Congrats! What an occasion: one of your workers has reached the X-year milestone at your company! Let it be only one year—work anniversaries are central landmarks in employee journeys with organizations. They signify the turning points passed and meaningful accomplishments made since their first workdays.
How can you recognize your employees and wish them a happy work anniversary, aka workaversary or workiversary, more appreciatively and memorably? What’s a good employee gift for 1, 2, 5, or 10+ years with the company?
The answers are in this article. We’ve rounded up the best suggestions with expert tips and examples of companies celebrating employee work anniversaries remotely and in the office.
So, here they come!
10 Ideas for Remote Work Anniversary Celebrations
1. “Happy Work Anniversary” Kit
Got your employee’s home address?
Surely, you have it recorded somewhere. Found it? Great! Now, prepare a “Happy Workaversary” gift box or kit to send it to.
Pro tip: Include branded merchandise like a notebook, handbag, T-shirt, pen, or mug to let the worker feel a part of your community. This is similar to a welcome kit you may provide during employee onboarding. Here, it likewise functions as a subtle employer branding tool.
Example:
Look at this branded gift kit one of Neeyamo’s employees received on the second work anniversary.
Source: LinkedIn
2. Certificate of Tree Plantation
When planting a tree as a gift on a remote work anniversary, you “plant hope for the future” and demonstrate environmental responsibility. Such an impactful initiative can resonate deeply with those staffers who prioritize sustainability. In fact, 69% of workers want to see their companies investing in sustainable practices. This percentage is even higher among the youngest workforce (Gen Z and Millennials).
Admittedly, today, many employers opt for environmentally friendly gifts like this one when celebrating work anniversaries to align with employees’ values and embrace eco-consciousness.
Example:
Here’s an electronic tree plantation certificate from Billennium that arrived in the employee’s inbox with the following words:
“A tree has been planted in your name by Billennium India Pvt. Ltd.”
Source: Linkedin
3. Online Workshop or Course
For Grant Aldrich, Founder of Preppy, the utmost gifts you can give on remote workiversaries are online training programs or courses that will boost employee learning and development (L&D). And here’s a pro tip from him: “Importantly, personalize your course or workshop choice to match your team members’ unique hobbies, passions, or career goals. This way, you’ll encourage personal or professional L&D and recognize them as personalities, not just workers.”
Let’s assume one of your workers has a magnetic pull toward classical languages and literature in particular. An online Latin class or a Classics reading course would be a workiversary gift right up their alley.
4. Virtual Teambuilding Event
Wouldn’t it be great to unfold a work anniversary celebration and bond your remote team at the same time?
You can host such events virtually and celebrate work anniversaries with team-building activities like these:
- Team lunch via Zoom
- Virtual trivia with out-of-the-ordinary icebreaker questions
- The-funniest-photo challenge
- Virtual gratitude circle
- Poetic Improv Show
- Guess-the-emoji-sentence game
- Virtual Truth or Dare
As an alternative variant, consider a philanthropic team-building activity: a charity challenge or a fundraiser campaign to make a positive impact as a team in honor of the workaversary.
5. Online Card Games Night
Playing an online card game to celebrate a work anniversary can be another fun, team-bonding experience for remote employees who are obsessed with such games. Actually, YouGov discovered that the majority of US adults “love” (20%) or “like” (56%) playing card games. If your team members also echo these preferences, select from a wide range of multiplayer card games (all are available online):
- Uno
- Hearts
- Spades
- Poker
- And others
6. Company-wide or Social Media Shout-out
Do this ONLY if your employees are comfortable with public recognition, particularly via social channels.
A. Via an internal communication channel
If you use a corporate intranet or work management software for employee communication and collaboration, type a few appreciative lines in your team’s chat.
For instance, with Nimble, an adaptive project management platform, you get a dedicated Team Space called Nimble Cafe. Here, you can shout out to your employees on their work anniversaries and express gratitude for their commitment and efforts.
Learn More about Nimble!
B. Via social media
Post your “happy workiversary” wishes on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, or other social platforms, use relevant hashtags (e.g., #workanniversary, #employeespotlight, #happyworkanniversary), and tag the hero of the occasion.
Pro tip: Mention what you thank your employee for.
Example:
See how WORKSENT put this into practice in the LinkedIn post below. They congratulate their systems engineer on hitting a 7-year mark in the role.
Source: Linkedin
7. Digital Gift Card
Digital gift certificates or cards are another excellent method to celebrate workiversaries, especially in remote or hybrid work environments.
Here are a couple of certificate ideas that can make superb work anniversary gifts for your teammates:
- Monthly service subscription (Netflix or Spotify)
- E-book certificate (Kindle Store or Apple Books)
- Voucher for a food kit delivery (Blue Apron or HelloFresh)
- Gift certificate for a yoga retreat (BookYogaRetreats or Pure Flow Yoga)
- Donation certificate or charity gift card (CharityGiftCertificates.org or CharityGiftCards.com)
- Gift card for pet supplies (Petco or Chewy)
8. Augmented Reality (AR) Card
Just imagine the jaw-dropping effect you can produce on your employees when sending AR cards on their work anniversaries!
How exactly?
Astonishing things start happening once someone views the AR card through their phone camera. Anything may come to life in it: your animated “happy work anniversary” text, voice message, interactive visuals (e.g., a rotating photo gallery with work-related memories), or celebratory effects (confetti, fireworks, balloons, etc.).
Example:
Look at this animated AR card to sip on an idea.
Source: Benjisofbrooklyn
Alternatively, create an augmented reality QR code for your team member to scan and enjoy the AR greeting.
9. Virtual Reality (VR) Party in the Metaverse
The Metaverse is the most recent and much-discussed technology worth your attention if you’re looking for innovative ideas for remote work anniversary celebrations.
Here’s how you can hop on this trend:
- Pick a VR platform (Corporate Metaverse, AltspaceVR, or VRChat)
- Book a date and time that works for all participants (mind time zones in internationally distributed teams)
- Decide on the theme (dancing, karaoke, or beach party)
- Customize your virtual space with avatars for each employee
- Plan entertainment (DJ, games, or contests)
- Send invitations
And—
Start partying in the Metaverse!
10. “Disconnection” Day Off
Enough technologies for today!
Isn’t it high time to let your workers disconnect and have a digital detox day?
As a remote team leader, Reyansh Mestry, Head of Marketing at TopSource Worldwide, explains why it is one of the best ways to celebrate an employee’s work anniversary:
“Working remotely, employees spend so many hours in front of their screens. They may be overwhelmed by constant digital communication and screen time and eventually end up in burnout. A ‘disconnection’ day off is not only a wonderful work anniversary gift. It’s also a strategic way to help them unplug the mind and improve their mental well-being.”
5 Ways and Gifts to Celebrate Work Anniversaries In-Person
11. Go traditional with a “Milestone Watch.”
Milestone watches are time-honored and perhaps the most classic corporate gifts for commemorating a specific event in an employee’s journey (e.g., birthday, promotion, anniversary, etc.).
This tradition dates back to the 1940s, when the Pepsi Company started giving each employee a gold watch after retirement with the engraved words: “You gave us your time, now we are giving you ours.”
Yet, even now, a milestone watch is still a popular work anniversary gift among brands.
Example:
Holding on to the tradition, Angela Shanley Associates Ltd marked the employee’s 10th work anniversary with a luxury watch.
Source: Linkedin
12. Create Sweet Vibes with a Workiversary Cake
How about “sweetening” the celebration with a cake?
Many companies do this on their employees’ work anniversaries. For instance, H&M, Factana, AT&T, Ericsson, and many others are among them.
Below is an example of Factana congratulating the employee on completing their first year at the company with an anniversary cake.
Source: Linkedin
Pro tip: Clarify your employee’s health condition (e.g., diabetes or allergies) before ordering or baking the cake to avoid uncomfortable or even life-threatening situations. Some ingredients may cause severe allergic reactions or other health risks.
13. Invest in Productivity with an Office Gadget or Tech Accessory
Gifting tech accessories or gadgets is a wise way to congratulate your employees on their work anniversaries and make solid investments in their productivity.
Select the right gift based on your employee’s needs:
- Noise-canceling headphones
- Ergonomic chair
- Laptop stand
- Webcam with ring light (for virtual meetings)
- Time management tools (a time-tracker or planner)
- Multi-device charger
- Smartpen that digitizes handwritten notes
An excellent example here is GlobalLogic’s choice of a handy tech accessory (the neckband wireless earphones) as a work anniversary gift.
Source: Linkedin
14. Write a Personalized Handwritten Note
Even if it contains only a few words, it may serve as a small yet heartfelt gesture that leaves a lasting impression when you celebrate a work anniversary in person. Writing such a note by hand evokes a higher emotional resonance than a typed or ready-made card because it implies your care and willingness to put effort and time into writing.
Example:
As one of Medtronic’s employees shared on LinkedIn, she felt exceptional warmth after receiving a handwritten note from the team.
Source: Linkedin
15. Decorate the Office for a Celebration
Why decorate, you may ask?
A well-decorated work anniversary party will help you break the monotony of typical workdays, change the scenery, and create a festive environment. Moreover, when you customize decorations (add a worker’s name and photo, number of years, individual achievements, etc.), you automatically add a personal touch and make the employee feel special and valued.
Example:
To celebrate a two-year workiversary, One Avenue Group decorated the office with flowers, balloons, and employee photos.
Source: Linkedin
Time to Make Workiversaries Unforgettable for Your Employees
Transform each milestone into a magnificent celebration your workers will never forget! Fill their special days with a burst of surprises, and let every work anniversary dazzle them like a firework—memorable, vibrant, and exploding with gratitude for their loyalty and devotion to your corporate success.
Also, remember to use Nimble if you aim to collaborate more effectively, stay on top of your projects, and celebrate victories and triumphs on the same digital page. Try it for free!
