Inexpensive Gifts for Staff

Besides bonuses or salary raises in the form of cold, hard cash, staff gifts are a gracious means of showing appreciation for their hard work. They can also serve as rewards for extra effort and a job especially well done. These gifts will be well-received by your staff without breaking the company budget.

 

 

Food and Drink

Gifts of specialty coffees, fruit baskets or premium chocolates make excellent staff gifts. Be careful of gifts containing nuts, as some people are allergic. Gifts of meats can also be problematic, as some people have religious or moral objections to eating certain kinds of meats or are vegetarians.

 

Reading Materials

If you know the reading preferences of your staff, a book or magazine subscription could be a well-appreciated gift. For Internet-savvy staff members, a paid subscription to premium online content can also make an appropriate gift.

If you know your staff member has a Kindle, Sony e-Reader or Cool-er electronic reader, an electronic book can also make an excellent gift.

 

Gift Cards

Gift cards can be tied to a specific merchant and can be appropriate if you know a staff member likes a particular store. A gift card with a Visa, MasterCard or American Express label actually serves as a cash equivalent, allowing the recipient to shop wherever she chooses.

These gift cards can also be personalized with the recipient’s name.

 

Eco- and Socially Conscious Gifts

For socially conscious or ecologically minded staff, small tokens from fair trade merchants, such as candles or small art objects, may be greatly appreciated. A donation to a particular charity the employee supports in his name is another alternative. Memberships to socially conscious organizations are yet another possibility for an inexpensive staff gift.

 

Swag

T-shirts, ball caps, coffee mugs and other items labeled with a company logo are inexpensive ways to show appreciation and build a sense of teamwork. Paid days off can be a popular means of showing appreciation for a staff member’s hard work.

Paid admission to a company-sponsored event, such as special training or a golf outing, is still another means of rewarding hard work and showing appreciation.