When you are working from home, it can feel distant and hard to connect with your employees. It is harder to communicate online, and there is no longer the ability to have “water cooler talk”. It is crucial that employees that work from home feel appreciated and a part of the company family. Here are the best tips to help you make your employees feel appreciated when working remotely.
Stray away from branded products
When you send gifts to your employees that work remotely, it is best to stay away from branded products. It is always a good idea to send company merch when an employee is initially onboarded, but continuously sending items with the company name on them can be disheartening to your employees.
When sending merch to your employees, it shows that you care more about the earned media you could get from them using your merch rather than showing them appreciation. Think outside of the box when you are sending your employees gift baskets. Continue reading to check out some of our favorite employee gift ideas.
Food/Drinks
One of our favorite gift ideas that you can send to your coworkers is sending a deconstructed charcuterie board. Charcuterie boards are one of the biggest trends following us into the new year, and who does not love cheese and meat?!
You can include a small board, three to four different types of cheeses (a few soft cheese and a few hard cheeses), and three or four different types of meat. For other fun additives, you can add a package of crackers, a jam, or marinated olives.
The more creativity and thought put into the charcuterie the more your coworkers will feel your appreciation.
Another great idea that you can gift to your employees is a cocktail kit that they can make for a happy hour. When you send the cocktail kit, include information for a company zoom where all coworkers can enjoy the same drink and chat through Zoom.
Depending on the time of year, you can include the ingredients for a holiday cocktail, a wintery cocktail, or a summer cocktail. Include ingredients that are basic enough for everyone but interesting enough to want to make at home.
You should include a mixer, the liquor/alcohol of choice, a liqueur if needed, and other ingredients like fruit and herbs. A great way to find a fun cocktail is to look on Pinterest. Your employees will appreciate the time and energy put into the cocktails, along with the zoom where they can chat and connect.
At Home
Other great gifts you can give to your remote employees can be items they use when working from home. A gift basket of work-from-home gifts can include things like a laptop stand or a work anywhere lap desk for your laptop. When working from home, it is common to move around your home, and a laptop stand would be a great way to give a gift that they would use to benefit their work.
Other great gifts you can give to remote workers can be plants, mugs, coffee kits, and portable chargers. The list of gifts for remote workers is endless, and the more you know your employees, the more meaningful items you can gift.
Overall, it’s necessary to make sure your remote workers know that they are appreciated within the company and by their superiors. We hope that you use these gift guides and that they help you build a better relationship with your employees when working remotely.
Clutch is a creative staffing partner. We connect digital, creative, and marketing professionals with companies looking for freelance, temp-to-hire or direct hire resources.
