With more and creative opportunities mushrooming across the globe, the notion of decades of loyalty is slowly withering away. Companies celebrating work anniversaries when an Employee completes 10 years now understand that every year is a big deal.
Although 5 years is the median tenure, this survey by BLS, US Dept. of Labor showed that more than 50% of employees change jobs before they reach the 5 year milestone. Given this data, companies must rethink the way they may have previously celebrated work anniversaries. While a 1, 2, or 3 year work Anniversary celebration may have seemed over the top decades ago, honoring employees when they hit these milestones is critical in showing appreciation for their loyalty. The pandemic and remote work further changed workspace dynamics, and further reinforced the importance of celebrating with employees who choose to stay with a business.
Are you looking for some innovative and traditional work anniversary ideas for employees? Here’s 26 of them segregated as per seniority.
Read our articles on virtual work anniversary celebration ideas and company anniversary ideas for inspiration on creating memorable and meaningful milestone celebrations in the workplace.
If you’re looking to Gift someone at the workplace for an occasion, don’t miss our all-inclusive, fun article that covers different types of work anniversary gift ideas for coworkers here.
1 Why are Work Anniversaries Important?
When you celebrate an employee’s work anniversary, you show appreciation to them for their loyalty as well as honor the achievements and contributions they’ve made during their tenure. It’s critical to focus on the impact they’ve made at the company rather than just a mere recognition of the time they’ve been there to make them feel valued. Multiple resources point out the clear connection between employee recognition and productivity.
You don’t have to go overboard while celebrating work anniversaries, unlike other celebrations like target achievements. A simple gesture goes a long way in making them feel appreciated for being with the company as a valued employee. Companies that foster such attitudes tend to have a significant advantage over others regarding employee retention. This study by O C Tanner Learning Group shows that 79% of employees quit their jobs because of a lack of appreciation.
While cash gifts and bonuses are straightforward and appreciated, here are some creative ideas to make the celebration more personable.. Instead, you can choose a gift that will resonate with your company culture as well as the employee’s persona. Here are 26 mindful and innovative gift ideas for employee anniversary that will resonate with every employee you give them.
2 Work Anniversary Ideas for Boss
2.1 Potluck from Team
Thinking of work anniversary ideas for your boss? How about a team potluck where everyone contributes their favorite dishes, turning the occasion into a memorable feast? Food is one of the best in-house gifts you can give to your boss on their work anniversary—especially the one which has everyone’s “signature” on it. Brainstorm and decide on a full course potluck meal menu that each one (or someone they know) is great at preparing. On the day of celebration, pack and bring in the dishes to give a grand feast to your boss. You can even bring in enough for everyone and have a mini lunch party right in your office cafeteria.
2.2 Gift a Care Package
Another thoughtful work anniversary idea for your boss is a personalized care package, filled with items that reflect their interests and show appreciation for their leadership. The best way to pamper your boss is by gifting them something that they enjoy and can utilize. Find out their interests and likes, pool in with individual items, and put together a package that your manager can relax and enjoy on a lazy weekend. It can range from chocolates, stationeries to even DIY spa kits and housekeeping supplies. You can also refer to these ideas for a great care package.
2.3 Edible Bouquet
We repeat – food is one of the best gifts. Fruits, donuts, cookies, assorted chocolates, cupcakes, even a collection of your boss’ favorite meat like bacon or beef jerky can become an edible bouquet. Be sure to check for their allergies and preferences, and then assemble or purchase one. Then, present it as their work anniversary gift.
2.4 Team Memorabilia
Do you cherish that team trek you went on a while ago? Or the house party at your manager’s? Or the time you won the best team award? Gather up all the memories. Make a poster/bulletin board or a video, add handwritten notes from each team member & some inspirational quotes and present it as a work anniversary gift to your boss. If your team has accomplished something notable, like winning a prestigious award or achieving a significant milestone, consider creating a commemorative plaque. You can include engraved details of the achievement, team members’ names, and a brief description of the accomplishment.
2.5 Team Outing
Have you always been on company- or boss-sponsored team outings? Switch things up by collecting funds from the team, and take your manager out for lunch or a weekend trip. You can find the best escape room maze in your city and take your boss there. As an alternative to going out as a large group, gather up and play games virtually.
3 Work Anniversary Ideas for Senior Employees
In an age where employees hardly get to double digits in service years, people who have spent a decade (give or take a couple of years) or more in the company have automatically earned a great deal of respect. Your employee anniversary gifts should reflect your gratitude for their tenure, dedication, accomplishments, and loyalty. This ensures that employees are not only acknowledged for their dedication and loyalty but also celebrated for the meaningful contributions they’ve made to the organization’s success. It’s about honoring both the journey and the milestones along the way. Here are some work anniversary ideas to celebrate such milestones.
3.1 Career Coaching
If the employee has spent 10+ years in your company, then they have demonstrated that they are dedicated to growing and scaling with the organization.. Growth and development are often a byproduct of successfully scaling with an organization but there is little time for personal development or coaching. Arranging a session with the leadership team or external consultants like a high-end coach is a great anniversary gift to show you’re just as committed to the employee’s growth as they’ve shown they’re committed to the organization’s.
3.2 Paid Sabbaticals
10+ years! Providing paid sabbaticals to employees with over 10 years of service is a fantastic way to show appreciation for their dedication. They deserve a break and a long one at that. Send your senior employees on a long paid sabbatical. Be it a trip around the country, an experience abroad, a staycation at a resort or spa of their liking, or simply a paid time off to learn a new hobby – they are bound to be thankful about choosing to stay with the company.
3.3 Executive Dining
Great food, rich ambiance, fancy outfits, one-on-one out-of-office conversations with the leadership team are some of the best ideas for work anniversary gifts. Book a dinner with the CXO of the company in one of the upbeat restaurants in the city and gift them the opportunity to enjoy fine things in life.
3.4 Feature Them on Website & Social media
If an employee has been with your organization for nearly double the average tenure, the world needs to know about it. So give them a shout-out on the company’s website and social media platforms. This will make your employees feel good and show your clients and customers that your company recognizes its employees well. You can create a video that highlights staff memories and significant achievements is a wonderful way to recognize and honor employees who have dedicated a substantial part of their careers to your company.
3.5 VIP Desk or Parking Spot
Is there a spot in the office that overlooks a lush green spot or a great view of the sea or city? Or the exclusive parking space reserved for VIPs and executives? Assign them to your senior employees as a work anniversary gift as a special thank you.
3.6 Great LinkedIn Recommendation
These long-standing employees have exhibited a great number of skills for your company. Publicly endorse their skills and write a recommendation on LinkedIn. When a person’s skills are endorsed by the authorized people from their company, their feelings of pride will be priceless.
3.7 Years of Service Trophy
This is the classic traditional commemoration. Everyone loves receiving a trophy and displaying it on their desks or at homes. Award your long-term employee with a personalized trophy during the company’s annual RnR and mail them the framed photo too. They will cherish it even after they retire.
4 Work Anniversary Ideas for Newbies
Celebrating an employee’s completion of one year, or even the second year in a fun and innovative way, can contribute greatly in retaining them. When the employee is celebrated this early in their tenure, they also get the assurance that their contribution will be valued in the coming years too. Here are some ideas for work anniversary gifts for employees who have completed 1-2 years of service in the organization.
4.1 Peer Appreciation
To be appreciated by one’s peers would be one of the best gifts that a newbie can get, as it would make them feel welcome by their fellow teammates. An email congratulating them, or even a handwritten note is something they will cherish. Alternatively, if you have a company-wide collaboration portal, the employee’s peers can also post it on their public profile.
4.2 Desk Decorations
Yet another classic work anniversary gift idea – decorating an employee’s desk, workstation, or cubicle. Rope in the whole team, hang streamers and balloons, prop up cards, all before they could come in to work. If this is their first year anniversary and if they haven’t seen this idea being carried out, this will be a great pleasant surprise when they walk in on the anniversary day.
4.3 Pizza Party
More food. Period. When you throw an impromptu party of everyone’s favorite food, pizza, not just the one celebrating their work anniversary, but everyone will look forward to their own. Mix it up for each team member with their own choice of cuisine (strictly fast food :D) and have a small celebration in the office. You can also throw in a traditional cake-cutting ceremony – Pizza plus sugar rush, who wouldn’t want this!?
4.4 Happy Hours
Share a toast to the employee who’s been with you for a couple of years and encourage the individual to go on for more with this anniversary idea. Go to a pub of the employee’s choice, or throw a themed house party. They are bound to remember this celebration, at least parts of it. It is called “Happy” hours for a reason. You can also host happy hours virtually and keep it safe for everyone.
4.5 Career Planning Session
Show your newbie that you are serious about their growth and devleopment in the organization by discussing their career path. Arrange a session with HR, mentor or a senior manager and show them the options available for growth. You can also provide them with workshops and training sessions options if they wish to acquire a specific skill set.
5 Work Anniversary Ideas for Everyone in Between
The tenure of 3-7 years marks a stepping stone for employees and the company alike. The employees with 3-5 years tenure are on the threshold of the average job tenure in today’s market. If they are convinced that they have a bright future ahead, and the company will value them, it becomes easier to retain them. The ones on the 5-7 year mark could be on the verge of peaking and if their work anniversaries are celebrated tactfully, they will continue with renewed energy.
Here are some foolproof ideas for work anniversary gifts for the mid-range tenured employees.
5.1 Turn the Spotlight on Them
Dedicate a space for your “wall of fame”. Add the photo of the employee celebrating their work anniversary along with a note on their achievements andpositive impact. You can also add a blank note or “scrapbook” and have their colleagues add a few words about them. If you have a large monitor, projector or display screen, then this can be digitized and have all of it as a slideshow for the whole day.
5.2 Personalized Gifts
Personalized gifts are a good idea if you want to give something personal as a work anniversary gift. For example, you can find out their favorite sports team or fantasy character and have a jersey or t-shirt made with their name and years of completion as the number on it. If another employee does not have a favorite character or person but enjoys traveling, then a personalized travel journal or travel kit would be a good option.
5.3 Gift Cards
Another classic work anniversary idea is gift cards. Most gift cards have an option to add a personalized message. Add a thank you note and send them a card from Amazon, Sephora, Apple, or any other place of their choice.
5.4 Photo Album of Work Memories
An employee who has spent a considerable number of years in an organization will have innumerable happy memories. Curate photos from anyone who would have them, create an album of memories of team outings, lunches, games played, awards, etc., and present it to them on their work anniversary.
5.5 Timeline Plaque of Achievements
Everyone likes it when their achievements are pointed out. If a star employee is celebrating their work anniversary, then a plaque or a video of their achievements during their tenure would remind the employee that the company values their contributions and will motivate them for the future.
5.6 Company Branded Goodies
Yet another traditional work anniversary gift idea – company swag. We all love the branded tee or the coffee mug with our company logo on it. For someone young in the company, you can gift them one variety each year, and for someone slightly more seasoned, you can give them the option to choose a company-branded goodie, or even better – put together a goodie bag and gift it to them.
5.7 Tech Gifts
In this day of digitization, anyone would appreciate a trendy, good quality gadget. Earpods, smart mugs, Bluetooth speakers, smartwatches are all economical options. You can also turn it up a notch and gift your employees virtual assistant gadgets like Alexa, Google Nest; drones, OTE Headphones, Kindle, FitBit, etc.
5.8 Gift-a-Day-Off
Many of us prefer to take the day off on special occasions like birthdays and wedding anniversaries. If your employee falls in this category, then take a hint and give them the day off on their work anniversary or on a day of their choice. This is best suited for those who prefer a non-monetary incentive.
5.9 Colored Lanyards / ID cards as Per Year
Providing colored lanyards or ID cards with colored strips would be amongst the best employee work anniversary gift ideas. They can wear their experience (literally) with pride as everyone in the office building would know their tenure in the organization.
5.10 Workspace Upgrade
A workspace upgrade is a great work anniversary idea for both onsite and remote employees. Gift them a small potted plant or succulent, an ergonomic chair, extra drawers, a new plaque with their name and maybe an adjective describing them, a laptop stand, a chalkboard… the sky is the limit. Find out what your employee would like and gift it to them.
5.11 Donate to Charity of Their Choice
This is particularly heart-warming if your employee feels strongly about a cause. Get details about the cause or the organization they support and make a donation or a contribution in kind as a token of gratitude to the employee.
6 Virtual Work Anniversary Ideas
6.1 Milestone Celebration Event
Hooray Teams is a virtual teambuilding platform where you can book fun and engaging milestone celebration events with your hybrid team. The milestone celebration event includes celebration packages, fun games and puzzles, custom virtual backgrounds, and professional hosts for an entertaining and memorable celebration. All you need is Zoom access, where you can come together with your team, share experiences, and celebrate in a virtual space.
6.2 Throw a Game Night
Hosting a game night is a fantastic way to celebrate your employees’ dedication to the company. It’s like a fun, old-school party that allows everyone to unwind, tap into their competitive spirit, and strengthen their bonds as a team. You can organize a live trivia event, a mini-games competition, a radio bingo extravaganza, or even a mix of these activities. To make it even more memorable, you can pair it with a virtual happy hour and order some delicious pizza to enjoy.
6.3 Hosted Activity Workshop with Hooray Teams
Hosting activity workshop with Hooray teams, a team building platform for fun classes and engaging activities is another thoughtful idea to celebrate virtual work anniversary. You can pick any activity from mixology and drawing to cooking, candle making, wine tasting, crafting, creative writing, terrarium making, yoga, meditation, and even more personalized choices based on your employees’ preferences.
6.4 Virtual Team Lunch
A virtual team lunch is a great way celebrate work anniversaries, even when working remotely. You can pick a specific date and time for a Zoom call and then provide your team members with digital gift cards. With these cards, they can order lunch from their favorite local restaurants or food delivery services. This way, your team members can enjoy a delicious lunch, and it’s all on the company, right from the comfort of their own homes.
7 Work Anniversary Gifts by Year
7.1 1 Year Work Anniversary Gift Ideas
For the 1-year work anniversary, it’s a chance to recognize the employee’s initial contributions and welcome them into the company fold. You can consider gifts like a personalized desk nameplate, a branded company mug, or a small gift card to a local coffee shop.
A handwritten note expressing gratitude for their hard work and dedication can add a personal touch to the gesture. This serves as a token of appreciation for their commitment in their first year and encourages them to continue their journey with the company.
7.2 5 Year Work Anniversary Gift Ideas
Reaching the 5-year mark is a significant accomplishment that calls for a more substantial recognition. You can choose gifts like a customized crystal award with their name and achievement engraved, a high-quality leather portfolio, or a tech gadget that aligns with their interests.
You can add an element of personalization by offering a choice of gifts through a curated selection. A celebratory luncheon with colleagues can also provide an opportunity to express gratitude for their dedication and highlight their impact over the years.
7.3 10 Year Work Anniversary Gift Ideas
The 10-Year Work Anniversary Gift is a special recognition of an employee’s decade-long commitment and dedication to the company. It symbolizes appreciation for their enduring loyalty and contributions, often presented as a meaningful token or gesture that acknowledges their significant milestone in the organization. This commemorative gift serves to celebrate their journey, foster employee morale, and strengthen the bond between the individual and the company.
7.4 20 Year Work Anniversary Gift Ideas
A 20-year work anniversary is a rare and remarkable achievement that deserves an exceptional celebration. Consider arranging an unforgettable experience, such as a luxury weekend getaway, a hot air balloon ride, or a private dinner with company executives to honor their dedication.
You can choose from personalized gifts like a fine timepiece, a custom piece of art, or a premium-quality writing instrument that can serve as enduring reminders of their long-term commitment. Make sure to involve colleagues in the celebration to create a warm and memorable atmosphere that reflects their significance within the company’s history.
8 FAQ
8.1 What do you get someone for a work anniversary?
When selecting a work anniversary gift, you can choose a thoughtful and personalized gesture that showcases your intention and consideration for the individual. This could range from a heartfelt handwritten note expressing your appreciation, a customized memento commemorating their time with the company, or even a tailored experience that aligns with their interests and preferences.
8.2 How do you celebrate your work anniversary?
Work anniversaries are special and can be celebrated in many unique ways. Gifting them something monetary, or gifting them an experience, doing something to make their work-life easier and convenient, or even a simple gesture to show your gratitude would be a great work anniversary idea.
8.3 What are some 20-year work anniversary gift ideas?
5 more years and they would celebrate a quarter-century with the company. In today’s world being with one company for 20 years is likely a record-breaking scenario. They would deserve the highest possible celebrations – an award to their name, dining with the CEO and leadership team, a long sabbatical, or even an abroad trip would suit a loyalty as this.
8.4 What are some traditional work anniversary gifts?
If your employee celebrating a work anniversary would not prefer anything quirky, or (in those rare scenarios) you do not know what they like/prefer, sticking to the traditional work anniversary ideas is a win-win. Gift cards, Wall of fame, shout-outs on the website and social media feed, team outings and in-house parties, company swag, are all safe and traditional options.
8.5 What are appropriate gifts for years of service recognition?
Depending on the length of service, gifts for years of service recognition can range from personalized plaques and engraved trophies to gift cards, travel vouchers, and even experiences like spa days or adventure outings.
8.6 What are some thoughtful 1 year business anniversary gift ideas for employees?
Some of the thoughtful 1 year business anniversary gift ideas for employees to celebrate the milestone include – personalized desk accessories, a commemorative plaque, a company-branded gift, or a team lunch outing.
