Remote workers are every bit as valuable as those in the office—sometimes even more so, especially for online businesses or brands with global retail footprints. Since COVID-19, many companies have embraced flexible schedules or built fully remote teams to keep things running smoothly, no matter where their people are based.

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Managing remote workers

Just like in-office staff, remote workers thrive when they feel seen, supported, and appreciated. Whether they’re working from home, a café, or halfway across the globe, recognition still matters—and can go a long way in boosting morale and engagement.

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Occasions like EOFY are a great opportunity to show your appreciation in fun and meaningful ways. Not sure where to start? We’ve pulled together 18 creative ideas to help you reward your remote workers and keep them feeling connected, motivated, and valued—no matter where they are.

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Gift ideas for remote workers​

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1. Double down on flexibility for your remote team

If you want to reward your remote workers, why not double down on one of the perks of their unique positions: schedule flexibility?In short, you can offer remote workers working hours flexibility and reward them for their time and attention. Many remote employees opt into these positions specifically so they can parent their kids, work a second job, or work for their favourite company despite being in a different time zone.

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Scheduled flexibility is certainly something you can provide as a business owner or scheduling manager. For example, limit the restrictions on how many hours a worker has to be "in-office" each week or allow remote workers the option to hop on when it works for their time zone (that can be especially helpful if the time zone differences are significant).

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You can also implement a “work from anywhere” policy (like we have at Prezzee). For example, if an employee wants to travel to another country, encourage them to do so! Team members can work for a certain amount of time from different time zones and really enjoy the possibilities of remote work. Doubling down on flexibility is one of the best gifts for remote workers as it allows them to plan their work to fit their family and lifestyle.  

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2. Try remote team building activities

But you can also reward remote workers by holding team-building games and events. Here are just a few ideas:

• Hold a weekly game night over Zoom. That’ll bring everyone together and could help your remote employees feel more connected to the other office workers, especially if they don’t see them all that often. Games like Pictionary or a Trivia Night work remotely, but you can also send out a gaming-focused digital gift card and meet up with your virtual team and conquer your favourite games together.
• Schedule a monthly get-together. This idea only works if your remote workers are still relatively close to your other employees, but it still brings the team together. For remote teams, send out a food delivery eGift card and then dine together over a video call. This gives your coworkers a chance to connect and socialise.

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These remote team building activities are a way to strengthen the bond between remote workers and office workers . A focus on employee morale lets everyone know the leadership team cares about their well-being as individuals, not employees.  

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3. Send gift cards to remote workers

Gift cards are popular corporate gifts for remote workers for several reasons. They’re easy to buy, easy to send, and fairly surefire gifts that won’t be rejected. After all, who can say no to a gift card for one of their favourite brands?

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But plastic gift cards have a few problems, too. For one, they contribute to environmental pollution. Even 50 gift cards can make a major impact in terms of whether your business is really eco-friendly (a key concern if your enterprise wants to minimise its carbon footprint). For another, physical gift cards need to be carefully sent to each recipient, which can be tricky if you have remote workers scattered around the country or the globe.

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eGift cards are much easier and more convenient, and they don’t come with the same environmental impact downside. With gift cards from Prezzee business you can:

• Send a digital gift to remote workers, anytime, and any place in a matter of minutes.
• Send gifts to your remote employees without contributing to environmental pollution.
• Customise the gift cards with branded imagery, like your logo, to help complete the corporate gift.
• Personalise each gift card with a prerecorded video or text message. That way, each employee feels like you sent them a specific, personalised gift, not just the same gift everyone else received.

Even better, Prezzee’s Smart eGift cards can easily be swapped for the remote worker’s favourite brand or brands, so they can go shopping to their heart’s content.eGift cards are a phenomenal way to show your workers that you care no matter where they happen to get the job done.  

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4. Send remote workers company swag as an initiation gift

Remote workers should feel excited to join your company when they're first starting out. Unfortunately, much of the first-day energy can be lost in translation if they clock in from a remote desk and don't get to meet everyone in the office or take an official tour of the corporate building.

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But you can reward those remote workers directly by sending them some company swag as an onboarding gift. Truly, they already deserve a reward for making it through the interview and hiring process! Successful onboardings result in successful employees; a solid onboarding program lays the groundwork for employee retention.

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Company swag works as an initiation gift because it brings your remote workers into the fold and may help make them feel like they're part of the team "for real." Company t-shirts will make them feel like part of the team, especially if everyone on group calls is matching! Other much-loved items that are evergreen trendy include branded dad hats, sweatshirts, sweatpants, or the classic insulated drink tumbler.  

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5. Write endorsements or recommendations

Lastly, you can and should reward remote employees who are planning to leave your company for one reason or another. If they’ve done a fantastic job at your brand for months or years, there’s no reason not to help them get their foot in the door at the next job.

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To that end, consider rewarding those employees with endorsements or recommendations. Write a recommendation letter for young remote employees who are looking to get into graduate school. Or write a job recommendation letter or LinkedIn recommendation for any other remote worker looking to break into a competitive industry or work for a company known to have a very competitive hiring process

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6. Shout out remote workers on social media and video conferences

Productive remote workers deserve to be rewarded for their extra efforts. That’s why you should shout out those employees on social media and any collaborative video conferences.In-office employees get tons of attention and recognition every day. Your remote employees can fly under the radar. Make sure this doesn’t happen by specifically shouting them out on your Facebook business page or LinkedIn. Ask before doing this — some employees adore public recognition, while others might shy away from it, preferring to fly under the radar.  

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7. Acknowledge remote workers’ birthdays and anniversaries

Reward your remote workers by acknowledging their important dates, like birthdays and anniversaries. Something as simple as a personal email written from you to them and a gift card can work as a great gift for remote workers​ to celebrate their milestones. With Prezzee business you can plan your gifts in advance by scheduling them for any date, like a birthday or milestone. Sit back and relax knowing it’s all taken care of.

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Alternatively, you can announce each employee’s birthday or milestone work anniversary as it comes up on a company message board or website. Again, this could be an excellent way to shout out remote workers and ensure they feel connected.  

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8. Let remote workers take a half day (When appropriate)

Remote workers are already not beholden to some of the same limitations as in-person employees. So don’t hesitate to reward high-performing employees by letting them take a half-day here and there or when it’s appropriate.

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Say that one of your remote workers did a stellar job wrapping up a project ahead of schedule, and they don't have anything else on the docket. Reward them by letting them log off early or take a half-day (provided they don't have anything else that demands their attention).

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9. Give out some extra days off

Many employees love extra time off, as it enables them to pursue their hobbies or spend more time with friends and family members outside of work. A healthy work-life balance is vital for us all.

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If you’re looking to boost engagement and excitement, offering extra holiday days as prizes could do the trick! For example, reward the winner of the monthly Employee of the Month or a team-wide remote Kahoot quiz. A bonus day off could be just the incentive needed to get everyone involved.  

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10. Invest in professional development

Don't forget to invest in remote worker development regularly. Consider meeting up with rockstar employees who are looking for promotions. Or provide time and resources for remote workers to attend development seminars and conferences, even if they have to travel to do so.

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11. Prioritise peer-to-peer recognition

Peer-to-peer recognition essentially involves giving your workers a chance to recognise and congratulate each other while building each other up for long-term collaboration and team spirit. That's pretty easy to facilitate as a business owner or manager if you use peer-to-peer recognition software or platforms.

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Such software solutions let your employees:

• Send kudos or congratulations to each other when they do good work.
• Send each other special digital gifts.
• Recommend each other for projects, which is an especially helpful feature if you have a large organization with many different departments in many different areas.

Peer-to-peer recognition is a reward for your remote employees, make no mistake. It can make them feel like they are a part of the office like never before, plus it may help to ensure that your entire global team members feel like part of a unified team.

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12. Gift gym membership subscriptions

Gym subscriptions can be handy gifts for remote workers and in-office employees alike. When you gift gym subscriptions to remote workers, double-check that they have a gym for that brand in their local area.

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A gym subscription could be the perfect jumpstart to an office-wide wellness program or initiative. Consider pairing this with company swag like labeled towels or water bottles.

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Or, simply cross off that research from your to-do list and send a Gift card to top fitness retailers so everyone can boost their home gym or buy high-quality workout apparel.

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13. Send Thank-You Notes

Nothing says personal attention and appreciation like receiving a note from your boss. You can show appreciation by sending out a personal Slack or Teams message (or making a post in a company-wide Slack channel).

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Such a gesture could be especially impactful and important if you manage or oversee hundreds of employees. The remote worker who receives a thank you note might be seriously touched by the extra time you took to reward them for their effort. If you’re sending a digital gift card with your praise, you can even use Prezzee to include a custom note or video.  

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14. Gift work from home equipment

Remote workers can only do the great jobs they manage every day with the right equipment, ranging from webcams to keyboards to office chairs. Therefore, bosses and managers can reward remote employees with work-from-home equipment to upgrade their home offices.

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Pay attention to whether your remote workers complain about webcam quality or office chair comfort the next time you all communicate over a video conferencing call. Consider rewarding those remote workers with upgrades or funds to spend at the nearest Office Depot (or sending a digital gift card to top home goods suppliers.  

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15. Pay for software subscriptions

Similarly, remote workers often need to subscribe to software programs to get the job done, like Microsoft Office or video conferencing software. Foot the bill for these to reward your remote employees and prevent them from having to pay extra costs that your in-house employees get to avoid by default. Video conferencing helps serve all work types — remote, hybrid, and in-person.  

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16. Send balloons or surprise presents

There’s nothing wrong with the old-fashioned staple of surprise balloons or presents delivered straight to each remote worker’s door. Just be sure to send these out en masse or as a group instead of singling out any individual, lest the gift gives the wrong impression.

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17. Forward customer praise for their work

From time to time, customers might send you direct praise for a single remote worker. This could be anyone from a customer service agent who helped them with a big problem or a remote salesperson who connected them to the ideal product for their needs.

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In these cases, why not let those remote employees know about the positive impact they had on that customer interaction? Not only may this boost their morale, but it will also be a lovely way to remind them that you see them as individuals, not moneymakers.

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18.Share the company profits

Has your company done phenomenally well over the last business quarter or year? Then it’s only fair you share that prosperity with the people who made it happen: your workers.

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Remote employees should also be included in any extra company profits you divvy out, such as stock options, holiday rewards/bonuses, and so on.

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Sharing company profits serves the dual purpose of rewarding remote employees and motivating them to do an even better job next year. After all, if they know that ensuring the company performs well leads to a better bottom line for their wallets, they’ll be highly motivated to make more sales or drive better customer interactions in the next business cycle and beyond.

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Gifts for remote workers matter

At the end of the day, thoughtful gestures—big or small—can make a huge difference to remote employees. A well-timed gift or token of appreciation helps reinforce that their hard work and commitment aren’t going unnoticed, even from afar.

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Whether it’s for a birthday, work anniversary, or just because they’ve been doing an amazing job, a gift card is a simple yet meaningful way to say thank you. With over 360 options to choose from, Prezzee’s digital gift cards make it easy to send something personal, instant, and rewarding—no matter where your team’s logging in from. Explore our business solutions here!

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FAQ about gifts for remote workers

How do you buy lunch for remote employees?

The easiest way to treat remote employees to lunch is with a digital gift card. Services like Prezzee let you send food delivery gift cards instantly, so your team can order from their favourite local spots—whether it’s through Uber Eats, DoorDash, or a nearby café that accepts gift cards.

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How do you engage remote employees?

Engaging remote employees starts with good communication and recognition. Regular check-ins, virtual team-building activities, and thoughtful rewards (like digital gift cards or personalised messages) help keep them connected and motivated. Giving them a say in team decisions and celebrating wins also builds stronger engagement over time.

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What are good gift ideas for remote workers?

Digital gift cards are a top choice—they’re flexible, instant, and can be tailored to each person’s interests. You could also consider experience-based gifts, like online classes, subscriptions, or food delivery services to brighten their work-from-home routine.

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How do you celebrate milestones for remote workers?

Celebrate birthdays, work anniversaries, or project wins with a virtual team shout-out, a digital card, and a thoughtful gift. Sending an eGift card through Prezzee makes it easy to mark the occasion—no shipping required.