As the old saying, there is a woman behind every successful man; a team of talented, dedicated, and hard-working employees is behind every successful business. Finding such employees was challenging, and it has increased in recent years. It is one reason that HRs and managers spend a lot of resources on retaining such employees. Hiring and training new employees is a very resource-intensive process. The cost to keep is much less to go through the hiring and training process. Previously, companies would reward employees with cash, and they would have stayed for a long. However, times have changed, and we now live in a world where they value appreciation, feeling special, and individuality. Employees care little for monetary appreciation because they know they can get more from other companies. There is no shortage of opportunities for hard or talented workers. What is the solution? Most agree that appreciation and recognition have value in workplaces. There are multiple ways a business can appreciate its team and not only monetary compensation. It is about acknowledging their worth as human beings and valuable colleagues. Custom gifts scores head and shoulders above others.

Here is the dilemma; most think they have to give high-priced gifts to make them happy. However, it is not the case. In the blog, we will help you rid the common misconceptions about appreciation and recognition and will provide tips for the best gifts on a budget. Let us start.

 

Employers and employees have different mindsets; while most employers understand the importance of appreciating their employees, they also hold a few misconceptions. Despite living in modern times with so much information, they forget that gratitude is not a transaction. But, a primary right of every employee. It is the path to business growth. It is not entirely their fault because some of these have passed from the previous generations. In prominent research, psychologists found that 51% of managers think they appreciate their employees. However, only 17% of those employees felt the same.

• Money is the primary motivator:When employers think of motivating their employees, money is the first to pop up in their minds. However, according to Pasch, 2019 data from various cross cultures, US, Australia, Britain, India, and Taiwan satisfaction was independent of their salaries. Another prominent research by Timothy Judge and his colleagues analyzed 120 years of research and concluded that monetary compensation does not correlate to higher job satisfaction. These studies give unique insights into how we perceive work satisfaction and the power of genuine appreciation. Custom gifts follow the same principles and help you leverage human psychology.  
• The goal should not be to make employees happy:Attempting to make employees happy is an endeavor to failure. Happiness stems from the positive routines and habits they build in the workplace. True power comes from the inside and a feeling of fulfillment. Instead of focusing on an elusive and changing end goal of happiness through various perks, employers should focus on recognition and appreciation at the workplace. Focus on making the environment an engaging and pleasant space where they feel safe. Cynicism gets embedded when the primary goal is to dangle a carrot or stick to increase productivity. When employees believe their superiors are only doing it to increase profits, it creates distrust and decay of faith. Custom gifts show that they have put in thought, time, and effort and not doing it only for productivity. Even if someone is giving a budget-friendly item, they must create designs, find a supplier, etc.  
• Perks do not have long-term effects: Big companies glorified the benefits of perks like happy hours, nap rooms, etc. However, they are not that beneficial in captivating and keeping employees for a long time. The adaptation-level phenomenon explains we tend to adapt to a new situation until it becomes the new normal. The benefits derived from it decrease fast. While these feel good at the start, they are untailored to individuals. Here, also custom gifts, no matter how inexpensive scores. Another benefit, you can give different ones each time; it will display that you are making a genuine effort.

 

Custom gifts communicate respect and value for employees. Beyond any other monetary or strategic benefit to the company, they make them feel valued, heard, comfortable and appreciated. It is about recognizing their individuality, i.e., unique abilities and personalities. That said, there are various reasons businesses have been acknowledging and prioritizing them over these last few years.

• Custom gifts improve engagement and morale:Many prominent workplace research displayed that customized gifts resulted in a more positive outlook toward the company. Businesses got 2.2 times more creativity and twice the extra effort. They felt more motivated and engaged because of felt valued.
• Increase employee retention:Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) concludes that most HRs found custom gifts positively affect employees and improve retention and recruitment.

 

Appreciating employees is one of the primary keys to growth. Small and medium-sized organizations often struggle with money to come up with gifts. We present a few gift ideas under $10. Mind that these may seem insignificant but gives tremendous results. One more vital point: these are for regular occasions and frequent use.

1. Custom scarves are often synonymous with winter fashion accessories or sports fans. However, they can be helpful to appreciate employees under $10. They can spice up their outfit, keep them warm, and benefit the organization. Corporate scarves build a sense of value and unity among the team members. They feel like working towards something bigger than themselves. It creates a sense of satisfaction which is better than incorporating happiness with monetary incentives.
2. Custom face masks impart a sense of protection. Over these last few years, our world has been in turmoil because of the pandemic. They became an integral part of lives during the period. Giving out personalized face masks reinforces the idea that your organization cares for them.
3. Custom socks were one of the most underappreciated practical presents for employees. However, things have changed as more organizations are using them. As humans, we are sensory creatures, and physical items help to leverage them. The variety is endless, like cotton, polyester, nylon, polycotton, etc. Use the one that suits your brand. With the increase in demand and technological advancement, it is possible to customize high-quality socks for under $10. If you do not believe it, check the page https://everlighten.com/collections/custom-socks.  
4. Custom hats:Everyone wants to belong to something and loves public appreciation. Personalized hats leverage the same idea; everybody at work and other places can see how the company recognizes its employees. Choose from dad hats, truckers, baseball caps, beanies, etc. You can not go wrong with it.
5. Custom keychains might be small, but, one of the most versatile products for employee appreciation. The best thing: you can create high-quality ones for $10 by connecting with someone like EverLighten. Since they would use it regularly and for a long time, it would increase the feeling of being valued.  
6. Custom phone cases:Everyone loves smartphones; it hurts when scratched or broken. Personalized phone cases help protect them and show your appreciation toward employees. They also promote your organization in public.  
7. Custom mouse pads are not only a tool for productivity. They are also an excellent way to appreciate employees. They are practical and affordable; for $10, you can get high-quality ones. Since receivers would use it for their work, they will appreciate it the whole time.
8. Custom pens:There are reasons they have stood the test of time. They are versatile and help to achieve various goals, including employee appreciation and productivity. A pen is one of the essential accessories in workplaces. Every time they use it, they will feel the message that you want to convey.
9. Custom notebooks are another essential item for workplaces; they are also one of the most budget-friendly employee appreciation items. Bulk ordering is even cheaper.  
10. Custom tote bags might not seem like an employee appreciation item, but they have grown in stature tremendously. They will help carry stuff back and forth to the office.

 

It is not the price but the gesture and emotion behind the gift that matters.

• Use high-quality:Since these products are not costly, do not present on big occasions, like birthdays, retirements, New Year, etc.
• Use often:Employers appreciate their employees once in a while and think they are okay for life. However, frequency of appreciation matters, and these are perfect for giving out a few times per year.  
• Use packaging to make these more personalized. Write handwritten thank-you notes to take the experience to the next level.
• Present in front of everyone:Employees feel valued when you thank them publicly.
• Have fun:Gift-giving is a time to break the monotony of routine, and there is no need to be serious when customizing or giving presents.

 

People love working in a place where they enjoy themselves and feel appreciated. Create a ripple effect of positive attitudes throughout the organization with customized gifts. Do not feel ashamed because you are not giving expensive stuff. However, quality matters, and you want the best quality available. Connecting with a reliable manufacturer helps. EverLighten has nineteen years of experience helping startups, corporations, nonprofits, sports teams, universities, celebrities, and individuals.

 

Jan Richardson, the VP of Operations at Global Results Communication Company, wanted an employee appreciation gift after winning the Marcom Platinum award for their PR 360 podcast. However, they could not find one because of the short deadline and quality issues. Fortunately, they connected with EverLighten, and our team helped them with the best quality custom phone cases. They were so pleased with our work that they ordered another gift. It was custom socks; everyone loved them.

Read the complete story https://everlighten.com/blogs/success-stories/jan-richardson.

 

• Best value: We manufacture custom items in our factory, which helps customers to get the best cost in the industry.
• Top quality: Customers get their products customized with the best materials, production, and packaging.
• Fast turnaround: our factory helps deliver every order in the least time.
• 24*7 support: You can contact the customer support team anytime.
• Customer-oriented: We love helping people and accept every order.
• Limitless customization: Customers can customize every aspect - materials, colors, styles, and artwork technique.
• No MOQ: We offer no minimum order limit on products.
• Comprehensive delivery: EverLighten delivers worldwide, and customers can track their orders with an online tool.

 

For more information, inquiry, and ordering, visit https://everlighten.com/collections/all.