Working in a corporate environment can feel isolating when everyone on your team is remote. You wouldn’t trade working from home for anything, but there’s an element of team togetherness that you miss—and that’s okay!
So, how can you avoid the boredom of typical corporate holiday gifts and sparsely-attended outings when your team deserves the best? It would be best if you made your teamwork gifts for your employees as unique as possible. There are plenty of fun team building gifts and activities that everyone will enjoy.
What are Gifts For Team Building?
Transitioning your entire team to 100% working from home was step one. Now, how do you foster camaraderie and collaboration when everyone is remote? Whether you are a small start-up or an enterprise needing corporate team building gifts, we have the perfect ideas.
Giving a gift to your employees shows you appreciate them, but that doesn’t mean you should give the same old gifts each year. Step up your game with any of these extraordinary gifts, so you can give more than the traditional paperweight that collects dust on a shelf.
If you’re looking to add a little fun to your team building gifts for employees, we have a variety of ideas that will put a smile on every team member’s face.
Just because you’re remote doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun together, and these gifts are some of the best ideas for team building your employees have seen in a long time.
Top 15 Team Gift Ideas For Your Employees
You don’t need a party planning committee to pull off these fun, thoughtful, and engaging outings and gifts for your employees. There’s something for everyone, and even the quietest person on Zoom will have a good time.
1. Solve Puzzles Together At Paranoia Quest
Escaping one of the intricate rooms at Paranoia Quest requires all the elements of good teamwork. Keen observation, problem-solving skills, and good communication are essential to beat the clock. It’s the perfect activity for corporate groups to come together for a common goal. Build up your team’s ability to problem-solve together and have fun at the same time.
2. Office Olympics
Get the whole team involved, play games, and win prizes! Several online platforms host online office Olympics and include a master of ceremonies to entertain and keep things running smoothly. Office Olympics are perfect for groups looking for a morale boost or team bonding opportunities. Your employees will form teams, compete against each other in trivia, and play fun games to promote communication and camaraderie.
3. Happy Hour
If everyone is local, make this an in-person happy hour at a bar or restaurant within walking distance of the office, if possible. The more convenient you make outings, the more likely your team will attend. Let everyone know that the first round is covered by corporate.
4. Virtual Happy Hour
Have a cocktail on the house (your own!) at a virtual happy hour. It’s an entertaining way to help reduce workplace stress and boost morale. Either send everyone on your team a package so they can each make a fun, signature cocktail, or encourage your employees to drink whatever they’d like. The point is to spend time together in a relaxed atmosphere.
5. Tiny Campfire
On a scale of 1-10, this adorable virtual activity is a 20. When you register for a tiny campfire experience, each member of your team is sent a package containing s’more ingredients and a tea light “campfire” to toast your gourmet marshmallow. During the activity, your awesome camp counselor will lead your group in s’more making while enjoying tailored games and activities.
6. Trivia Tournament
With tons of trivia games online, you can host a trivia tournament between your team members that will get them engaged, laughing, and communicating with their teammates. The best trivia games to play are fast-paced and easy to understand. Be sure there’s a prize, like a gift card, available to the winner.
7. Subscription Boxes
Snacks from around the world, candles, socks, and sweet treats can be given as teamwork gifts for employees. Fun subscription boxes are a great gift that your employees can enjoy every month. The two most popular choices for corporate gifts are wine and liquor subscriptions, but you can also give tea and coffee subscription gifts to non-drinkers.
8. Virtual Spa Day
Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you don’t need pampering! For your remote team members, a spa care package and gift certificate are perfect for a day of self-care. Your team will return to work relaxed, loose, and refreshed. And don’t forget to throw in a cozy keepsake bathrobe for good measure.
9. Charitable Giving And Volunteering
Find a local non-profit that aligns with your team’s mission statement and organize a day of volunteering. Giving back feels good, and doing something for others is honestly one of the best ideas for a team gift on this list.
10. Bar Games
Oversized Jenga, anyone? Many venues offer more than just darts and pool–games like cornhole, giant Dominoes, Jenga, and more are popular choices for bringing people together. Add some appetizers and beverages, and don’t forget to let your team know how much you appreciate them.
11. Make a Donation To Their Favorite Cause
This team member’s gift idea is more personal. But, if you know a cause that someone on your team is passionate about, donating in their name is a thoughtful gift. Or, donate on behalf of your team (include everyone’s names) to a non-profit within your field (e.g., If you own a vet office, donate to a rescue organization.).
12. Send Everyone Packing
If you have a remote team that has to travel for work, buying everyone new luggage is a no-brainer. This team-building gift is definitely not cheap since high-quality luggage can be pricy. But, for employees traveling for work, dealing with broken and worn-out suitcases makes a business trip even more cumbersome.
13. Give the Gift Of Mental Wellness
Even with health insurance, mental health services can be prohibitively expensive for someone to maintain long-term. There are plenty of therapy app subscriptions you can give your team. Alternatively, you can provide a monthly mental health stipend for each employee to do with as they see fit.
14. Take Your Team Out To Dinner
Make a reservation at a higher-end restaurant in your town, and provide transportation for everyone. Let them order off the menu or opt for a catered menu with more limited choices for larger groups. Once your team is there, you should take the time to tell them how much you value and appreciate them. Make a toast, give our superlatives, and make sure to pay everyone for their time.
15. Go Bowling
Bowling has always been a great team-building activity. It’s a very casual sport that all employees can enjoy. Plus, it has the potential to be a little competitive while not being overly stressful. Most likely, there are a number of bowling alleys in your area. We suggest picking one near your office and hosting a company event there. You can also rent lanes for private events if you want to host a larger event.
Top 10 Inexpensive Team Building Gifts
If you’re a small business owner, it can be challenging to show your employees your gratitude. That’s why it is important to find gifts that truly represent your appreciation and reliance on them to keep your business running. Keeping costs low is a priority, but not at the expense of your team.
There are plenty of inexpensive team-building gifts you can give your employees as a pick-me-up but are not a substitute for fair wages.
1. Headphones And Earbuds
Everyone uses headphones, so it’s a can’t-miss gift for your employees. You can spend as little as $10 per person up to over $100 per person for headphones or earbuds.
2. Headphones And Earbuds
Almost everyone drinks coffee or can find something they enjoy at their local coffee chain. Sending gift cards for a latte or frappuccino is bound to perk up your team.
3. Fuzzy Blanket Or Beach Towel
Choose a super soft throw blanket or a plush beach towel as a teamwork gift, depending on the season. It can be in your company’s colors and include an embroidered logo if necessary.
4. Solar Wireless Charger
The Solar Wireless Charger is a premium mobile accessory that allows you to wirelessly charge your phone without any cables or cords. On top of its convenience, it’s environmentally friendly by using solar energy to power it. This stylish charger will truly take the gift game up a notch this year, and your recipient will be thrilled with the care and thoughtfulness put into this gift idea!
5. Water Bottle/Tumbler
Encourage hydration with a tumbler or water bottle. And who doesn’t love a good water bottle? Even quality water bottles are inexpensive enough to purchase in large quantities for corporate team building gifts.
6. Popsocket
People love Popsockets because it makes holding their phone easier, especially when they’re on the go or using their phone for video calls.
Popsocket can conveniently be used as a phone stand and as a case or prop for taking photos. Best of all, they are easily removable when they are not needed.
You can get it in various sizes, but the most popular size is the Popsocket Original. The original Popsocket is designed to fit on most phones and cases and is available in over 50 designs that appeal to people of all ages.
7. Backpack or Laptop Bag
Even remote team members can appreciate a handy laptop bag! From commuting to business travel, it’s important to make sure your employees have high-quality laptop bags when they need to work on the go.
8. Blue Light Glasses
Blue light glasses are a must-have for people staring at a screen all day. Gifting them to your employees as part of a health and wellness package is a great idea, and you can buy them in bulk!
9. Online Courses
A well-designed online course is one of the best gifts you can give your employees as it can increase their overall knowledge, sharpen their skills and provide them with an opportunity to learn something new. Give them credit to a site like Skillshare or Coursera and encourage them to discover a new hobby or explore more about one they already have.
10. Portable Charger
With literally everyone carrying around a phone these days, no one should be without a portable battery. It will ensure your employees can stay connected wherever they go and allow them to charge devices without cables or an outlet nearby.
Team Building Gifts And Activities For Employees
No matter your budget, there are plenty of ideas for team gifts listed above to get you started! Some of the ideas are low-cost, and others are more expensive, so you should be able to find an idea that will work for any budget.
Whatever gift you decide on, make sure it’s given with genuine care and enthusiasm. No amount of money can make up for thoughtless or impersonal gifts.
Team building events in Atlanta are all about coming together to build stronger communication skills with your team. Whether you want to book an outing for a holiday or team building event, choose an escape room experience at one of Paranoia Quest’s Georgia venues.
We have challenging and thrilling escape rooms in Atlanta featuring murder mysteries and even Harry Potter themes. If your team isn’t in Atlanta, we also have exciting escape rooms in Buford that will give your team a good mental workout.
Paranoia Quest is an immersive, game-style adventure game where you and your team of adventurers must solve puzzles in order to escape from a locked room. You will be immersed in a dark, scary, and unknown world where you must figure out the mystery of who created the series of strange events that led to your captivity before you can finally set yourself free.
Book your escape room in Atlanta today to see just how fun these activities can be!
