9 Great Ideas for Work Anniversary Gifts

Staying with a company for the long haul is becoming uncommon. Employees are job hopping and moving around to make their way up the career ladder. This only makes it more important than ever to celebrate those that stick with you.

In this guide, we'll explore why work anniversaries are worth celebrating and share some amazing work anniversary gifts you can add to your list to express thanks for your in-office and remote employees’ loyalty.

Staying with a company for the long haul is becoming more and more uncommon. According to one survey, around 75% of employees don’t plan to spend more than five years at their current job. The reasons for the migration vary: more money, perks and benefits, improved work-life balance, better professional development, and opportunities for advancement.

With this trend looking unlikely to change, employers are at an unprecedented and crucial point in the modern workspace. Creating a positive work environment that leads to employee engagement isn’t just a bonus — it’s mandatory.

Outside of crafting a better workplace, employers should focus on the assets they already have — their dedicated employees. One beneficial way to celebrate these employees is with a work anniversary gift. Whether an employee has been with you for a year, five years, or 10 years, these work anniversary ideas and gifts aim to improve employee retention and salute the contributions of your team.

Why Your Company Needs To Celebrate Work Anniversaries

Instead of hunkering down at a single company, employees are bouncing from employer to employer, seeking new opportunities to rise quickly in both title and salary. In the years leading up to the Great Resignation and during its apex, employees were quitting in record numbers

Stats back up these trends. the median tenure for those 55 to 64 is 9.8 years, but it recedes to only 2.8 years for those ages 25-34. Call it generational or fundamental differences in working ideals, but that’s a significant decrease that’s hard to ignore.

When an employee quits, the aftermath leads to increased costs (up to four times the employee’s annual salary) to hire and onboard a new employee, loss of productivity and functionality, and a lapse in workplace leadership. As a result, finding ways to keep your employees around is more than building a strong team — it’s a savvy business move that lowers costs and improves your bottom line.

Consistent retooling of your employee engagement policies and boosting company culture is a pivotal part of employee retention. One such aspect should include showing appreciation for your employee’s hard work. In fact, it’s best to do so regularly as part of your employee engagement strategy. Whether you’re celebrating an employee milestone, work anniversary, or any other special day.

Since a work anniversary is more fleeting, honoring the time your employees have committed to your business is a big sign of appreciation — and one that more businesses should actively focus on.

9 Work Anniversary Gifts To Say Thank You to Your Team Members

Every part of the team is a crucial aspect of the whole. Without one, the other doesn’t function. In the spirit of trust, camaraderie, and employee morale, a work anniversary gift is an affordable yet treasured gesture that every employer should entertain. To help you find the perfect way to express gratitude, here are some thoughtful and fun work anniversary gift ideas your employees are sure to appreciate.

1. Online Shoutout

Sometimes, the perfect gift for a work anniversary is simply realizing the milestone as an owner or manager. Employees know how busy you are, so when you take time out to recognize their anniversaries and accomplishments, they’re grateful.

For the sake of ease and timeliness, you have plenty of avenues for an online shoutout, especially if you have remote employees. Consider featuring your employees’ work anniversaries on your website or social media channels. Or if you have more time to invest, interview them for a feature in your company newsletter. Talk to your employee to find out what they’d enjoy the most, and work together to create something special.

Alternatively, you can create a public recognition program as part of your work anniversary gift. Highlight the accomplishments and contributions that each person brings online, at meetings, during conference calls, or at a team lunch.

If you have an opportunity to meet in person, you can opt for a more low-key approach. Sometimes, a simple thank you or a private acknowledgment paired with an online shoutout is the best approach. A lot of employees really want to hear your appreciation directly, even if they don’t realize it.

2. Increased Per Diem

If you have an employee who’s a field marketer, event planner, or constantly traveling for work, a per diem is essential. But if you have an employee who’s loyal, always gets results, or is excellent at navigating event planning problems, upping the ante is an excellent work anniversary gift.

Increasing a per diem not only ensures they’re comfortable, but it allows them to get nicer meals, lodging, and all the extras that come with exemplary performance on the job. When they have the option to choose a nutritious, high-quality meal over delivery food, they just might appreciate the work anniversary gift a little more every time they’re on the job.

3. Extra Vacation Day

All employees experience burnout at one time or another. It’s part of the human psyche and experience. But one thing that every employee can agree on is the prospect of an extra day off. It’s an employee appreciation gift that’s definitely well-received.

For every year that an employee is with the company, consider granting them an extra day off in the form of paid time off. This gift gives them more time to do something they enjoy or spend a day with loved ones. Plus, they’re also likely to come back feeling refreshed and focused.

You should also remind your employee that their time outside work is valuable. Encourage them to use their extra vacation day — 48% of Americans don’t use all of the vacation days allotted to them.

4. Gift Basket or Care Package

An oldie but a goodie, gift baskets, gift boxes, and care packages are always a crowd-pleaser. Fill your gift basket with useful company swag, pampering treats, vouchers, and little gifts team members can enjoy or share with their families. For an extra special touch, add a handwritten note. It’s the easiest way to make someone feel special and works whether you’re a company of five or five hundred.

If you’re close to your team members and want to send something really special to congratulate them on a work anniversary, try a care package. This is a lovely way to send a unique gift that you can tailor around the individual.

Fill the care package with mini gifts and self-care treats for your employee. Artisan chocolate, spa essentials, gift cards for wellness programs, reusable tumblers, and a self-help book are all thoughtful things to include in a work anniversary care package.

Spend some time thinking about what to put in your gift set to create something that feels more unique than an off-the-shelf package. Work with your supplier to create different options based on themes, so you can send personalized gifts at scale.

5. Anniversary Party

Most of us love a well-planned party, and it’s a fun, exciting way to publicly express gratitude for your employee alongside their other team members. End the work day early and finish with a party in the office break room or plan a virtual party planned around your guest of honor’s schedule.

This is also one of those team gifts that works best for milestone years. Celebrate someone’s first year with you with a bang, then reserve virtual office parties for other milestone employee work anniversaries — like five or ten years.

6. Anniversary Card

Your work anniversary gift doesn’t have to be big, fancy, showy, or expensive to make an impact. It’s more of the gesture than the gift itself. That’s what makes an anniversary card an affordable work anniversary gift that won’t go unnoticed.

Send your employees a greeting card signed by all their team members, or use something like Kudoboard to send a virtual card with a pleasing aesthetic. Have everyone contribute a thoughtful message or note that’ll make your recipient smile.

7. Virtual Gift Card

Virtual gift cards make great gifts for anyone — from your BFF at work to your 200th new hire. Send a Hoppier gift card and suggest someone uses it for an experience like a spa day or dinner out at a top restaurant. Tailor the card balance to the number of years of service for an extra way to mark the milestone moments.

If you want to scale gift cards for all of your employees’ future work anniversary gifts, consider purchasing bulk virtual gift cards. With one purchase, you cut down on your time investment and give a gift that keeps on giving.

8. A Day as the Boss

As the popular Mel Brooks adage goes, it’s good to be the king. However, few employees have a chance to pull the strings and make the decision. Fortunately, you can have a little fun with this idea and give your employee a taste of what it’s like to run the ship for the day.

You’ll want to set some limits on this — the idea is to have some fun, not make drastic corporate changes. Give them the chance to choose where your team lunch is ordered from, set a quirky dress code, send a joke staff memo, or do a fun team-building activity. Sometimes, it’s good to be the king (or queen), even if it’s only for a day.

9. Major Perks for Milestone Anniversaries

Employee turnover is at an all-time high. Workers have more freedom to go out and find their perfect job, so it’s important to celebrate employee loyalty with every passing year. Rewarding employees for significant anniversary milestones is a great perk you can promote as a big part of your company culture.

If someone has worked for your company for five years, they deserve a special gift, whether it’s one, five, or 10+ years. Years of service awards, paid sabbaticals, vacations, learning experiences, significant charity donations, bonuses, and stock options are all great ways to make your employee feel valued.

Hoppier: A Simple and Effective Solution to Work Anniversary Gifts

Putting thought and personalization behind employee anniversary gifts shows an intangible extra that employees love. With Hoppier, you can do just that, all while scaling it to meet the needs of your growing organization.

Hoppier gives you a thoughtful way to personalize the virtual gift card experience. Instead of emailing a generic card, you can customize the look, feel, and details to send corporate gifts with personality.

With Hoppier, you can craft a virtual gift card that uses your brand colors and logo or create something fun based on your gift recipient’s own tastes. Give your program a fun name, and add an emoji alongside it for some extra visual flair. Then, choose a balance for your virtual gift, set a spending deadline, and choose from hundreds of vendors. It’s entirely up to you.

As a bonus, all the money left on the gift card after the expiration goes right back into your account. There’s no monetary waste. Just an excellent work anniversary gift that your employee is sure to appreciate.

Hoppier cards give you a simple way to bring more employee recognition to your company culture — without complicating things. Set up a work anniversary gift program and make it easier to celebrate those moments, without searching for a fresh gift idea every time.