquid rings on desks.
3. Mindfulness Cards
Send with Sendoso via Knack Shops
Description: Helping your employees to become mindful of their day-to-day thoughts and activities can help boost productivity and overall satisfaction. It’s a meaningful gift that comes with four color-coded categories. You choose a card from each category in the deck to form an intention for the day. Or select one from each category throughout the day for a more balanced approach. It’s fun and surely your employees will enjoy it!
4. Dream Catcher Herbal Tea
Send with Sendoso via Knack Shops
Description: Here’s a gift that’s fragrant, floral, and delicious to sip on. This herbal tea gift is made with a mix of rose petals, chamomile, and lavender to promote relaxation. It’s the perfect way to wind down after a long day at work. It promotes restful sleep to ensure they’re ready to do it all over again tomorrow.
5. Thank You Keyring- 2 Pack
Send with Sendoso via Amazon
Description: This stainless steel keyring is designed specifically as an employee gift of appreciation. It’s the perfect gift for recognizing a worker for achieving a goal, being the employee of the month, or receiving a promotion. You can even use it as a thank-you gift for an employee who’s given you a present. It comes with a free velvet pouch to present it in.
6. Meditation Subscription
Send with Sendoso via Headspace
Description: Meditation is an excellent way to let off steam and get your head back in the game. With this subscription with Headspace, your employees can learn how to meditate in just a few minutes per day. It also comes with expert guidance from a former monk and a guide to read through. It’s all virtual via a smartphone app, so it can be used during breaks in the office.
7. Colorful Motivational Pens – 5 Pack
Send with Sendoso via Amazon
Description: This pack of motivational pens comes with quotes like, “You’re on point!” and “Everyday I’m hustlin’,” which will attract both your younger and older employees. It comes in an assortment of colors, including grey, white, pink, white, and blue.
8. Icon Stainless Steel Infuser
Send with Sendoso via Knack Shops
Description: Have workers who enjoy sipping on tea? Then this affordable bulk appreciation gift is perfect. It’s made of stainless steel and is formed in the shape of a pyramid. Just open the bottom, slide in your tea leaves or packs, and infuse it in a cup or bottle of hot water. It’s reusable and perforates on each side, creating the perfect cup of tea.
9. Scratch Off Lotto Tickets – 10 Pack
Send with Sendoso via Lotto Love
Description: Who doesn’t enjoy the game of chance — especially when it comes to scratch-offs? But rather than winning something for yourself, you’re winning something for someone in need. It’s an excellent way to pay it forward. This comes with 10 scratch-offs and instructions for how the lotto works.
10. Thumbs Up Cell Phone Holder – 8 Pack
Send with Sendoso via Amazon
Description: Here’s an employee appreciation gift you can buy in bulk. And it’s ideal since most (if not all) of your employees have smartphones. This unique employee appreciation gift holds up their cell phone so they can see notifications and messages. It’s adjustable and works with iPhone, iPad mini, and Samsung Galaxy.
11. Coffee Mug
Send with Sendoso via Amazon
Description: Here’s a fun and functional gift idea to show your employees appreciation. This 11 oz coffee mug says “My boss think I’m awesome like a highly skilled ninja warrior only better.” It’s funny, cute, and speaks the truth of how great your workers are. It also features a ninja on the side of the mug.
12. Virtual Wine Tasting
Send with Sendoso via In Good Taste
Description: Here’s another unique employee appreciation gift that’s perfect for both in-office and remote workers. You can schedule your teams for virtual wine tasting sessions, which will include a basket of wine shipped to their address beforehand. It’s a great way to get co-workers to interact outside of work in a fun and engaging way.
13. Rose of Mourvedre
Send with Sendoso via In Good Taste
Description: There’s nothing that says celebration like a tasty bottle of wine. The Rose of Mourvedre comes from Washington State vineyards, which boast two extra hours of sunlight daily than California. This means riper yields of grapes in each bottle. These grapes are grown in Yakima Valley, also known as the heart of wine country in Washington.
14. Snicker Doodle Cookie Bomb – 6 or 12 Pack
Send with Sendoso via Bonjour Bakehouse
Description: Cookie lovers will enjoy this treat. This classic snickerdoodle is made with melty brown butter, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and baked to a golden brown. You can choose to get six or 12 of them in a box. And what’s even better is that it’s made with cage-free eggs, unbleached flour, and sea salt.
Inexpensive Gifts for Employee Appreciation Under $10
If you’re on a tight budget this year, or just wanted to send something small as a “just because” appreciation gift, this list of gifts for employees can be bought in bulk. These are perfect options for a small- or medium-sized business, or if you’d like to save your big gifts for the holidays.
A handwritten note or appreciation email would pair nicely with your employee appreciation gifts. Here are 17 appreciation email templates to get you started.
15. Stag Head Wine Pourer
Send with Sendoso via In Good Taste
Description: Sipping on wine after a long day’s work is common among employees. So why not make their wine sessions more convenient with this wine pourer. It comes in the shape of a stag head. It allows a consistent pour and allows oxygen into the wine, bringing out its aromas and flavors. The wine pourer fits all of In Good Taste’s mini-bottles.
16. “You are a key part of our team” Keychain
Send with Sendoso via Amazon
Description: This keychain comes with an old-fashioned key attached to a ring that says “you are a key part of our team.” It’s an excellent gift to show an employee your appreciation. It’s made with stainless steel so it’s durable and rust-free.
17. $10 Gourmet Popcorn Gift Card
Send with Sendoso via Toronto Popcorn Company
Description: This isn’t a gift card to your ordinary popcorn shop. It features a variety of different flavors and colors, including confetti popcorn, honey mustard popcorn, salted caramel popcorn, sea salt and maple, popcorn, and strawberry milkshake popcorn.
This virtual eGift is a great option to affordably show appreciation to remote employees as well!
18. Plant Animal – Orangutan
Sendoso Partner: Leon and George
Description: If you have employees who love plants, then this is a fun gift idea to give them. It’s an orangutan that hangs from the stem of a plant by its hands (like an actual monkey). You can also hang it on cables and wires if your employees don’t have office plants. It’s made with brass plated steel and 4.2 inches long.
19. Forget-Me-Not Plant Seed Packet
Send with Sendoso via Amazon
Description: Searching for a desktop accessory to give as a gift to your employees? Then you can choose this Forget-Me-Not plant seed packet. Or you can choose from other available options, such as basic, clover, sunflower, poppy, money, and zinnia. It comes with everything needed to get the seedlings germinated and growing.
20. Cookies in a Jar – Chocolate Chip
Send with Sendoso via Bonjour Bakehouse
Description: A box of cookies is great, but what’s even better are freshly baked cookies. And that’s exactly what your employees will get with the cookies in a jar gift set. The cookie dough comes in a sealed jar, ready to bake with friends and family. It comes with the recipe and dry ingredients to make delicious chocolate chip cookies.
21. Personalized Wood Corkscrew and Multi-Tool
Send with Sendoso via Amazon
Description: Now, if you’re wondering what employee appreciation gifts under $10 you can buy, then this is it. It’s a multi-tool you can personalize with each of your employees’ names. Choose between a variety of fonts styles, like Arial bolk, Cancun, ARMY, Times Roman, Old English, and Handwriting. It comes with a corkscrew, bottle opener, and small knife.
Show You Care with Inexpensive Employee Appreciation Gifts
Sending bulk thank you gifts to your employees doesn’t have to only occur on Christmas and other holidays. You can make this an annual or even bi-annual business practice. It’s the start of a sophisticated employee experience program that consistently shows you appreciate your teams.
So the next time you want to recognize the hard work your employees are putting in, keep this list of inexpensive employee appreciation gifts in mind. And to streamline the gift selection, sourcing, and sending, let Sendoso help. We’re the leading Sending Platform that was designed to make corporate gifting easier than ever.
If you’d like to see how it works, request a demo with us today!
This article was originally published on January 28, 2021. It has been updated for relevance.
Related Resources
Got questions? We’re here for you.
Let someone from our Support team help you along your sending journey.