In a world where dining tables double as desks and workdays blend into home life, maintaining team spirit has become both a leadership challenge and a strategic necessity. Remote and hybrid workforces aren’t just a shift in location they’re a shift in mindset. And with that shift comes a golden opportunity: to reward, recognise, and reconnect in ways that truly resonate.
The pandemic may have distanced us physically, but it also drew into sharp focus what matters most our people. Those who led with empathy discovered that morale isn’t built on ping-pong tables or pizza Fridays, but on thoughtful gestures, emotional visibility, and tailored incentives that speak to the whole person.
Here’s a collection of inventive, people-first reward ideas designed not just to tick boxes, but to cultivate cultures of appreciation no matter where your team logs in from.
Creative Rewards That Go Beyond the Expected
🧑🍳 In-Home Cooking Experience with a Professional Chef
In a time when lemonade is artificial and lemon polish is real, offer something authentic: a live cooking session with a chef. It’s a pause from the digital grind and a chance to stir creativity literally.
🫱 Volunteer Day (or Team Volunteer Project)
Purpose fuels performance. Give staff a paid day to support a cause they care about or coordinate a team volunteer event to blend social impact with team cohesion.
🖋 LinkedIn Recommendation from a Leader
A public endorsement from a manager isn’t just a pat on the back it’s a career catalyst. A short but sincere LinkedIn recommendation can elevate their professional standing and show your belief in their potential.
🎭 Team GIF Challenge
Inject joy with a friendly competition. Set a theme, create teams, and challenge them to a GIF-off. Sweeten the deal with Uber Eats vouchers for that perfect blend of fun and fuel.
🏋️ Year-Long Fitness Subscription
From home workouts to mental resets, a fitness programme goes beyond physical health it supports focus, energy, and mental clarity in isolation.
🧹 £25 TaskRabbit Credit
Sometimes, it’s the little frustrations flat-pack furniture, forgotten groceries that dampen spirits. Let TaskRabbit lift the weight of life’s small tasks so employees can stay in flow.
🌇 Custom Zoom Background with Photo & Quote
Celebrate personality with a bespoke Zoom backdrop that reflects an employee’s spirit complete with their favourite quote. It’s playful, personalised, and a visible nod to their uniqueness.
⏰ Flexible Hours for a Week
Trust speaks volumes. Grant staff a week to set their own schedule, showing you respect their rhythms and value the trust built through autonomy.
💃 Dance-Off with the CEO
Yes, really. A light-hearted virtual dance challenge with leadership breaks the hierarchy and the monotony. It reminds everyone that work doesn’t always have to be so serious.
🚀 Time for a Passion Project (25%)
Let employees dedicate a portion of their time to projects they care about whether it’s innovation, community, or creativity. It fosters engagement, ownership, and often, brilliant business ideas.
✍️ Handwritten Note to Their Family or Partner
Recognition becomes even more meaningful when shared with loved ones. A handwritten thank-you to someone’s partner or child, acknowledging their support, brings gratitude into the home.
🎵 Annual Spotify or Apple Music Subscription
Music sets the tempo of our day. Gift a streaming subscription so employees can soundtrack their workflow, find moments of calm, or power through their to-do lists.
📣 Spotlight in the Company Newsletter
Public recognition in a company-wide communication shines a light on unsung efforts. It says, “You’re seen,” in a format that lasts longer than a quick Slack emoji.
🥗 Two-Hour Recharge Lunch
Permission to pause. A longer lunch break encourages employees to step away fully, run errands, or savour a slow meal without guilt.
📚 Subscription to Online Learning Platform
Show your investment in their growth. Access to platforms like LinkedIn Learning or Udemy helps employees upskill, pivot, and stay future-ready.
🛒 Grocery Delivery Service
For remote workers balancing deadlines and domesticity, removing one more errand from their list can feel like a true gift.
🧭 Executive Coaching or Mentoring Session
Provide rare access to senior leadership. A one-on-one session opens doors to career development, strategic insight, and human connection.
🪑 Home Office Upgrade Fund
A new chair, an extra monitor, or just better lighting investing in home workspaces shows you care about comfort and productivity in equal measure.
🧁 Surprise Muffin & Coffee Delivery
Bring the breakroom to their doorstep. A small box of treats fosters familiarity and says, “We’re still thinking of you.”
🍽 At-Home Dinner Delivery
Send a special meal to enjoy with family or flatmates. It’s more than dinner it’s quality time, underwritten by appreciation.
A Post-Pandemic Philosophy of Recognition
While the pandemic disrupted routines, it also reshaped our understanding of leadership. Recognition isn’t a perk it’s a pillar of strong culture. Whether your team is spread across time zones or toggling between hybrid rhythms, these reward ideas are more than feel-good gestures. They represent a commitment to valuing people as individuals.
By choosing incentives that reflect humanity, flexibility, and growth, we move closer to something all great organisations strive for: a culture where appreciation is both systemic and sincere.
