Recognizing the hard work and dedication of your employees doesn't have to be a daunting task. Save time and money by ordering gifts in bulk. You can maintain consistency with your existing recognition efforts across the organization without sacrificing quality.
Discover the power of employee appreciation gifts in bulk—and get some of our best recommendations for what gifts to choose.
The Benefits of Bulk Employee Appreciation Gifts
If you’ve arranged recognition efforts like gifts in your organization, you know how much thought and oversight the logistics can take. Ordering gifts in bulk, rather than individually, makes the whole process simpler.
Here are some of the benefits you can enjoy:
- Allocate your budget more effectively. There’s a reason shopping at Costco is so popular: buying goods in bulk saves money. Distributors make the price per unit lower when you buy more of something, as this saves them money on things like shipping. The savings then get passed on to you. Yay!
- Save time on gift-buying. When you buy a gift, you often have to go through several logistical steps. You have to choose the gift, get budget approval, and arrange delivery. If you buy gifts in bulk, you only have to go through these steps once. Not having to repeat the process over and over for each gift saves you time.
- Recognize employees consistently. While time and money are important considerations, above all, employee gifts are about recognizing and rewarding your employees. Bulk gifts keep these efforts consistent so employees know what to expect and feel equally valued for their contributions.
Rewarding your employees should run smoothly, not create extra busy work. Learn more about implementing effective employee recognition programs from our curated resources.
Popular Employee Appreciation Gift Ideas
Okay, so maybe you’re sold on the idea of bulk gifts for your employees but unsure how to proceed. How do you decide what gifts to buy to appeal to a wide range of people?
A few of our favorite ideas include:
- Company-branded merchandise. Because branded items must be customized, purchasing them in bulk makes a lot of sense. Company apparel is an excellent choice, especially if you provide options that can be worn on the job. You could also order notebooks, pens, or water bottles that employees need during their workday.
- Wellness items. Health and wellness are increasingly important values for today’s employees. Show you honor those values with the gifts you offer. For a small gift, you might choose a stress ball or a silk sleep mask. For a larger option, you might consider something like an essential oil diffuser.
- Technology accessories. Tech gifts are popular with employees because they make their lives easier, both at work and at home. A phone stand, a wireless charger, or a Bluetooth tracker are all options that streamline everyday tasks for employees.
Snacks and gift baskets. Food is always a popular gift choice (just remember the timing has to be right to buy perishables in bulk). You can buy gourmet gift baskets or snack packs for events like a company anniversary or end-of-year celebration when you’ll be gifting to many employees at once.
Tips for Selecting and Sourcing Bulk Gifts
Ultimately, the best employee appreciation bulk gifts are tailored to the needs of your employees and the company. Here are a few additional considerations to help ensure a positive experience for all involved:
- Understand employee preferences. We’ll say it until we’re blue in the face: Gifts are meant to reward employees, so they should be something employees actually want! You don’t want to waste your efforts on something people will just throw out or grumble about. Talk to your employees to understand what they like. You can do this through individual conversations, surveys, or group feedback sessions.
- Set a budget. One of the perks of bulk purchasing is how much money it can save you. With this in mind, set a realistic budget based on the size of your company and the type of recognition milestone you’re celebrating. Don’t be afraid to look at different suppliers or out-of-the-box gift options to find the right price point.
- Find a supplier you trust. Your gift supplier is a key partner in your employee recognition efforts. To ensure quality and timely delivery, you want to order your gifts from a supplier you can trust.
At Awardco, we make rewarding your employees simple by bringing thousands of reward items and quality vendors together on our platform. All you have to do is choose the gifts. Learn more about our rewards and recognition platform.
Personalization and Customization Options
Buying gifts in bulk doesn’t mean you can’t add a personal, heartfelt touch for each recipient.
These personalization strategies can make your gifts more meaningful:
- Add names or logos to products. Customizing bulk employee appreciation gifts is a great touch. Choose a department logo or an employee’s name along with your company’s branding so the recipient knows you recognize them personally.
- Tailor gifts to match achievements. An employee only needs so many water bottles. While this may be a thoughtful gift once or twice, you shouldn’t buy gifts in bulk and then send the same thing out for every occasion. Pick different bulk gifts for each occasion—one thing for new employees, another for tenure anniversaries. This way, your gifts stay fresh and helpful.
- Include a personalized message. We recommend adding a personal note or message of appreciation whenever you give something to your employees. A handwritten thank-you lets the employee know just how much you value them.
No matter how you choose to personalize gifts, make sure you put thought behind it for each individual.
Implementing a Bulk Gift Program
You need to plan carefully to implement your gift program effectively. The following steps will help you set yourself up for success.
- Establish criteria for gift distribution. One of the reasons we suggest bulk gifts is because they make gift-giving consistent. To make that truly the case, you should also set consistent criteria for distribution. When do employees receive these gifts—for anniversaries, promotions, or performance milestones? It should be the same for everybody.
- Communicate the program details. Get your employees excited about their milestones! Let them know ahead of time what your recognition program looks like and how they can attain those achievements. Clear communication keeps employees in sync and motivated.
- Streamline the logistics. To maximize efficiency, you’ll want to streamline the ordering and distribution process. Having a clear plan for when you want to order and distribute gifts and which supplier you want to work with can go a long way. With Awardco, you can choose the recognition program plan that works best for your company and simplify the logistics of employee recognition with our easy-to-use platform.
- Solicit feedback and adjust as needed. Once you start handing out gifts, pay attention to how they are received. Do people like them? You can solicit specific feedback and adjust your strategy as necessary to make sure the program works as intended.
Reward Program Success Stories
We’re passionate about reward programs because we know they work! We’ve helped many companies save money while implementing recognition programs for employees across the globe.
Beckman Coulter operates in 45 countries around the world, which could tie recognition up in logistics. Instead, with Awardco, they’ve streamlined their process and increased engagement on their rewards platform by 80%.
Another client, Visionworks, uses tools like bulk buying to stock their pantry as part of a rewards program. They’ve seen a decrease in employee turnover as a result.
Build a Bulk Rewards Program with Awardco
Hardworking teams deserve recognition for their efforts. Buying employee appreciation gifts in bulk makes it easy to celebrate them—whatever the occasion.
Want to reward your team? Awardco is here to help! We’ll customize a bulk gift program that keeps your teams motivated and ready for the next project.
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