15 Work from Home Gifts Your Remote Colleagues Will Love
Getting through 2020 has definitely earned you a spot on the nice list, and our team at Monster knows just what you should ask for.
Are you looking for a Secret Santa gift? Is your work bestie’s birthday approaching, or do you just want to show appreciation to that remote coworker that makes your life so much easier? In this article, we’ve gathered a few ideas for work from home gifts that will surprise and delight your coworkers.
How Much Should I Spend on a Gift for a Colleague?
Many people feel that deciding how much to spend on a gift for a coworker is just as tricky as finding the gift itself. The good news is that if the gifting occasion is an office initiative like the annual Secret Santa, a budget will probably be established for you.
For every other occasion, it’s always a good idea to verify the office guidelines, as there might be anti-bribery and corruption policies in place. Generally speaking, though, unless your coworker is also a close friend with whom you hang out with regularly outside work, or you’re planning a joint gift with others for someone who’s gone above and beyond, anywhere between $20 and $50 is usually a reasonable budget.
How to Choose Gifts for Remote Coworkers
Before diving into our list of gifts for people who work from home, it’s important to clarify how we decided what was going to make the cut. Our items not only had to stay within the aforementioned budget but also provide one or more of the following:
- make your coworker feel extra cozy while working from home
- help them improve their productivity
- increase their wellbeing
Without any further ado, here is our list of fantastic gift ideas:
1. Gift Certificate
Gift certificates are a quick and easy solution when you’re looking for last minute work from home gifts to show appreciation to or celebrate your coworkers or team members. Gift cards can be store-specific or not bound to any business so they can be spent as one wishes at a variety of places.
This makes them perfect both if you don’t know the recipient’s tastes very well or if you want to gift to multiple people at the same time. You can even simply send them directly to someone’s email address.
2. Spill-Proof Mug
Raise your hand if you’ve never spilled any water, tea, or coffee on your desk or directly on your laptop. We didn’t think so. Spill-proof mugs are another example of work from home gifts that are extremely useful for everyone. Based on what you know about your colleague, you could also get one in their favorite color, pattern, or even have it personalized with their name.
3. Mug Warmer
One of our favorites among gifts for people who work from home is a mug warmer. It’s a real game-changer during the cold season. We bet you’re even going to get one for yourself too. Your coworker will enjoy their beverage of choice at the perfect temperature all day long. No more annoying trips to the microwave or sipping on cold drinks.
4. Gourmet Coffee Roast or Tea Selection
If you know your coworker or employee’s preferences a little, you likely know what they prefer to sip during work. A gourmet coffee roast or a special tea selection are great gifts for working at home. Plus, they always come in elegant - often reusable - containers that look classy in your kitchen. Just because you can’t meet in the office kitchen for a hot drink break, doesn’t mean your coworker shouldn’t enjoy delicious drinks at home.
5. Mouse Pad with Wrist Support
This is another great option among the work from home gifts you could send to a coworker. Not only will it keep their hand in the perfect ergonomic position, but you’ll also find one in every color or pattern they might like. Does your colleague work with spreadsheets a lot? Go the extra mile and get them a mousepad with excel shortcuts.
6. Wireless Mouse and Keyboard
Let’s be real, nobody likes a desk with cables stretching everywhere. A wireless mouse and keyboard set is the perfect solution to this. Your colleague’s desk will instantly look tidier and allow them more freedom to move around. Plus, once again it can be tailored to their specific taste.
7. Wireless Headphones
Does your colleague or team member spend a lot of time on conference calls? Then, one of the best gifts for people who work from home you could get them is a wireless headphone set. With this gadget, they won’t be tied to a desk while taking calls that don’t need a laptop and will be able to move around. Research shows that walking while on a call helps increase focus, creativity and confidence levels. Plus, it helps to avoid sitting all day, which is bad for your health.
8. Noise Cancelling App
If your coworker’s house is also home to crying babes, animals or a spouse also working remotely, one of the work from home gifts they’ll surely welcome is a noise-canceling app plan. This AI-powered tool erases background noises so communication is smooth and uninterrupted. Plus, it can be used with any type of laptop and conferencing app.
9. Lap Desk
Lap desks are excellent gifts for people who work from home and often like to move around to find new streams of creativity, or simply want to work from the couch for a change. They can come with convenient features too like a built-in mouse pad or tablet holder.
10. Purifying Plant
Plants bring nature into our homes and add a splash of color in the often very monochromatic and serious space that is the home office. Therefore, they are always a success as work from home gifts. The benefits of having indoor houseplants include reduced stress and increased creativity.
On top of that, if you pick the right ones, they’ll also purify your air. Does your coworker have pets? Go for pet-friendly types like the bamboo palm, the spider plant, the prayer plant, or the Boston fern.
11. Light Therapy Lamp
During the winter months when it gets dark earlier, a light therapy lamp could be quite a useful gift for those that work remotely and don’t really leave the house when the sun is still out. It mimics outdoor light and helps reduce seasonal affective disorder while increasing energy and improving mental health overall.
12. Video Conference Lighting Kit
This is the perfect gift for the coworker that always mentions how bad their camera or lighting is on video calls. These kits come in many models with various characteristics so your coworker will always look his/her best.
13. Electric Foot Warmer
Looking for work from home gifts for that colleague who’s always cold? Get them an electric foot warmer. It heats up in no time and will make them feel extra cozy while working, especially in the winter months. Your coworker will never be chilly again and nobody, but you, will know their secret.
14. USB Mini Humidifier
Humidifiers are great gifts for working at home because they help to deal with dry indoor air in every season. They freshen up your air while also fighting static electricity, fatigue, dust levels, and seasonal respiratory issues. Add the benefit of aromatherapy by going for a version with an oil diffuser.
15. Food Puzzle for Their Pet
Toys for your colleagues’ best four-legged friends might not strictly be gifts for people who work from home, but we assure you they won’t be any less appreciated. Food puzzle, available for both cats and dogs, will keep their furry friends happy and occupied while your coworker is on that important call.
Find the Best Opportunities to Work from Home. Gifts Will Then Just Be a Bonus
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