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22 Fun & Unique Employee Recognition Gifts for 2023

Employee appreciation gift ideas
published: January 17, 2023

Employee recognition gifts send a motivating message to your team and are an inspiring way to show your appreciation for their hard work and dedication. The best employee recognition gifts are ones that recipients really want, which you can choose yourself or let employees rack up reward points to spend in a custom online employee store.

If you’re wondering when to give out staff recognition gifts, there are a ton of opportunities, including employee anniversaries, holiday parties, Employee Appreciation Day, company barbecues and more. So, to ensure you’re celebrating your team the right way, check out these popular employee recognition gift ideas for 2023.

bamboo phone stand

1. Bamboo Media Stand

These phone stands are one of the best employee recognition gifts for the home or office. An attractive desktop accessory, staff members are going to obsess over the handsome bamboo wood and appreciate that these creative employee recognition gifts are eco-friendly. Give them out to boost morale and to keep your team engaged.

plant and essential oil set

2. Modern Sprout® Shine Bright Take Care Kit - Sunflower

Provide the gift of self-care with this thoughtful botanical and spa gift set. Coming with a vegan honey and turmeric sugar scrub, organic citrus and sunflower face mist, and a sunflower plant to top it off, your employees will be excited they’re growing their careers with your company once rewarded with one of these unique employee recognition gifts.

candy and tumbler gift set

3. 20 oz Tumbler & Hershey's® Everyday Mix Mug Gift Set

Whether it’s for their morning cup of coffee or to stay hydrated with water all day, travel mugs and tumblers are some of the most popular employee recognition items. The benefit of this 20 oz stainless steel tumbler is that it also comes stuffed with a bag of delicious chocolates. That’s two amazing employee recognition products in one gift!

customized cooler bag

4. 20 Can Backpack Cooler

Do you have members of your team who are always on the go? From camping to tailgating to the beach and more, this backpack cooler features a padded back panel and comfortable backpack straps to make their adventures a breeze. With the capability to hold up to 20 cans, they are sure to love these cool employee recognition gifts and will be grateful for you each time they head outside.

travel power bank with logo

5. 2500 mAh 3-in-1 Flip Power Bank

Help your employees keep their devices charged during the week to ensure they don’t have to worry about a dead battery during an important phone call. These power banks are compact, which makes them convenient for travel and storage. They are also designed with Apple® and Android™ cable hookups to meet the needs of all devices.

smiley face novelty pen

6. Thumbs Up MopToppers® Pen

Let employees know they’re doing a great job by giving them a “thumbs up” with these MopToppers® pens. Creative employee recognition gifts that can be used around the office, these pens are designed with long-lasting microfiber hair that functions as a screen cleaner and a soft silicone tip for use on touchscreen devices. If you want to put a smile on your team’s faces, put these team recognition gifts on their desks as a fun surprise.

plaid outdoor blanket

7. Twirl Up Picnic Blanket

Warmth and comfort are some of the best employee recognition gift ideas, and these blankets provide both. Made with durable polyester fleece, they come with water-resistant PE backing to make them extremely useful for outdoor adventures. That means employees will love to have them for picnics, camping trips, sports games and more.

insulated coffee mug

8. 12 oz Concord Mug 

If you’re looking for gifts for employee recognition, these stainless-steel, vacuum-insulated 12 oz mugs are perfect for honoring overachievers on your team. They have attractive powder coating that will make your message stand out, and since they come with a press-on, sip-through lid, employees will be able to enjoy their beverages at the desired temperature all day long.

chocolate maze gift box

9. Fully Customizable Box with Milk Chocolate Molded Maze

Are you looking for truly aMAZEing gift ideas for employee recognition? Few will hold up to these mouth-watering chocolate mazes. Packaged in a fully customizable box that lets your employees know exactly how much you value their contributions, these unique and tasty gifts offer you a completely different direction when it comes to showing appreciation for your employees.

customized wifi speaker

10. Temblor™ Speaker + Wireless Charger

These speakers are extremely versatile, allowing recipients to not only enjoy crisp and clear music but also to power up their devices with wireless charging capabilities. On top of that, they promote eco-friendliness because these employee recognition gifts are made with a 100% natural FSC-certified bamboo plate – a renewable and sustainable resource.

insulated water bottle with way to go message

11. 20 oz Basecamp® Tundra Bottle - Rockstar - Full Color

Support a good cause while rewarding employees for their dedication with these 20 oz insulated bottles. With the ability to keep content cold for 24 hours and hot for up to 12 hours, recipients can enjoy their favorite beverage all day long while keeping your special message beside them. As an added benefit, your purchase of these employee recognition products supports the Wounded Warrior Project® because Basecamp® is donating $125,000 to support their mission to honor and empower wounded warriors!

cake in a card gift

12. InstaCake Appreciation Cake in a Card

These cake in a box cards are the perfect gifts for employee recognition if you want to keep your team engaged. Since they are easy to mail, they can easily be sent to employees working from home, providing them with a delicious treat and delightful message all in one package. The best part is that the cake in these unique employee recognition gifts is made with the highest quality ingredients, including Madagascar vanilla, real butter, and eggs. How’s that for a treat?

custom cotton tote bag

13. Lightweight Cotton Economy Tote Bags – Natural

If you’re looking for a beautiful natural canvas to share some thoughtful words with your staff, look no further than these lightweight cotton tote bags. Attractive and roomy, these ivory-colored tote bags feature sturdy handles for a long-lasting gift that will be treasured. Once they have these personalized employee recognition gifts in hand, they’ll be happy to use them for everything from grocery shopping to traveling to and from the office each day.

cocktail kit gift box

14. Cheers Gift Box

Raise a glass to honor the success of your staff with these employee recognition boxes. While the attractive 25 oz stainless steel shaker is the centerpiece of this gift set, employees will also receive a bar spoon, measuring cup and funnel to help them make delicious cocktails from home. On top of that, these corporate gift boxes come with an insert card with four popular cocktail recipes.

notebook and pen set

15. Multitasker Notebook with Tabs

Some of the best employee recognition items are ones that help them accomplish tasks quickly and effectively, and this notebook is the perfect way to help your staff stay organized. With five colored tabs, employees can easily keep up with meetings, important calls, notes and more. In addition, the spiral-bound construction and sturdy plastic cover make them reliable even when stowed away in bags during travel.

Thank you pint glass gift box

16. Pint Glass Thank You Set

What better way to celebrate your staff than with sophisticated and practical employee recognition gifts? This glass set says “Thank You” in multiple languages, which makes them great for a diverse workplace. Recipients also get four customized glasses that will be their go-to option for any occasion.

wooden planter with seeds

17. Wooden Planter Block

Show employees how much you value their contributions to the growth of your company by gifting them this herb planter gift set. The perfect complement to any windowsill, the set comes with a personalized wooden cube planter, a seed packet, peat pellets and packaging wrap with printed planting instructions.

insulated straw cup and pen gift set

18. Incline Tumbler & Pen with Custom Box

Leave employees a special note of recognition with these employee recognition boxes. Featuring a beautifully designed mug and pen combo, this gift set comes in an attractive gift box that can be customized with thoughtful employee recognition quotes like “Another Successful Year Thanks to You!” On top of that, these gift boxes, pre-wrapped and ready to go for Christmas parties and other holiday events.

ice cream party gift set with customized box

19. Batch & Bodega Scoops & Sprinkles

Who doesn’t enjoy a tasty treat? Employees sure will when they receive one of these cool employee recognition gifts. These special cones come with a blend of flavors and ingredients that provide the taste of a freshly baked yellow cake with vanilla icing on top. As a bonus, recipients also receive award-winning chocolate sauce to add the final touch to these staff recognition gifts.

star glass award

20. Shooting Star Award

Awards and recognitions are some of the best ways to let employees know they are doing a stellar job, and few are as eye-catching as the Shooting Star Award. Designed in a unique acrylic shape, this award will make employees feel like a star when they show them off on their desks or at home on their mantles. Use them to honor the overachievers on your team who are excelling day after day.

chocolate bar with customized wrapper

21. Wrapped Chocolate Bar

There’s nothing wrong with keeping it simple, especially when you want to show appreciation to your entire staff. These chocolate bars are popular recognition gift ideas that show discernment and good taste. When employees see the handsome silver or gold foil, they’ll know they are working for a company that values their efforts.

customized koozie with hero cape

22. Can Cooler Hero with Cape

Treat employees like the heroes they are by gifting them an insulated can cooler. These unique recognition gifts come with a sewn-on cape to show your staff their skills are superhero-level. With three imprint locations, they won’t need supervision to see your kind message.

While these are some of the most popular items to boost morale and let employees know you care, you can also pair any of these products together to make custom gift baskets for employee recognition throughout 2023. Gift baskets are great as corporate gifts if you want to recognize employee birthdays, year-end, or other important occasions at your company. Of course, no matter which gift you choose, make sure the message is crystal clear by customizing them with kind employee recognition words that share your sincere gratitude.