Great ideas for employee recognition.

There is a lot of research out there about the benefits of employee recognition. You know it will be a good thing for your company and your employees - just see the research here if you need convincing.

Knowing it will benefit the business and coming up with ideas for employee recognition are two different things. Sometimes it can be hard to find the right ideas for employee recognition based on a diverse and multigenerational workforce. Easy to think of things that you would like, but harder when you are thinking of ideas for hundreds or even thousands of employees.

Well, we have got you covered. We have put together a list of ideas for employee recognition that you can pick and choose from. Not all of them will be the right fit for your team but some of them will. Take these ideas, use them as they are or use them as inspiration to find the best ideas for employee recognition for your team.

Here is the only list you will need on ideas for employee recognition.

1. A simple but meaningful thank you email.

2. A hand-written thank you card - with some chocolate.

3. A round of applause at a meeting, in the office or on Zoom.

4. Lunch with the boss or a member of the leadership team - even if it is a takeaway from the local in the corner office, it will be appreciated!

5. A day off work to relax and do anything you please.

6. A day off work to learn something new or improve your skills - do a short course, attend a masterclass, listen to an audiobook.

7. A day off to do something good - volunteer at a favourite charity, donate blood, help out a local not for profit.

8. A gift card to their favourite retailer - don't forget to tell them how you found out about it and why you think they will like it!

9. A book or magazine they has been talking about - if it was from a team meeting, include a note saying why you picked it. If it is one of your personal faves, add a note letting them know why you love it.

10. A fruit basket or box of chocolates - don't forget to add a personal note of thanks.

11. A plant - nothing fancy, just a little something to brighten up their desk and freshen up their working space.

12. Invite them out for a drink after work - with the team - even if they do not drink alcohol, there are plenty of other options!

13. An afternoon off work to go on a fun activity with their family or friends - who's up for a round of minigolf?

14. Show your appreciation in public by asking them to present at the next meeting or talk up what they have achieved in front of others - this could be at the next team meeting or via conference call with colleagues across multiple locations!

15. Give them something meaningful like an experience day - it could be a day in nature, a spa treatment or something like hot air ballooning.

16. A pair of tickets to a show or an event - this could be a sporting event or something like a theatre show.

17. A new photo frame for their desk so they can add their favourite people to it.

18. A trip to the movies or for lunch - why not invite the whole team? This is a great way to get everyone together!

19. A voucher for lunch or dinner with friends or family - treat them to dinner out so they can spend some time with the people who matter most in their life.

20. A new desk lamp or something else that will brighten up their workspace.

21. A fancy new chair to make them comfortable when they are in the office.

21. A health and wellbeing reward like a yoga mat they can use to stretch out at lunchtime.

22. A gift card for the local gym so they can work up a sweat and work out some frustration.

23. A book to read - you could go for something motivational, interesting or just plain fun!

24. A day at the spa - this could be a facial, massage or a mani-pedi.

25. Smoothies for a week to help them get their daily nutrients.

26. An afternoon off to pick the kids up at the gate and go and do something fun together.

27. A voucher for a new pair of shoes if you know they have an important meeting coming up.

28. A new laptop bag, branded with their initials so they look slick when going out to meet clients.

29. A brand new coffee machine - you could get them one of those fancy ones that do more than just brew the coffee (although it may have to be shared around the office!)

30. A gym membership - this could be for a month, three months, six months or even a year's worth of sessions! This is an awesome way to encourage your employees to keep fit and healthy.

28. A new pair of headphones - you could get them a pair from their favourite music artist or just a nice pair they can use in the office.

29. A new smartwatch - this could be something that helps them track their fitness, or even something that helps them with their work! Lots of smart watches have mindful and focus apps so can be a great tool to help employees.

30. A new iPad for wowing customers with - and streaming Netflix after 5pm.

31. A new phone case - so many options for personalisation or just colours you know they will love.

32. A subscription to their favourite magazine - they'll be keeping up to date with all the latest trends and news in just one place!

33. A gym membership for a friend or family member - get them a gift voucher for a gym membership for someone they know will benefit from it!

34. A personalised notebook - this is something they can use to write down all the important details of their day, or even just to jot down any ideas that come to mind.

35. An engraved pen - while we do lots of writing on keyboards these days, some people still love writing things by hand.

36. A food delivery voucher so they can have a night off cooking. Add it to their Uber Eats account and they can choose what they want to chow down on.

37. A bunch of flowers to brighten their day.

38. An Audible subscription so they can listen to their favourite authors on the go.

39. A cleaner to tidy up at home - nothing like coming home to a clean house when you didn't have to clean it.

40. A fruit and veggie delivery box - keep them healthy and happy with a box of goodness delivered to their door.

41. A scented candle to freshen up their favourite space.

42. A job swap with someone for the day to see if they might want to make a career move. This one will be good for them and for the company as even if they don't want to move roles, they will have more understanding of how the company works.

43. A day off for their birthday.

44. Some fresh pastries to enjoy for morning tea.

45. A gardener to come around and clean up the green space.

46. The chance to be featured on the company website as a Product Knowledge Expert by writing their own blog post on a topic of interest.

47. A vacay half-day - a day before their holidays start to get all the last-minute shopping and packing done.

48. An upgrade to their hotel room when they land in their destination. You will have to do some snooping around for this one so get your 'where are you going on holiday' chat on.

49. A day to spend with the grandkids when they have a school closure day.

50. A gourmet hamper full of delicious local produce.

There are so many ideas that your team will love and appreciate. Hopefully this list will inspire you to come up with lots more of your own.

Remember, there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to employee recognition ideas. The best ideas for employee recognition are those that are meaningful, personal and things your team really want but may not - or can't - get for themselves.