When it comes to employee gifts, practicality always seems to come first–and for a good reason! Employers want to give their workforce gifts that they will actually use. And if it’s something that improves their productivity at work, then it’s a huge plus.

Today, we will talk about the most useful employee gifts. Or in other words, gifts that will improve your employees’ work lives! Before we get started, let’s discuss what makes an employee gift “useful”.

What Makes A ”Useful” Employee Gift?

Everyone loves receiving gifts that they can use on a regular basis. Useful gifts improve employees’ daily lives, be it while doing actual work or during break times. And, they show just how much you want them to have a good time while in the office. All that said, let’s delve into the characteristics of useful employee gifts:

Daily Use

Consider what your employees do on a daily basis, then think about what things can make those activities better. A useful employee gift is something that employees can use on almost a daily basis. Think coffee mugs, earphones, flash drives, lunch boxes, and other things that they use, whether directly related to work or otherwise.

Enhances Their Workspace

Having a great workspace is the key to maximizing productivity. Gone are the days of cookie-cutter cubicles with little to no room for personalization. Today, modern offices are allowing their employees to improve their workspace however they like (within reason, of course).

So, another great employee gift idea would be something that your employees can use to enhance their workspace. Maybe something practical, like a desk pad or an ergonomic mouse. Or perhaps something decorative to bring more fun into the office, like a mini desk plant or a digital picture frame. Either way, employees will appreciate something that makes their work-life even better.

Long-Lasting

The last thing you want is to give your employees a gift that will break or stop working the following week. Not only is it a waste of money, but it sends a message that their hard work is only worth low-quality gifts. Obviously, both situations can defeat the purpose of gift-giving entirely. That said, make it a point to give your employees good-quality gifts; products that are durable enough to stand the test of time. Price increases with quality, so you'll have to spend more. But trust us - this is a good investment for better morale and rapport in the office.

The Most Useful Employee Gifts Of 2022

When you look up “useful employee gifts” on the Internet, you’ll probably end up with hundreds of results. Hence, it can be tough to pick the best of the best out of a sea of options. So, we’ve handpicked a list of the most useful employee appreciation gifts so that you won’t have to. Here are our recommendations:

Drinkware

Of course, you can’t go wrong with drinkware. Coffee mugs, reusable water bottles, portable shake tumblers–everyone will have use for them in the office. More than that, drinkware is one of the best swag ideas ever because they’re easy to produce, inexpensive, and highly practical.

Lunch Gear

High-quality lunch boxes may not add flavor to a meal, but they sure do make you look forward to packing up your lunch in the morning and busting it out at lunchtime! Give your employees some good-quality lunch gear (lunch boxes, lunch bags, insulated soup containers, utensils, etc.) to make every mealtime great and encourage them to actually eat away from their desks.

Leather Journal

Even if the majority of your office takes notes digitally on their laptops or tablets, nothing beats an old-school journal for those on-the-fly ideas. Gift your employees some nice leather journals with their names on them. If you want to make your gift extra special, consider getting their names professionally engraved on the leather. This is a super nice touch that shows you thought about them.

Leather journals also make a great gift when onboarding new employees. Aside from being a nice gesture to welcome them to the office, padfolios will allow them to jumpstart their new job with ease.

Tech Accessories

Your office already provides the basic tech (computers, headsets, flash drives, etc.), but your employees sure won’t turn away some swanky new accessories. Extra-long charging cables, wireless charging pads, noise-canceling headphones, and portable chargers are some of the best picks.

Cushioning

Body pain is the woe of many office employees who have to sit on a desk all day. And, of course, if people are in pain, they are not as productive. Kill two birds with one stone by giving your employees something nice and soft, such as a neck pillow, a lumbar support pillow, or even a regular desk pillow for those quick lunch break naps.

Virtual Employee Care Kit

If you have people working from home, send them love with a virtual employee care kit. Fill a box with things that every virtual worker needs to stay comfortable and productive at work, such as seat pillows (not everyone has a good office chair at home!), desk plants, coffee beans, scented candles, and desk wipes.

Need more virtual employee appreciation ideas? Don’t forget to check out our previous article!

Laptop Bag

The standard bags that laptops come with are often plain and boring. Plus, most are not that durable. With that in mind, a laptop bag is one of the most useful employee appreciation gifts ever, especially if you have people traveling for work often.

Personalized Pen

Prevent pen thievery in the office and give your employees something special at the same time with personalized pens. Of course, we’re not talking about the cheap plastic pens you can get in the office supply closet. Go the extra mile and purchase beautiful pens where you can engrave each person’s name for that personalized touch.

Wrapping Up Our List Of The Most Useful Employee Gifts Of The Year

This is definitely not an exhaustive list of the most useful employee gifts, but we have definitely covered some of the best–and most practical! So, the next time you’re gearing up for another round of gifts in the office, keep these options at the very top of your list.

But what if you can’t decide on a single gift idea? Or what if you want something a bit more special? Don’t fret–Swag Bar has the perfect solution for you–employee gift boxes! Choose from various themes like Born in the USA and Fall Harvest Outing–or create your own Swag Pack with a handpicked selection of premium items.

Contact us today and let’s turn your ultimate gift idea into a reality!