Now that the festive season is in full swing, you might be thinking about what you could give your employees to demonstrate your appreciation for them. Look no further – we have gathered 11 of the best wellness gifts for employees to show your workers how much you value their well-being.
After all, not only is supporting the well-being of your employees important on a purely human level, it also happens to be what’s best for business. Research has consistently found that poor physical health leads to missed work days and reduced productivity, and mental health issues have the same effect, as well as causing high staff turnover. All of this adds up to lost revenue.
Hopefully, you need no more convincing that well-being and self-care gifts for employees are the way to go. Read on to discover some of the best.
What is a Good Gift to Get an Employee?
Here’s your opportunity to boost morale, productivity, and well-being. The gifts below are meaningful options that span different budgets, from small well-being gifts for staff to mental health gifts for employees. Remember that not only are you extending a kind gesture,but you are also acknowledging the key fact that:
Good health and wellbeing can be a core enabler of employee engagement and organisational performance – CIPD
11 Best Wellness Gifts For Employees
1. Wellness App Subscription
A nice alternative for wellness gift cards for employees, a subscription to a popular well-being app is a great way to help your team incorporate mindfulness into their daily lives. Meditation apps are becoming increasingly popular, with more hitting the market all the time.
We’ve gone with the tried and tested Headspace for our recommendation. It is super intuitive to use, with hundreds of options so that your employees are bound to find guided meditations that work for their particular needs.
2. Water Bottles
We all know hydration is key to our overall health and wellbeing. So, what better, simpler way to encourage wellness within your workforce than by gifting them good quality bottles from which to sip all day at work?
The festive period often brings with it staff parties that include wellness prizes for employees. These bottles are an example of great wellness giveaway ideas – pragmatic, chic, options for all budgets, and genuinely useful.
3. Mindfulness Journals
Looking particularly for mental health awareness gifts for employees? Consider gifting them a mindfulness journal, to encourage all-important reflection as a priority, even amidst busy work schedules. Even a small amount of mindfulness activity has been shown to have great benefits on an individual’s overall wellbeing. The same can be said of their experience and performance at work.
This mindfulness journal from Intelligent Change combines a sleek and professional look with a mindfulness strategy that really respects the user’s time. Just five committed and focused minutes can make all the difference, and this is a great place for beginners to start their journey.
4. Ergonomic Pillow
There are plenty of wellness gifts for employees Amazon can provide in minutes. For instance, there are hundreds of these ergonomic desk chair enhancers available on the site, with every budget catered for. This is a practical option that could benefit many of your team members.
You can go with our recommendation or browse for more options, that can be used in both the office and working from home.
5. Desk Diffuser
Self-care gifts for employees can also improve their work-from-home setup, something that has become increasingly prevalent in today’s remote society. Aromatherapy diffusers create a calming ambiance that can help your team to work with a calmer mindset, and/or to unwind after a long day.
This one from the brand LONKIN has the added benefit of atmospheric lighting and an auto shut-off function to ensure your employees don’t waste any of that valuable essential oil.
6. Healthy Snack Box
Proper nutrition and a healthy diet are fundamental to wellbeing, Not only that, it can improve your workplace. As Eden Health describes, “A healthy diet can result in fewer sick days, more energy, better mental clarity, and greater productivity”. So, what better gift than a hamper of healthy snacks?
You could opt to put the hampers together yourself, or try one that’s pre-made like the selection from Custom Treats Snack Box on Etsy. It includes a selection of well-loved brands and healthier alternatives to typical snacking behaviors – not that there’s anything wrong with those either!
7. Aromatherapy Candles
Maybe you’re looking in particular for cheap wellness gifts for employees – we get it, budgets are sometimes tight. Not to worry, as something like relaxing candles can be a great option that encourages your staff to take some calming time to themselves at home.
As far as self-care gift ideas for employees go, it might not be the most conventional, but that makes it all the more special. To save those pennies, consider getting a multipack like this one from Amazon, that you can distribute among the team.
8. Smart Fitness Band
The perfect example of health and wellness gifts for him and her, smart fitness bands are becoming more and more popular, and for good reason. Empower your staff to take control of their own well-being through these nifty tools – this gift has the potential to make a real difference to your team’s approach to wellness.
There are many such devices on the market these days, with different price options available. Maybe you have a small team, or money to spend, in which case we recommend the tried and tested Fitbit brand for a great all-rounder.
9. Mindful Fitness Subscription
Moving our bodies is crucial to our wellness. Your employees don’t have to be top athletes to be happy and productive at work, but empowering them to incorporate even a bit of movement into their lives is a great gift towards their overall well-being.
Alo Moves is a company that provides fitness, meditation, nutrition, and self-care classes online so that your team can benefit wherever they are. This is an approachable way to pick up healthy habits like yoga and pilates classes, with some top instructors from around the globe.
10. Health and Wellness Gift Basket
A wellness gift box for employees can be a super meaningful and useful gift. You might go the extra mile and DIY it, showing how much you value your team by putting in a bit of extra time for their present. We understand that time can be scarce though, so check out this one from Etsy for a readymade gift. OK, it might not be the most healthy option, but being cozy and treating yourself is just as important for self-care, right?
Use this list as a starting point for health and wellness gift basket ideas, if you do opt to make it yourself. A few thoughtful touches go a long way.
11. Light Therapy Lamp
It’s not unlikely that a proportion of your team is affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This is quite a common condition, wherein individuals exhibit signs of depression at the change of the seasons. Even if you don’t have SAD, living in countries where winter brings very short days and a lot of darkness can have a negative impact on mood.
That’s where light therapy comes in. Emulating sunlight at times of the day you can customize, lamps like this one from ULIGHTOWN on Amazon, which can help smooth out the changes between seasons. Great for the office desk or the work-from-home setup.
Sharing the Gift of Wellbeing
We hope you found the inspiration you were looking for when it comes to giving the gift of wellness to your employees. Keep in mind that investing in employee well-being is extremely important, and personal, meaningful gifts are possible even when under budgetary or time restraints.
Looking for more in this vein? Check out our recent piece on 14 Christmas Self-Care Gift Ideas for Every Special Person in Your Life.
Wellness Gifts for Employees FAQs
What is a Wellbeing Gift?
Quite simply, a well-being gift is present with the goal of enhancing the recipient’s mental, emotional, or physical wellness. This can manifest in many different products and services, from luxury wellness gifts to inexpensive wellness gifts, but in any case, that self-care intention is what makes it special.
What is in a Wellness Package?
Wellness packages can take all kinds of shapes and include different things depending on the context. Often there will be a mix of self-care items and stress-relief tools, from spa pampering materials to healthy food.
What Should I Put in a Wellness Gift Basket?
Consider pampering items such as candles and bath salts that can help to reduce stress and promote calm, along with healthy snacks and herbal teas to provide well-being from the inside out.
What are the 5 Things for Wellbeing?
There are 5 regularly cited pillars of well-being:
- Physical health
- Emotional health
- Social connection
- Intellectual stimulation
- Relaxation
Wellness gifts for employees can come under any of these categories and provide great support for your team.
What to Gift Someone for Good Health?
Many of the items listed above will work towards greater health in your employees. Some examples are fitness trackers, health food subscriptions, and aromatherapy products. All these and more go some way to improving both mental and physical health.
References
- The Happiness Index. “The Importance of Workplace Wellbeing.” The Happiness Index, https://thehappinessindex.com/blog/importance-of-workplace-wellbeing/. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.
- Oxera. “The Economic Cost of Ill Health among the Working-Age Population.” Oxera, 17 Jan. 2023, https://www.oxera.com/insights/reports/the-economic-cost-of-ill-health-among-the-working-age-population/. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.
- CIPD. “Wellbeing at Work Factsheet.” CIPD, 2024, https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/factsheets/well-being-factsheet/. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.
- Johnson, Sarah. “The Best Meditation Apps, Tried and Tested in 2024.” Verywell Mind, 2024, https://www.verywellmind.com/best-meditation-apps-4767322. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
- Champion Health. “10 Mindblowing Benefits of Mindfulness at Work.” Champion Health, 2024, https://championhealth.co.uk/insights/benefits-mindfulness-at-work/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
- Eden Health Team. “Employee Nutrition in the Workplace.” Eden Health, 22 Mar. 2021, https://www.edenhealth.com/blog/employee-nutrition-in-the-workplace/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
- Mayo Clinic Staff. “Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Symptoms & Causes.” Mayo Clinic, 25 Feb. 2023, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
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