Many American workers are returning to the office in some capacity. While many people are happy to continue working remotely, plenty of others will appreciate the opportunity to be back. Let’s make sure they feel the love with some welcome back gifts!

If you are reading this, it’s probably your responsibility to equip the workspace with supplies for employees to enjoy. Luckily for you, we’ve put together a short list of welcome back gifts for returning office workers that we think will help make people happy to be back! Many of these items are office staples, while others are fun gifts that will make employees feel appreciated.

Mugs

$\"\"$ Coffee is the fuel that powers the American office machine. Make sure you have mugs for people to drink it!

When it comes to selecting your mugs you have a choice to make: you can order easily washable ceramic mugs for on-site workers to share or branded tumblers for each employee to keep. Alternatively, if you want to make everyone extra happy, you can order both!

You may be thinking “not everyone drinks coffee!” That may be true, but even non-coffee-drinkers will appreciate a drink receptacle for their green tea, water, Red Bull, or other beverage of choice.

Pens

$\"\"$ A longtime staple in American offices, custom-branded pens are an excellent affordable gift idea. You can include these in gift packs for new and existing employees, leave them with clients, or just make them a part of your office’s stationery supply.

As we mentioned in our post Five superior gifts that will grab your client’s attention, pens don’t need to be boring. If you plan on making these pens a part of a welcome back gift basket for each employee, mix it up! Order a set of high-quality custom pens that people will want to write with or something unique that will stand out in their drawer — like a fountain pen!

Polo shirts

If you want to give something that employees can wear, look no further than custom polo shirts. Let’s take a minute to appreciate just how versatile this top can be: You can pair it with slacks and dress shoes for a business casual look; pair it with jeans for a clean casual look; wear it to outdoor events like golf outings or picnics; wear it underneath a zip-up jacket in colder weather; and more!

Before ordering your set of custom polo shirts, you should consider when they’ll be worn the most. Like other garments, polo shirts can be made from many materials, and some are better for certain scenarios. If you want something that will keep sweat stains away, won’t wrinkle much, and will last, we recommend ordering a sweat-wicking polyester shirt like this one.

Notepad

While many people prefer to take notes digitally, the feeling of writing with a pen and paper is irreplaceable to others. Make sure your office is equipped with a decent supply of branded stationery. Not everyone will need it, but those who do will be very appreciative.

Stickers

A beautiful sticker featuring your logo is a fun way to spread your brand awareness. Employees can slap them onto laptops, notebooks, coolers, pencil cases, bottles, wallets, phone cases, potted plants, office furniture, and more. If you choose to spend a little more on high-quality vinyl stickers, workers can even use them to embellish their cars’ rear bumpers or windows.

Plants

$\"\"$ Plants are an easy way to add life to indoor environments (quite literally). Not every office allows plants, but if yours does, you should consider gifting some!

In order to avoid burdening workers with something they don’t want, you can host a desk plant adoption event. Set up some plants at the entrance to your office and allow employees to pick out their favorites for their workspace. Just make sure the plants are easy to care for so you don’t have an office full of dead plants after a couple of weeks. You can add a sticker with your logo to each plant for extra branding!

Pen Cups/Holders

$\"\"$ Keep your office organized by giving your employees something to keep their pens in. This can be a pencil case, a drawer organizer, or a repurposed branded mug/cup.

Custom Branded Socks

Going back to the office means being seen in public once again. It’s a perfect opportunity to show off new and unique clothing items, so why not give them a conversation starter that has your logo all over it? Get them some custom branded socks!

If you want a slightly more professional appearance, stick with business attire colors — navy, gray, or black. Alternatively, make your custom socks design so bright and colorful that they’re the first thing people notice on whoever is wearing them. Whatever way you design them, they are a fun item that office workers will love to show off at any given opportunity.

Messenger Bag

Is your company experimenting with a hybrid work model where people work from the office part of the week and from home on the rest? If so, employees will probably love having a branded messenger bag. They can use it to transport their work laptop, files, and any other equipment they may need on their day-to-day.

Caps

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While pandemic-related restrictions have lifted across much of the country, outdoor events are still a great way to meet safely. If you plan on holding any gatherings with employees out in the sun, custom caps with your company logo are a great way to keep cool!