It’s been proven that employee engagement is an important element of job performance. Employees who are fully engaged are often higher performers because they feel like they’re part of a team. Given the potential impact, every business should implement an employee engagement strategy, which isn’t always an easy task. Employee gifts in the form of promotional products are a great way to boost employee engagement.
When considering the use of promotional items, it’s important to align the items chosen with your corporate culture. If your workplace is a fun and relaxed environment, then you should choose promotional products that support the culture. If your office has a more corporate and executive feel, such as that which is common in the banking industry, there are promotional items to fit that atmosphere.
Effective Branded Employee Gifts
- Backpacks: While there was a time when backpacks were primarily used by students in academic environments, that certainly isn’t the case anymore. They are often used by professionals to carry their personal belongings between home to work, especially since many people carry laptops and other mobile devices. Backpacks are used to travel both short and long distances. Providing your employees with a branded backpack is not just a great move for building a company identity, it’s also a way to show your appreciation. Depending on your preference, you can choose from a variety of different designs, and some of them are ideal for professionals because they have different compartments that make it easy to stay organized. In addition to the company logo, you can also have the employees’ initials imprinted onto the backpack, which is an added touch that can make a person feel special and appreciated.
- Planners: Despite the prevalence of electronic calendars, a good number of people find planners to be a great way to stay organized. The reason many professionals are partial to physical planners is that they are more tactile, which can be valuable when brainstorming or sketching out ideas. This isn’t just something that’s of personal benefit to employees, but it’s also great for use when working on projects at work. If you have employees who commute to work, a planner is a great tool that can be used to schedule and review the day’s events in advance.
- Earbuds: Just about everyone owns a pair or two of earbuds these days. Whether they are used for listening to music or a podcast, earbuds are often necessary. When provided as an employee gift, they can feel like a perk and a benefit of working for the company. While there are many promotional items from which to choose, this is one that will probably get a lot of mileage because you can never have too many earbuds.
- Travel Mugs: Many employees travel as part of their jobs and in their personal lives. It’s not uncommon for employees to have a travel mug for the purpose of drinking coffee, tea, or juice on the go. Some use a travel mug for the enjoyment of their favorite beverage, while others find a dose of caffeine to be a necessity throughout a busy workday. Travel mugs are a great way to keep beverages hot, and they can also eliminate the need to purchase high-priced coffee. Employees can carry their travel mug from home to work, or wherever they go.
- Protective Cases: Millions of people use mobile devices around the world, and your employees are no exception. A protective case for a smartphone or tablet is a great way to say thank you to your team. They’ll appreciate it because it’s practical and can eliminate the need to buy a new case. There’s even a chance that it can prevent their mobile device from getting damaged, which is why protective cases are so popular. Promotional protective cases as gifts for employees can be provided in a variety of colors and textures for company branding. It’s definitely a gift that employees will appreciate.
- Branded Apparel: While sometimes employees are required to wear a uniform with the company logo, that’s not the case for most professionals. In fact, having branded apparel is something that employees welcome because it cultivates a feeling of belonging. If you have geographically dispersed locations and remote teams, there’s a good chance that branded apparel will be well-received. While employees who are allowed to work remotely appreciate not having to commute, some report feeling isolated. Branded apparel is a great way to restore a feeling of being connected.
- Smartphone Chargers: Without a doubt, smartphone chargers are a great gift for employees. It can be very difficult to keep your phone charged, and employees are often looking for opportunities to charge their smartphones, so having an extra charger for either home or work is of great value. If you have employees who travel, an additional smartphone charger will be welcomed since it’s good to have a charger at home and one for use when traveling.
- Writing Pens: There will never be a time when a quality pen is not appreciated. When it comes to employee gifts, it’s possible to choose a high-quality pen that can be used for both business and personal reasons. A quality pen is often valued by people who care about details, especially when they’re participating in business meetings and want to make an impression. A pen that’s a gift for employees can be engraved, which will send the message that you value them as part of the team.
Employee engagement is not about a task, meeting, or event, it’s about the nature of the relationship that exists between employees and the company. Employee gifts are a way to demonstrate your value to employees. It can set the tone for the relationship. Let’s review ideas for promotional products that are great for company branding, while also strengthening the relationship with employees.
