Look no further if you are searching for engaging and unique HR gift ideas. We will help you with the best human resources solutions for gifting or recognizing employees.

Employee engagement and recognition must be among the best parts of working in a human resource department. Recognizing others on special days or for their contributions is fun.

We have enjoyed working with several human resource professionals and have learned many tips through the years. However, we also see that it can be daunting to come up with new HR gift ideas to keep employees engaged and excited.

HR Gift Ideas and Campaigns

Using promotional products for employee engagement and recognition is a tangible way to show appreciation and can significantly boost morale. Keep reading to explore how you can leverage this strategy for your organization.

Campaigns & Strategies

Every organization’s reasoning behind gifting or recognition will be different. Let your organizational goals drive how you reward employees. Manufacturers may want to incentivize efficiency, accuracy, or safety.

Other organizations may want to promote sales or customer service. You may be shaping company culture and need something to unite the organization.  Once you have a goal, think about what resonates with your staff. 

Some campaign and HR gift ideas are listed below to get you started.

End-of-Week (or Month) Drawing

At the end of each week, hold a drawing for a branded product, gift card, or other prize.  A weekly drawing is great during a hectic season or summer when folks may quickly disengage from work.

Point System

Have employees earn points to cash in for prizes or office perks.

Swag Closet

Build up a stash of branded products that employees can “shop” for as a reward for meeting the goal.

T-shirt Contest

Have employees compete to design the next company t-shirt!

Years of Service Recognition

We love working with clients on an award or branded product for years of service.  Something collectible that the recipient can show off is always fun and inspiring to others!

Consider breaking up larger, long-term goals into bite-sized short-term pieces to keep everyone engaged and excited. Brag on the employees who’ve earned recognition so others will want to join in!

Product Selection for Mass Appeal

Large and small organizations can have diverse people, so finding one thing that appeals to everyone can be challenging.  Here are some of our favorite HR gift ideas to please a large group of people!

Apparel

Employees generally love apparel! Do you have a t-shirt crowd? Use slightly higher-quality tees that will quickly become their favorite. A retail brand will get their attention if you have an executive group. Sun shirts make a great gift in the spring and summer, and vests and hoodies are wonderful for the fall and winter. Finding the right apparel for your group can be tricky; we would love to help you!

Home Items

An employee spends a significant amount of time at work or working, so it’s always nice when an employer acknowledges that the employee has a life outside of work!  The exact item will depend on the group of people, but we have many options available, from kitchen accessories to duffel bags to Bluetooth speakers.

Outdoor Items

Many studies have shown that spending time in nature is good for your health and well-being.  McLean Hospital reports, “Because time in the outdoors offers the benefit of mental rest and rejuvenation, it has been shown to improve memory, attention, impulse control, and creativity in the general population.” 

So, why not encourage your staff to spend more time outdoors?  HR gift ideas include a folding chair, a picnic blanket, a pickleball set, or a bicycle!

Retail Products

Sometimes, you need to give a significant gift to make a substantial impact, and that’s when we lean to retail brands.  Folks relate to retail brands.  They signify status and importance and can connect with the recipient quickly.  From Solo Stoves to Stanley Cups, we have you covered.

Customization and Personalization

The most common mistake we see is when someone slaps the logo on an item without consideration of the gift’s purpose.  For a branded product to truly be a gift, the branding must coordinate with the item and the gift’s tone.

If the gifting occasion is fun and lighthearted, it’s a great time to have fun with your branding!  We could create a fully custom product using the brand colors or patterns, such as a tote, umbrella, or socks.  If the gifting occasion is more formal, then subtle branding is the better way to go.  We often can add the recipient’s name to a product for an extra-custom feel.

Timing & Distribution

The timing of the gifts will largely depend on the company goals or business cadence.  If your organization goes through a seasonal busy season, plan to recognize employees around that time: before to pump them up, during to keep them going, and after to honor their efforts!

Make distribution of your gift fun, too!  Some clients like having a party where their employees will receive gifts, while others are more low-key with set pick-up times.

Distribution is more challenging for clients with employees nationwide but also provides room for even more branding and thoughtfulness.  Because we offer fulfillment services, we love to design attractive, thoughtful packages, including a notecard and gifts with special touches such as on-brand filler and packaging tape.

HR Gift Ideas: The Perfect Human Resources Solution

There are many human resources solutions for employee engagement and recognition, and we’d love to help you further! If you need HR gift ideas, contact us to start your project!