17 thoughtful corporate gifts your employees will actually like

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A company is nothing without its employees. Whether you manage a lean team of five out of a coworking space or oversee thousands across offices nationwide, you know that your employees are invaluable to the success of your business — and you want to thank them beyond simply paying a salary.

Skip the tired and cheap corporate gifts and surprise your employees this year with these elevated, thoughtful, and useful options instead. Some come from our favorite startups, while others are just a click away on Amazon. Go the extra mile by customizing them with company colors, a logo, or a personal touch that truly shows your appreciation.

These 17 corporate gifts are sure to wow your employees.

1. Gourmet gummies from Sugarfina

Give your employees a sweet treat they'll remember with a Sugarfina Candy Cube or Bento Box. Packaged thoughtfully in clear acrylic boxes, these candies were made for gifting. You can choose from over 100 fun and unique candies and customize the box with a special message or company logo.

2. Nylon tote bags from BAGGU

These waterproof nylon totes hold 50 pounds of stuff, fold down to a fraction of their size to fit in your back pocket, and can be customized to let your employees flaunt where they work. As eco-friendly practices become more than a passing trend, you'll only see more of BAGGU's stylish yet functional bags out on the streets.

3. Chocolate covered strawberries from Shari's Berries

Peak indulgence is a box of strawberries dipped in rich milk, white, or dark chocolate, and maybe even sprinkled with nuts or chocolate chips. Shari's Berries are our favorite chocolate covered strawberries and they might just become your employees' favorite too after they try them.

4. Succulents from Lula's Garden

A dash of greenery on their desk or in their room will make them happy — make it low-maintenance and nearly impossible to kill, and they'll be even happier. Choose from single succulents or mini gardens, then customize the rest of the box to create the perfect plant gift.

5. Wine from Vinebox

Instead of gifting them a bottle of wine you're not sure they'll like, let them personalize the selection themselves. Vinebox takes the intimidation and pressure out by delivering wine flights in unique bottles and helping budding wine enthusiasts discover their favorites.

6. Hatch Idea notebooks

A well-executed idea doesn't happen overnight. Help your employees hatch the next big idea with this cloth-bound notebook that's organized into three sections: Conceive, Incubate, and Hatch.

7. Steaks from Omaha Steaks

Omaha Steaks has a long history of delivering some of the best steaks in the country. It offers many different gift combos that feature a mix of steaks, burgers, other meats, and desserts. You can also order custom certificates so your employees can pick and choose their own menu.

8. Mini hand sanitizers from Olika

These adorable mini hand sanitizers, which have a twist-lock mechanism and contain more than 500 sprays each, are a desk drawer must-have. They combine non-irritating cleansers with natural essential oils like bergamot and spearmint to deliver a soothing, hydrating experience.

9. Patterned socks from Happy Socks

Regardless of your office dress code, fun socks will always be appreciated. You'll have difficulty narrowing down the final choice from Happy Socks' large selection of colorful, quirky patterns and prints. Custom designs with the company colors or logo are also available for orders of 6,000 pairs or more.

10. Tumblers from YETI

Whether you're sipping on a hot or cold drink, YETI's stainless steel, double-wall insulated tumblers never fail to keep your beverage at the optimal temperature. Employees can keep them on their desk or bring them along to the trails on their days off.

11. Leather accessories from Leatherology

Send employees home with a beautiful, full-grain leather accessory like a luggage tag, business card case, or keychain. For an extra special touch, add a debossed monogram or logo. Though leather goods sound like a premium gift that could be out of your budget, Leatherology sells its bags and accessories without the markup, so customers don't have to spend so much for a touch of luxury.

12. Wine bottle stoppers from Williams-Sonoma

Simple, sleek, and practical, a wine bottle stopper makes a handy kitchen tool. These affordable ones from Williams-Sonoma are made from silicone and create an airtight seal to keep wine at its best. To inquire about discounts on business gift orders totaling more than $1000, email businessgifts@wsgc.com or call 800-838-2589.

13. Movie gift cards from Fandango

Everyone loves going to the movies, which is why a Fandango gift card is a no-brainer. You can get bulk discounts for orders over 100 cards so your employees can enjoy the latest summer action movie, surprise indie hit, or highly anticipated animated sequel whenever they want.

14. Sunglasses from Sunglass Hut

Sunglasses are a common gift or employee freebie, but they're rarely worn because they're plain or cheap. Sunglass Hut offers top brands and stylish options that everyone will actually want to wear. A perk of ordering through Sunglass Hut is that anyone can go to a store to receive a free personalized adjustment if the glasses don't fit well.

15. Flowers from BloomThat

Valentine's Day and Mother's Day aren't the only occasions where a bouquet of flowers is appropriate. Welcome new employees and remind current ones they're appreciated with BloomThat's farm-fresh flowers, which are always arranged and designed beautifully.

16. Phone grips from Popsockets

Popsockets grips are the small, simple, and affordable phone accessories that your employees will wish you had gifted them earlier. These round buttons stick to the back of their phone and expand whenever they need a grip or a stand. They can take photos, text, and hold their phone without worrying about dropping it, or prop it up to stream content and video chat.

17. Mashable magnet toys from Speks

Gift the Speks Original (2.5mm) Mashable Magnet Toy, $23.95

Our team loved these tiny magnet toys a lot more than we expected to. Less obnoxious than fidget spinners, they're immensely satisfying to play with and build with as you work through a problem or concentrate on a task. The set includes 512 rare earth magnetic balls, metal building base, plastic splitter card, 16-page starter guide, and carrying case.

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