Top Gifts You Can Give Your Remote Team for the Holidays

By Ruby Swift & Bonnie Low-Kramen | November 30, 2020

In one of our previous posts on ‘What to Do About Virtual Workplace Bullying’, we mentioned how the massive shift to remote working did little in eliminating the problems professionals used to face in an office setting. In some cases, issues such as workplace bullying, lack of productivity and poor motivation have been exacerbated by the ongoing global health crisis.

The bottom line: 2020 has been a year like no other and the holidays will look very different too. The humans of our workplace could use some love and kindness. This reality makes it all the more important for employers to ensure that they feel deeply appreciated and valued. This means it is even more important to boost employee engagement and heighten morale.

So, with the holiday season just right around the corner, employers and managers can make full use of this occasion to show employees that they are more than just names and numbers on a payroll sheet. Aside from the end of year bonuses, consider giving them a thoughtful gift that will put a smile on their faces and warm the heart.

Thanks to advanced technology, giving gifts, even to staff who are self-isolating in their homes, has never been easier. Nowadays, many stores collaborate with couriers or have their own in-house shipping teams to ensure that your gifts make it to the intended recipients.

But how do you choose what to give your remote employees? Here’s a rundown of some of the best gifts employers can give to remote employees this holiday season:

A friendly plant

Remote work is lonely. Adopting pets is increasing and so are having plants and gardens. Multiple studies have shown how the design of an office or a workplace, from the lights and wall colors down to the arrangement of seats and tables, have an effect on productivity, creativity, and collaboration. While employers may not have control over the environment their workers are currently working from, they can definitely make it a little better by giving each employee a plant friend. According to The Strategist’s list of plants, one of the best ones to give as a gift is Calathea ‘Medallion’. This is not only relatively easy to take care of, but is very pretty, helping to improve the aesthetic of a home office. They also won’t break the bank.

Thank goodness for movies while working from home!

For the movie fans in your life, a gift box with popcorn and gourmet chocolates is a great way for families to forget they are in quarantine – $80. Here’s a working from home survival kit, complete with a mini desk vacuum – $51. These customizable gifts and so much more from www.otraway.com Contact: Amanda@otraway.com

A unique Bluetooth speaker

The more personal and genuinely useful a gift, the better. This holiday season, the smartest employers are putting more thought into the gifts. If you want to send out presents that are equally useful and unique, a customized Bluetooth speaker would be a great idea. Keith Lipert Corporate Gifts mentioned how such gifts could embody the culture and demographics of your organization all while reflecting thoughtfulness and appreciation.

A box of artisan coffee or tea

Are you a coffee or tea person? One of the disadvantages of working from home is not having access to your office’s unlimited supply of coffee or tea. Give your employees an energy boost by giving them a box of artisan drinks. Instead of sending them bags of coffee or boxes of tea, the New York Times claims that it is best to get coffee or tea subscriptions. This way, your employees can have the freedom to pick the beans and teas they want. What’s great about this gift is that there are a lot of roasters out there that offer free shipping worldwide, thus making it a whole lot easier for you, given the current circumstances.

A basket of delicious warmth

If you want to take things up a notch and go a step further than just coffee and teas, you can also send your employees a basket of warmth. Some brands these days offer corporate gift baskets that contain a jar of soup, Bacci rolls, cookies and a personalized note that you can add at the checkout. If you have employees who follow certain diets, a basket of warm soup would still be a good idea. After all, there are a lot of brands out there like A Spoonful of Comfort that offer gluten-free and vegan options – $79.99.

Working from home in the middle of a pandemic is no easy feat. As an employer whose staff is the backbone of the company during these trying times, it is important to go above and beyond to show just how much you appreciate your team’s hard work.

A Few Bonus Ideas!

1. Include a handwritten holiday card that accompanies whatever gift you choose.
2. Send out a survey asking the staff what they would like to receive this year.
3. Extra time off.
4. Extra bonus money/gift card.
5. Aside from giving gifts and cards this holiday, take the time to check-in on your remote team. Surprise the heck out of them with a personal phone call.

Do you have a side hustle making cool things you want to sell as gifts?

It’s also now incredibly easy to open your own Amazon store, with its low-risk, high-reward offerings and minimal startup costs. This has led to many vendors choosing the retail giant to sell their handmade creations, making bespoke, thoughtful gifts all the more accessible to the discerning employer.

I am Bonnie Low-Kramen, TEDx speaker, author of “Be the Ultimate Assistant” and trainer of Executive Assistants all over the world. In May, 2019, I was featured in a Forbes online cover story. As part of the research for my second book about the workplace to be published in 2022, I have had over 1,000 conversations with assistants, leaders, HR professionals, recruiters, and business school professors. I have worked in 14 countries and 38 states and would love to work with you towards building your ultimate workplace. Click here to set up a time to speak with me about your training needs which can be delivered virtually or in person.