The ultimate work anniversary gift guide: 15 ideas for long-term employees
By Laura Ojeda Melchor●11 min. read●May 14, 2025
A thoughtful work anniversary gift can make the employees in your organization feel appreciated, valued, and seen.
But effective gifts take effort. It’s not as easy as giving a basket of company-branded merch to mark the big day. We’ve found that kind of gift can actually make employees feel undervalued because almost no one likes swag. Utilitarian gifts like umbrellas, and low-value, nonpersonalized gifts also tend to miss the mark.
“I got a $5 grocery card,” said one disappointed employee about their work anniversary gift. “Excuse me? What am I supposed to buy with $5?”
Point taken, and that’s where this guide comes in. Get inspired with 15 of the best employee anniversary gift ideas — backed by original research. You can skip the brainstorming and get to the good stuff: giving employees meaningful gifts that they’ll truly appreciate.
Table of contents
1-year work anniversary gift ideas
The first work anniversary is a big milestone for a new employee. These gift ideas aren’t exclusive to the first year, but they’re a great fit to recognize the occasion. Choose two or three options to give together so your employees feel celebrated and meaningfully appreciated.
1. Thoughtful note from manager, preferably handwritten
A handwritten note from the employee’s manager shows that their leader recognizes the employee’s individual contributions and took the time to reflect on their hard work over the first year.
There's a level of personalization here that's key in corporate settings — and it brings real results. One Harvard Business Review study found that letters of appreciation can have a measurable positive impact on an employee’s sense of well-being, belonging, and intrinsic motivation.
Make the note even more special by including real, personal examples of how the employee has made a difference in the workplace. Getting coworkers or executives to sign the note as well can also add to the sense of recognition.
2. Quality gift card
Small gift cards are great for in-between years, like the second, third, and fourth anniversaries. But for milestone anniversaries like the first year, go with a higher-value gift card — something in the neighborhood of $100.
Gift cards offer your employees choice and flexibility. They also have monetary value, which employees appreciate more than physical items or company-branded swag.
Remember that even with a gift card, you should try to make it feel personalized. The last thing you want to do is give a Target gift card to someone who lives 20 miles from the nearest Target.
Tremendous makes this process easy. With this free-to-use platform, you can give employees access to a catalog of 2,000+ excellent gift card options — including Amazon, Starbucks, and Walmart — plus prepaid Visa gift cards that can be used for almost anything.
Even better, you can send large numbers of gift cards instantly. No ordering ahead required, which makes it easier than ever to give this type of employee appreciation.
3. Monetary bonus
Money is king when it comes to employee gifts. Our survey found that 65% of employees prefer money as a gift over other options.
Even Reddit responses reflect employees’ preference for money or gift cards. In a recent Reddit thread asking, “What's the best employee recognition gift you ever received?” commenters overwhelmingly name money or gift cards as the best options (along with paid time off).
A monetary bonus lets employees choose how to treat themselves and get something they actually want. This makes it a highly flexible and appreciated work anniversary gift.
To structure monetary bonuses for anniversary gifts, you can use a tiered system based on years of service. For example, $100 for each year they’ve been with your company, starting with year one. Alternatively, you can offer bigger bonuses for milestone anniversaries (one year, five years, 10 years) and lower amounts in between.
4. Extra paid time off (PTO)
PTO is arguably just as popular as cold, hard cash and gift cards. Who doesn’t want to spend an extra day doing whatever they want and getting paid for it?
Plus, PTO as a self-care-focused gift shows that you value work-life balance. Managers can show their teams that they want employees to take time to relax, recharge, and pursue their personal interests.
For a personalized touch, you can tie extra PTO to an employee’s tenure with the company. For example, you could offer a full day of extra PTO for every year they’ve been with the company.
Finally, for the best results, encourage employees to actually use this time off. Don’t make the accrue the extra time over the course of the following year, make it immediately available for use.
5. Personalized gift basket
It’s easier to create a highly personalized gift basket for employees on their first anniversary than you might think. You don’t have to be sneaky about it, either. Just send out an optional survey to find out what they like. Onboarding is a great time for this.
For an employee’s first anniversary gift, simply check their survey and use it to create a thoughtful gift set full of items they love. Keep in mind that this is not the time to give a gift box full of swag. Remember that almost everyone hates swag as an employee recognition gift.
If you don’t already have an employee survey, use the template below to get started.
Title: Employee Gift Preferences Survey
Description: Help us make your future gifts more thoughtful. This quick survey is completely optional, but it helps us get to know your preferences.
Questions:
1. What are a few of your favorite snacks or treats? (e.g., chocolate, trail mix, popcorn, gummy candy, etc.)
2. Any dietary preferences or restrictions we should know about?
☐ Vegetarian
☐ Vegan
☐ Gluten-free
☐ Allergic to __________________________
☐ Other: __________________________
☐ None
3. Do you prefer coffee, tea, or some other beverage?
☐ Coffee
☐ Tea
☐ Both
☐ Other: __________________________
4. Which types of gift cards would you most enjoy receiving? (Choose all that apply)
☐ Amazon
☐ Target
☐ Starbucks
☐ DoorDash/Uber Eats
☐ Local businesses, such as __________________________
☐ Bookstores
☐ Other: __________________________
5. What are a few of your hobbies or interests? (e.g., reading, gardening, gaming, hiking, crafts, cooking, etc.)
6. Anything else we should keep in mind when choosing gifts for you?
5-year work anniversary gift ideas
The 5-year anniversary is a big one, and it should come with employee anniversary gifts that reflect the scope of the employee’s contribution.
Choose a mix of two or three of these gifts to make the day feel meaningful and make the employee feel valued.
You can also combine these gifts with options from the 1-year work anniversary section, but make them bigger, like giving a $500 gift card instead of $100.
6. Professional development opportunities
Invest in your employees' growth with reimbursement or gift certificates for courses, conferences, or workshops related to their field.
This employee anniversary gift idea shows a commitment to their long-term success within the company.
According to a LinkedIn Learning report, 84% of employees agree that learning adds purpose to their work. Providing more opportunities for professional learning and development naturally contributes to employee wellbeing and long-term retention.
Work anniversaries are the perfect time to show that you want your employees to stay for years to come.
7. Experience-based gifts
Offer tickets to a local event, a spa day, or a unique experience in your area. These memorable gifts create positive associations with both the work anniversary and the company. Other options include cooking classes, outdoor adventures, or cultural events.
Keep in mind that it’s tough to pick the right experience for every individual employee. You can send out a survey asking about each employee’s interests — or, even better, rely on managers who know these people well. Use managers’ knowledge of the employee’s likes and dislikes to offer an experience they’ll genuinely love.
Make sure it’s easy to access the experience as well. If you were to offer tickets to a concert in a city 45 minutes away, you’d need to give the employee a hotel room voucher, a gas card, and money for food and drinks as well.
If that would be too much, then you’ll want to keep experiences closer to home. And ideally, experiences shouldn’t be restricted to a single day. Choose something the employee can access on their own schedule, or at least an event with multiple date options.
8. Company-wide recognition
Company-wide recognition can be big or small, depending on your resources and the employee’s preferences. You can opt for a small gesture, like a public shoutout on the employee's anniversary, or a full list of their contributions in a company-wide email or newsletter.
For something bigger and more elaborate, throw the employee a lunch party. Bring in catering for the whole department (from the employee’s favorite restaurant, of course), their favorite flowers, and cards from colleagues and management.
If you’re also giving them a gift with a higher monetary value, like a cash bonus, gift cards, or an experience-based gift, then you can award it to them at the main event.
9. Lunch with leadership
A casual, small-group lunch or coffee with an executive or founder gives employees direct access to your org's leadership. It also gives them a chance to hear “thank you” personally.
Encourage the C-suite representative to ask questions about the employee's time with the company, listen to their feedback, and understand how they’ve impacted the business — all without adding stress or pressure to the interaction.
Bonus points for treating the employee at their favorite nearby lunch spot or surprising them with a reservation at a fancier location.
Extra bonus points if the employee can bring a close colleague or guest of their choice. Bringing a peer can make this corporate anniversary gift less intimidating.
10. Upgraded office equipment
Make your employees’ future work days even better with a new piece of office equipment for their space. We’re not talking about mousepads or mugs here.
Think of an electric standing desk that adjusts to different heights, an ergonomic chair, or noise-cancelling headphones.
A practical, but high-value, gift like this shows you care about their comfort and satisfaction.
If you go with office equipment, let employees choose what they want for this corporate anniversary gift. After all, they know more than anyone what type of equipment will improve their work environment and contribute to productivity.
10-year work anniversary gift ideas
A 10-year anniversary is a huge milestone for an employee’s loyalty and it deserves a great gift — or two, or three.
Choose at least one gift from this list and one or two gifts from the previous sections to make the big-10 anniversary extra memorable.
11. $1,000+ gift card or bonus
A $1,000 gift card or discretionary bonus is a powerful way to let employees know their decade of dedication matters.
If you can afford it, go even bigger. These days, 10 years with a company is a pretty big deal considering 50% of employees are actively looking for another job (according to Gallup).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Employee Tenure Summary, “The median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 3.9 years in January 2024, down from 4.1 years in January 2022 and the lowest since January 2002.”
Celebrating 10 years of loyalty with big rewards is more than worth it. That time could represent two or three people your company didn’t have to hire, onboard, and train — all because one committed employee stayed on.
Combine the monetary reward for this anniversary gift with a personalized basket of goodies and a handwritten note from the employee’s manager for an even more meaningful gesture.
12. Charity donation in their name
Let the 10-year employee choose a nonprofit or cause they care about, then make a donation on their behalf.
This reward is even better when combined with a monetary or gift card reward for the employee. For example, give $500 to the employee as a monetary bonus and offer $50 to the cause.
Tremendous makes this type of reward easy. With the free-to-use platform, you can send rewards in just a few clicks and employees can redeem them as charity donations. Tremendous supports donations to multiple vetted nonprofits.
For added recognition:
Spotlight the employee's chosen cause in a team newsletter, Slack post, or all-hands meeting.
Let them share why they picked that nonprofit.
This gives everyone in the organization a chance to learn about the causes your employee cares about — and shows that you care, too.
13. 10 days of extra PTO, or a mini sabbatical
After 10 full years of making a difference at your company, what’s more deserved than time to rest, reflect, and recharge?
This is where 10 extra days of PTO — or even a mini, two-week paid sabbatical — comes in. A long break is a powerful way to honor a decade of loyalty, and it lets the employee step away, breathe, and come back refreshed.
Here’s the key to success with this gift: don’t attach expectations to the time off. No pressure to learn, improve, or be productive in any way. This is a gift of unstructured time.
Some employees might use the time to travel. Others might spend it with family, take a solo retreat, or simply enjoy quiet mornings with no meetings on the calendar.
No matter how they spend it, what matters most is that the time is truly theirs — and that they don’t have to worry about their workload while they're away.
14. Feature video
Create a short tribute video (less than three minutes long) featuring teammates, managers, and even customers sharing what they appreciate about the employee. Ask contributors for stories, inside jokes, or one-liners.
End the video with a thank-you message from the CEO or department head. Play the video at a meeting or celebration for the employee, or share it on Slack.
This corporate anniversary gift is best combined with extra PTO and a lunch celebration.
15. Travel stipend
After 10 years with your company, your employee has more than earned a meaningful trip.
A travel stipend of $2,500 to $5,000 gives them the flexibility to plan an unforgettable experience. This type of gift works especially well for travel-focused companies where you know everyone on the team would appreciate such a gift.
Consider a few different options for gifting travel:
A prepaid travel card the employee can use on flights, hotels, or excursions.
A curated travel package from a partner agency with options to choose from.
A blank-slate stipend to book anything the employee wants, with no strings attached.
To add a personal touch, pair the reward with:
A custom travel-themed gift (a leather passport holder, travel journal, or noise-canceling headphones)
A printed “Bon Voyage” note signed by their tea
A reminder that they’re under no pressure to check emails or complete tasks while they’re away
The impact of anniversary gifts on your business
Celebrating employee anniversaries is part of a broader employee recognition program, and recognition has big implications for your company’s bottom line.
Effective recognition programs positively contribute to company culture. Culture affects several key areas including retention and engagement. A global SHRM survey found that only 15% of employees who rated their organization’s culture as good or excellent were looking to change jobs. That’s compared to 57% among employees who rated their company culture poor or terrible.
But for recognition to work, Gallup reports it has to be, “embedded in an organization’s culture and delivered according to an employee’s needs and preferences.” That includes employee gifts for work anniversaries.
That doesn’t mean you have to give lavish gifts for every single anniversary. For bigger or highly personalized gifts, focus on milestone years like an employee’s 1-year, 5-year, or 10-year anniversary.
For other years, small gestures will do just fine. You can acknowledge employees on each yearly anniversary with:
A handwritten note or personalized email from a manager
A company-wide Slack shoutout or newsletter mention
A small but meaningful reward, like a $10 gift card to their favorite restaurant
Even doing all three won’t take much time, effort, or money, but the ROI can be big: improved morale, stronger retention, and higher productivity.
Just make sure you lay out the employee career anniversary program clearly so that your team knows what to expect.
Bonus: Employee work anniversary template
Copy and paste this template and then customize it to fit your company’s needs.
At [Workplace], we believe in recognizing the time, energy, and loyalty our team members bring to our organization. Here’s how we celebrate each work anniversary for the people in our company:
| Anniversary year | Gift card value | PTO reward | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st anniversary | $100 gift card of your choice | 1 full day of extra PTO | [Rules or redemption details] |
| 2nd-4th anniversaries | $50 gift card for each year of service | 1 hour of extra PTO per year of service | [Rules or redemption details] |
| 5th anniversary | $500 gift card of your choice | 5 full days of extra PTO | [Rules or redemption details] |
| 6th-9th anniversaries | $100 gift card per year of service | 2 hours of extra PTO per year of service | [Rules or redemption details] |
| 10th anniversary | $1,000 gift card or cash reward of your choice | 10 full days of extra PTO | [Rules or redemption details] |
Examples of common rules that apply to gift cards and PTO rewards:
Gift cards are redeemed through [insert platform name, e.g., Tremendous].
Extra PTO must be used within [insert policy window, e.g., 12 months].
All rewards are standardized and apply equally across departments and roles.
This policy is reviewed annually and may be updated to reflect employee feedback and company needs.
Send the perfect employee anniversary gift
Now that you have this list of employee anniversary ideas, it’s time to create your anniversary recognition program.
Yes, you’ll spend some time, effort, and (usually) cash on these gifts, but the benefits are notable. Effective employee recognition can significantly boost job satisfaction, retention, and morale.
Want to give the perfect work anniversary gift every time? Chat with our team to find out more, or sign up today and send your first incentive in minutes.
FAQs
Updated May 14, 2025
