10 Distance-Friendly Appreciation Ideas for Remote Teams
Aleksandra Stavreska
International Talent Finder - focus on the US and EMEA - working with remote-first startups and scaleups
Showing appreciation to work-at-home employees who performed their duties diligently and on time can be challenging for team managers due to the distance.
Fortunately, we have the technology and numerous websites available on our side, which make distance insignificant and make the process of thanking easier.
In this blog post, we’ll explore practical and innovative appreciation ideas you can implement for your remote team to make them feel valued, connected, and supported.
Virtual Gifts For Remote Employees
Gifts can be a powerful way to show appreciation and make remote workers feel valued.
When selecting a personalized gift, it’s important to consider practicality and professionalism so that the gift is appropriate for thanking the employee for their hard work.
Here is a list of appreciation ideas for your remote employees:
Gift cards
Gift cards to popular online services such as Spotify Premium, YouTube Premium, Netflix, and HBO Max, make for a unique and practical appreciation gift for remote employees.
These gifts can be purchased and used from anywhere and provide employees access to a wide range of music, videos, and other content.
After a long workday, this is a beautiful way to express appreciation while acknowledging the importance of self-care and entertainment.
Online courses
Investing in the growth and development of remote employees can be an effective way to show appreciation and support.
Online courses are a convenient and accessible way for employees to expand their skill sets and knowledge.
Hall of fame
Creating a Hall of Fame for your remote employees is a fantastic way to show appreciation for their skills and dedication.
Encourage managers to give shout-outs to employees who have exceeded expectations and celebrate their achievements publicly.
Additionally, consider creating LinkedIn thank you notes to recognize employees publicly and inform employees and people outside of the company about the positive contributions of your remote workers.
Technology Gifts
Practical gifts that support remote work can be a great way to make your employees happy.
Consider purchasing mouse pads, noise-canceling headphones, portable chargers, smartwatches, tablets, wireless keyboards and mice, and laptop backpacks.
These gifts can be easily ordered online from sites like Amazon or local online shops and delivered directly to employees’ homes.
Care Packages
Consider putting together a care package to show appreciation and support for your remote employees.
A basket filled with tea bags, a teacup, dried fruits, a self-help book, and a journal is a few items you could include.
These thoughtful gifts can help promote wellness and self-care, which can be especially important for remote workers who may spend long hours in front of a computer.
Remember that you might need to find a local business to deliver a package to another country.
Recommended by LinkedIn
Fitness gifts
Show appreciation for your remote employees by promoting their health and wellness.
Gift them items like water bottles, yoga mats, nutrition trackers, and subscriptions to popular fitness or healthy food apps.
These gifts show that you care about your employees’ well-being and provide practical tools to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The good old “Well-Done.”
Remember the power of verbal appreciation in expressing gratitude to your remote employees.
A simple “well done” or “thank you” can go a long way in maintaining a positive work culture.
EBooks and Audiobooks Subscription
For remote employees who are book lovers, an audiobook or e-book subscription can make a great appreciation gift.
Investing in their hobbies shows that you understand and value their interests.
An audiobook or e-book subscription is a practical and personalized gift that can help remote employees continue to enjoy their favorite pastime while working remotely.
A day off
A budget-friendly gift that can be used anywhere and at any time is a paid day off.
Allow your remote employees to choose a day to take off and rest.
This simple but effective gesture can be a great way to show appreciation and help your remote employees recharge and return to work feeling refreshed.
Paid travel vacation or a weekend getaway
Weekend getaways or travel vacations may be outside some companies’ budgets, but they make an excellent distance-friendly appreciation idea.
However, a company has the resources to pay for a weekend getaway for some of its employees to travel to another city or abroad. In that case, it can be a very well-received and appreciated gesture.
Steam gift cards for the gamer enthusiasts
Gaming is a popular hobby, and a Steam gift card can be an excellent way to show appreciation for remote employees who enjoy gaming.
This might be a niche gift, but it’s a thoughtful way to acknowledge your employees’ interests and hobbies outside of work. If you are invested in your employees and know that some of them would appreciate a Steam gift card, this could be a great, distance-friendly appreciation gift.
How to select a gift for your employee
Why Are Virtual Gifts Important For Remote Teams?
Virtual gifts play a crucial role in setting your company apart from competitors.
Furthermore, with high quitting rates in recent years, virtual gifts can be an effective retention strategy.
By making employees feel valued and appreciated, virtual gifts can increase motivation levels and improve work performance.
If you’re searching for ways to show appreciation to your remote team, keep this article handy for a list of creative and thoughtful virtual gift ideas.