Here is our list of fun work anniversary gifts.
Work anniversary gifts are items or experiences that reward employees for dedicated service. For example, company merchandise, experiential presents, or a dinner with the CEO. The purpose of these presents is to show appreciation to employees and thank them for their hard work.
These presents are similar to years of service awards, corporate employee gifts, employee appreciation gifts, and employee care packages.
This list includes:
- 1 year work anniversary gifts
- 5 year work anniversary gifts
- 10 year work anniversary gifts
- 20 year work anniversary gifts
- 30 year work anniversary gifts
Let’s get to it!
1 Year Work Anniversary Gifts
1. Decorations
For a 1st work anniversary gift, consider decorating the team member’s space! You can show an employee appreciation with balloons, streamers, signs, and snacks. There are plenty of cards and decorations intended for one-year anniversaries. You can look for something that is not too lovey-dovey and repurpose it for a work anniversary.
If the employee is remote, then consider sending a balloon bouquet or art print.
2. Time Off
There might not be a more appreciated gift than an extra day or two off. If you have the ability, then consider giving a team member some extra vacation days to reward them for a full year of service. If full vacation days are not possible, then a half-day or late start could be a nice treat.
Want some free team building tools?
$49 value (100% free)
- 100+ fully tested icebreaker questions
- 24+ themed Bingo generators
- 5+ PDFs (including the 8% Rule)
- 2024 team building calendar
- and more...
Enter your email for instant access
3. Company Merchandise
Gifting items with your company logo is a great way to mark one year of dedication. Many employees love branded gear. Wearing a shirt or hat with the company logo makes employees feel like they are part of the team. You can consider all kinds of items, for example, phone cases, mugs, tumblers, stationary, flasks, hats, bags, or flasks. To take the gift up a notch, personalize the gift along with the teammate’s name.
Check out these swag gifts for employees.
4. A New Mug
One thing very few employees can get through a day without is coffee. The special few who do not need coffee often rely on tea. Whatever the drink of choice, one can never have too many mugs. For a fun anniversary present, consider a new mug. You can get the team member a mug that reminds them that work sucks without them! There are also many places to get personalized mugs on Etsy.
5. Mindfulness Journal
Encouraging focus on mental health benefits both the employee and the company. When team members are in a healthy emotional state, their work is better, and they are happier. To thank a teammate for a year of work, consider gifting a mindfulness journal. These journals are a great way to focus on mental health. You can find a variety of styles on Amazon. These journals usually offer writing prompts, reflections, and daily practices to create a more mindful state. When employees are in a good state of mind, the quality of their work and satisfaction increase.
Check out more employee wellness ideas.
5 Year Work Anniversary Gifts
1. Make a Donation
Another way to mark a 5th anniversary is to make a donation in the team member’s name. There are many organization worthy of attention and funds. However, consider a cause that is meaningful to the employee. For example, if the teammate is an animal lover, then maybe a gift to The Humane Society is in order. UNICEF, St. Jude, and World Wildlife Fund are other organizations to consider.
Check out this list of virtual fundraising ideas.
2. Self-Care
When team members feel stretched thin and overwhelmed, it is hard to stay on top of work demands. In that vein, self-care is one of the best 5 year work anniversary gifts. For this idea, find a local day spa that offers various services. For example, sauna, facials, massages, mediation rooms, or nail care. Men and women alike can appreciate an afternoon of pampering. Another option is to gift yoga classes or a wellness retreat.
3. Trophy or Plaque
Participants receive trophies and plaques at every level, from little league to the Super Bowl. Celebrities get trophies at awards ceremonies. Even kids in spelling bees get them. These statues are a visible reminder of hard work and dedication. Gifting a team member a trophy is a fantastic way to show them you appreciate them, especially for five years. Be sure to find a local store to engrave the team member’s name and dates of service.
Check out this fun “you da bomb” novelty trophy for inspiration.
4. LinkedIn Shoutout
Giving a team member a shoutout on LinkedIn after years of working for the company is a great way to show appreciation. LinkedIn has become an essential networking site in recent years. Many workers check in on the site daily or weekly. Sending a special message to team members celebrating a work anniversary on the company page is a unique way to say thank you!
5. Stock Options
Five years at a single company shows commitment. The average employee works for one company for around four years. Team members who make it to the five-year mark have proven their commitment. A creative way to reward those years is with stock options. This gift has the double benefit of rewarding a team member and encouraging continued hard work. After all, the better the company does, the better the employee does.
10 Year Work Anniversary Gifts
1. Help Their Hobbies
Most team members enjoy outside-of-work hobbies like woodworking, scrapbooking, baking, or gardening. Gifting an employee hobby accessories is a thoughtful and creative gift. For example, if a team member loves tennis, then you can give them a new tennis club in a personalized bag. This gift shows an employee that you appreciate their hard work and care about them as a person.
2. Experiences
10 year work anniversary gifts are a way to show appreciation to team members. One fantastic way to reward a decade of service is an experience. There are a variety of experiences to gift. For example, art classes, sky diving, or driving luxury cars. To show employees that you care about them and their passions, tailor the experience to their likes.
Check out Blueboard for experience options.
3. Dinner with the CEO
One of the most personal ways to show appreciation is inviting a team member to a special dinner with senior leadership. Saving this gift for special anniversaries like 10 years makes it incredibly meaningful. Depending on the company’s size, this dinner can be a quarterly or bi-annual event that includes all the team members celebrating ten years. Dinner with the CEO is a great way to make a team member feel like a VIP.
4. Happy Hour
Happy hours are a normal part of a workweek in many places. To make a happy hour a worthy reward for 10 years, you need to take the celebration up a notch. First, plan the event at a nice restaurant or bar that allows reservations or has a private room. Next, incorporate a theme. To round out the event, create a custom drink. You can base this drink on something important to the team member or an inside joke the team appreciates. Hosting a party for the honoree is a wonderful way to thank a team member for 10 years of service.
5. Paid Sabbatical
When thinking of sabbaticals, it is common to think of those in the religious or educational fields. Paid leave is a much-needed gift, especially after 10 years of working. Offering an employee a paid sabbatical encourages them to focus on themselves.
Self-care is essential, and spending time without worrying about work and deadlines is a fantastic way to rejuvenate. To make the sabbatical worthwhile, be sure to plan. That way, the team member can pass off all their responsibilities and tasks and not worry about anything while gone. Allowing a teammate to focus on themselves without worrying about work and what waits for them is priceless.
20 Year Work Anniversary Gifts
1. Write-Up in the Company
If your company has a newsletter or internal email, then consider a write-up for a team member celebrating 20 years. Be sure to make the article personal and in-depth and show off all the accomplishments of the employee highlighting their hard work. A personal write-up also shows the team member they are valuable to the company.
2. A New Office
After 20 years of working for the same company, a team member might be getting restless. While the team member might not be planning to leave, a change of scenery can be beneficial. There are several ways to enhance the workspace of an employee. For example, consider upsizing their office. A newer, bigger office is a great way to show a teammate you appreciate them. Another option is gifting an employee with a new desk. An upgraded desk is an attractive option for remote employees, as well.
If a new desk or office is not possible, then consider a gift card to purchase decorations and upgrades for their office.
3. More Input in the Company
One of the most thoughtful 20 year work anniversary gifts is a seat at the table. After so much time with the company, an employee will likely appreciate a more significant voice. Depending on where the team member already serves, consider putting them on committees. Or, invite them to higher-level meetings. To make this invitation even more meaningful, deliver a hand-written note from a senior leader. This gift shows a team member that leadership notices and appreciates their decades of dedication and experience.
4. Gift Card
Gift cards are not the most personal gift. However, a gift card in a substantial amount is a fantastic way to show appreciation to a team member. For 20 years of service, consider a $2,000-$3,000 gift card. Employees can use this gift for a variety of services such as remodeling a room in their house, planning a fabulous vacation, or putting it towards a new car. A gift card gives freedom of choice to the honored employee.
5. Comedy Roast
Comedy roasts are entertaining evenings where attendees get to poke fun at the guest of honor. Typically, the one getting roasted gets a chance to give back whatever they got at the end. Hosting a comedy roast can be a fun way to honor a long and storied career at the company. It should not be hard to come up with material when there are so many years of interactions. It would help if you were careful planning a roast, as not everyone will appreciate it.
30 Work Anniversary Gifts
1. Custom Anniversary Video
For an employee who has worked for the company for 30 years, record a video with personal messages from their team or their entire company. In the months leading up to the anniversary, ask teammates to share personal stories and anecdotes. This video will be a meaningful memento the team member can keep for years. We recommend using a videographer to make the gift more high-quality and professional.
2. Group Outing
One of the most fun 30 year work anniversary gifts is a planned group outing. Be sure to consider the interests of the team member. A few ideas for a group outing could be a hike, a family outing to a local waterpark, or a cooking class. Organizing a group event and paying for it is a great way to honor many years of hard work. These outings can be during a workday or weekend to include families. You can also consider an overnight event if time and funds allow.
Check out this list of company offsite ideas for inspiration.
3. Formal Event
If a team member has been with the company for 30 years, they have been there longer than most, if not all other, employees. Hosting a formal event with dinner and drinks shows the teammate that their decades of work have impacted everyone around them. You can put on a special event where team members toast and reminisce about their experiences. You can top the evening off with a nice dinner and included drinks, as well.
4. All-Expense-Paid Vacation
After 30 years at one company, any employee has earned a nice vacation. To show a team member that you appreciate all their hard work, send them on an all-expense-paid vacation. It would be extra meaningful if the trip were to their dream destination. As a bonus, take all the work out of planning. You can book the flight, hotel, and car if needed. First, check the available dates, then tell the team member when to show up at the airport.
Here is a list of travel incentive ideas.
5. Task Reallocation
Many times, employees do a particular task and never enjoy it. Sometimes, staff do not realize they dread the task until they no longer have to do it. To celebrate 30 years, consider having a candid conversation with the team member about their daily and weekly tasks. Perhaps there is a duty on their plate they would rather not have. Often, employees are responsible for something they would rather not do, but they never complain about it. You can reward decades of service by taking unpleasant responsibilities from the team member. Of course, confirm that the job is undesirable.
Conclusion
Work anniversary gifts are the perfect way to show team members their years of hard work have not gone unnoticed. There are many ways to thank an employee for their dedication. Whether a team member has been with the company for one year or thirty, anniversary gifts remind them they are a vital part of the team.
Next, check out our lists of work anniversary ideas, virtual work anniversary ideas and swag bag ideas.
We also have a list of four day workweek benefits.
Grace He