Delight Your Remote Teams with Appreciation Gifts 

For many of us, a typical day at work means interacting and connecting with clients, meeting colleagues, brainstorming ideas together, and enjoying the support of our team-mates. But when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, all of that changed. Overnight, we had to get used to an unfamiliar working style where we see our colleagues and clients on a computer screen and often have little or no connectivity with most of the people from our workplaces. Right now, there is a feeling of uncertainty, anxiety, loneliness, and alienation. This state of mental distress is having a profound impact on professional output.

It has not only been difficult for employees to get used to restricted interaction and working remotely but also for the management to ensure that no employees are sidelined and that everyone feels included and appreciated.

When employees feel disregarded, the outcome is not good. 40% of the employees who reported that they felt ignored had actively disengaged from their work. Team members who feel excluded or unappreciated, on the whole, are less professional, less committed to the company and collaborate less with their team-mates. They also have lower output and performance levels.

Therefore, motivating and appreciating members of your team, especially now that they are working remotely, is crucial.

Why Employee Appreciation Gifts Should Be an Important Part of Your Management Process 

As a manager/employer, you have the responsibility of recognizing and rewarding employees. But in the current scenario, the vital role of preventing your employees and teams from feeling disregarded falls even more squarely upon your shoulders.

Small gestures such as regular check-in calls and watching for signs of withdrawal, low input, or reluctant collaboration, can work wonders.

But gifts speak volumes and convey to your team that they are not alone or forgotten.

Employee appreciation gifts are always an excellent idea because:

1. They boost motivation
2. They encourage productivity
3. They give your teams something fun to look forward to
4. They demonstrate that team-work means sticking together
5. They make your employees feel appreciated
6. They indicate a positive outlook from the company, and hence, will elicit a positive outlook from your teams too.

Appreciating your team and thanking them for their loyalty and hard work even through the tough times with remote team gifts is significant and can only work to increase their positive outlook towards you and the company.

10 Great Gift Ideas for Remote Employees

1. Grocery Baskets or Gift Cards

Grocery baskets/gift cards make great gifts for remote teams. With the pandemic resulting in pay cuts, job losses, etc. grocery baskets or gift cards are always welcome.

2. Pharmacy or Drugstore Vouchers

Everyone needs something from the pharmacy at some point. Useful at any time, pharmacy or drugstore vouchers will always be appreciated.

3. OTT Subscriptions

One of the most popular ways of de-tuning from the distressing pandemic related going-ons is entertainment. Binge-watching a popular show on the weekends is a great way to relax. Hence, an OTT subscription is a thoughtful gift in these trying times.

4. Smart Home Devices

Smart home devices are always welcome, pandemic or no pandemic. But if one is working from home, such devices only make life smoother. Who would not love to receive a smart home device?

5. Fitness Gifts

People have realized that it is crucial to stay fit and healthy especially during the pandemic. Many have taken to exercising- outdoors as well as in the confines of their homes. Fitness gifts would make great gifts in the current context.

6. Tea/Coffee Boxes 

Do your employees miss the walk to the office coffee machine and socializing during a coffee break? Let them know that they are also being missed by sending them tea and coffee boxes that they can enjoy at home.

7. Customized Wine Bottles

Since going out is currently not an option, the weekends often mean a special home-cooked meal or a relaxing evening watching popular TV shows or reading a good book. Whatever the choice, a good bottle of wine would be the perfect accompaniment and definitely make a weekend evening more interesting!

8. Pet Gifts

People love their pets. Sending gifts for their pets will always show that you care and create a stronger bond between you and the recipient.

9. Kids’ Toys

Keeping kids entertained within the confines of a home can be quite a task. Let your employees know you understand and support them by sending them fun toys for their kids.

10. E-learning Experience

Help your employees to keep their minds agile and focused by giving them an e-learning experience. It will also help them to make the most of their time during the lockdown as well as stay updated and pick up a new skill which is always valuable.

Remember…

It might be inconvenient to work from home, but you can make your employees’ current work environment a little more comfortable through your gifts. A little empathy and concern will go a long way!

The Common Hassles of Employee Gifting 

Most people would like to appreciate their teams through gifts, but the mere thought of going through the hassles of this process puts them off.

It is not an easy feat to choose gifts that are equally appreciated by everyone, especially if you are not familiar with their preferences.

Picking out unique and likeable gifts, sourcing them, and customizing them for each employee takes a lot of time and effort. The time that you probably do not have.

And that is not all! Packaging, finding out addresses, and taking care of the delivery logistics also adds to the tediousness of the task.

Many a time, you wish that you had an assistant to help you buy gifts and save you the time and hassle. But you do! And it is called Eva Gifting Assistant!

Breeze through the gifting process with Eva!

Gifting has never been easier with Eva!

All you have to do is…

1. Log into Eva, enter the name and email/phone number of your employee, and specify the amount you want to spend.
2. Eva will create a unique gift link which you share with the recipient.
3. When the recipient clicks on the link, Eva’s automated chatbot will ask them a few questions to understand their interests, preferences, dislikes, allergies, etc.
4. Based on the information gathered from the employees as well as numerous other data points, Eva will pick the perfect gift that is sure to delight the recipient.
5. Eva will also personalize the gift, wrap it beautifully, and then deliver it to the recipient.

With Eva taking away the hassle of time and effort of buying a gift and the worry of whether it will be well received, you are now free to send out tokens of appreciation that will keep your teams happy and their output high.

To Sum Up

When things finally go back to normal, the trauma of the pandemic will have changed your employees in many ways. The experience will live on in their minds for a long time to come. However, they will also remember how you, as an employer/manager, supported them through the worst time and how they did not feel isolated but felt like they were part of a team that stuck together, recognized each other’s contributions, and came out of the crisis stronger than ever.

To know more about how you can appreciate and support your remote working teams, get in touch with us.