2023 Guide to Corporate Gifts for Employees: Benefits and Occasions

In the world of business presents, clients get a lot of love. But as employers and HR departments face an epidemic of quiet quitting and job hopping, corporate gifts are having a bit of a moment, with the global industry expected to balloon to US$242 billion in value by 2024.

Nonetheless, there’s a bit of an art to corporate gifting, even with your own employees. This guide will cover everything from the major benefits of corporate gifts, best occasions to employee gifts, the best employee gifts from our product line, and tips for adding that special touch to each gift.

Benefits of giving gifts to employees

A successful corporate gift acts as both a personalized gift and a promotional product. This means it does two things amazingly well:

1. A personalized gift can make employees feel seen and appreciated.

   A thoughtful personalized gift can go a long way to expressing appreciation and recognition to the recipient. Companies that incorporate gifts as part of their employee incentive programs see better employee retention rates and productivity. Whether it makes the employee’s life easier or is personalized to the occasion, corporate gifts provide a tangible connection to those who receive it.

2. A promotional product strengthens brand recognition and reputation. 

We’d be lying if we said it was entirely sentimental: PPAI research indicates that 90% of employees, especially those with strong job satisfaction, are likely to evangelize their companies by wearing or using promotional products.

This means that giving gifts to employees is also a great chance to do a little social marketing: use sustainable products as an opportunity to reflect the company’s values as an ethical brand and support corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, such as zero-waste lifestyles or inclusive employment.

With these two reasons in mind, ask yourself: do you have any specific message you want to communicate to your employees? What do you really want to say?

Special occasions for employee gifts

Knowing when to give a gift is just as important as knowing what to give. Planning ahead for all the major gifting occasions each year will give you a rough estimate of how much to order. Larger single orders will help you save on shipping costs and (bonus) avoid the HR headache of the holiday rush.

Here are a few special occasions and fun messages for employee gifts to get you started:

1. New Employee Orientation: “Welcome to the Team!” First impressions go both ways. Do orientations in style with a welcome hamper that sets employees up for success with the right equipment and the right attitude.

2. Professional Milestones & Special Recognition: “We’ve noticed that you’re killing it lately.” Professional achievements, milestones, and certifications are a great chance to break out some corporate merch. But make sure to take the individual into account: the last thing you want to do is undercut a personal triumph with an impersonal gift. This is especially true in cases where an employee was a key player and saved the day!

3. Corporate events: “Gear up for [event]!” Corporate events, conventions, and conferences can be stressful times for all involved. Keep employees from turning against each other and remind them they’re all on the same team with company swag. Conversely, you can use branded merchandise to commemorate annual company retreats and team-building exercises, reminding them throughout the year of what they have to look forward to at the company.

4. Special holidays: “Happy Holidays & Merry Merch!” Labor Day, Employee Appreciation Day, Christmas, New Year’s are all occasions where employees expect a little extra from their company, especially when they see peers at other companies getting pampered. Take the chance to do exclusive giveaways of holiday-themed business presents and promote the good vibes on your social channels!

These are just a few of the many opportunities there are to shower employees and coworkers with promotional merchandise.

Corporate gift ideas for employees and coworkers

When searching for a great corporate gift, there are a few questions you’ll want to ask:

1. Is the corporate gift good quality?

2. Is the corporate gift useful?

3. Is the corporate gift aesthetically pleasing?

4. Does the corporate gift reflect well on the company?

Bottom line: it’s important that the gift is a joy to use. The more often an employee wants to use the gift, the more often it can serve as a reminder of the company’s appreciation and reinforce a positive association with the brand. The gifts listed here are handmade, sustainable, ethical, and fully customizable.

iPad & laptop cases

Tote bags

Document folders

Tech bag

Drawstring backpack

Accessories

Go the extra mile with gift packaging

Now that you know the why, when, and what of corporate gifting, let’s wrap this up (😉) with the how: how will you present the gift? For some, the packaging is as important as the gift.

Dao Ethical Gifts offers sustainable bamboo packaging that reflects the traditional craftsmanship of the local communities we work with, gift boxes made of traditional northern Thai paper, as well as customizable storytelling tags and leaflets that explain how these corporate gifts support and empower marginalized women.

Giving thought to how you present these gifts let’s you repurpose several units of the same promotional products to suit different occasions. It’s a chance to create a unique moment and experience for each special occasion.