20 employee appreciation ideas for remote workers

When your team is scattered across cities, states or even continents, showing appreciation can feel like trying to high-five someone through a screen. The spontaneous desk drop-bys, celebratory lunches and hallway congratulations that once defined workplace recognition simply don’t translate to distributed teams. Yet remote employees need appreciation just as much, if not more, than their in-office counterparts. The challenge isn’t whether to recognize remote workers, but how to make that recognition feel just as genuine, timely and impactful when you’re miles apart.

Why remote employee appreciation matters

Remote workers face a unique set of challenges that make consistent appreciation essential to their engagement and retention rates. Without the natural visibility that comes from being physically present, remote employees often struggle with what researchers call the “out of sight, out of mind” phenomenon. Their contributions can go unnoticed, their wins uncelebrated and their dedication unacknowledged – simply because they’re not in the room when conversations happen.

This visibility gap has real consequences. According to research from Buffer’s State of Remote Work report, loneliness and disconnection rank among the top struggles for remote workers, directly impacting their sense of belonging and commitment to their organization. When remote employees don’t feel seen or valued, they’re more likely to disengage quietly, reduce their discretionary effort and eventually seek opportunities elsewhere. The cost of replacing a disengaged remote employee can be substantial when you factor in recruitment, onboarding and lost productivity.

Recognition bridges this gap by creating intentional moments of connection and visibility. When done well, employee appreciation helps remote workers feel like valued members of the team, rather than isolated contributors working in a vacuum. It reinforces that their work matters, their presence is noticed (and valued!) and their contributions drive organizational success, regardless of where they log in from each day.

20 employee appreciation ideas for remote employees

The best employee appreciation ideas for remote workers combine thoughtfulness with practicality, creating meaningful moments that transcend physical distance. Here are twenty proven approaches that help distributed teams feel valued, connected, and motivated.

1. Share digital eCards

Digital eCards provide an instant, visual way to express gratitude that feels more personal than a text message or email. These customizable cards can be themed for specific occasions, achievements or “just because,” and they create a lasting record of appreciation that employees can revisit.

Platforms like Reward Gateway | Edenred’s recognition program make it easy to send branded eCards that align with your company culture while ensuring every team member can participate in peer-to-peer recognition, regardless of location.

2. Highlight achievements during team meetings

Dedicating time during virtual team meetings to spotlight individual and team accomplishments creates public recognition that increases both the recipient and team morale. This practice works particularly well for remote teams because it guarantees visibility across the entire group and models appreciation as a core team value.

Make spotlights a standing agenda item so recognition becomes expected rather than an afterthought, and encourage team members to nominate their peers for shoutouts.

3. Feature remote employees on company social channels

Showcasing remote workers on your organization's LinkedIn, Instagram or internal social platforms amplifies their visibility beyond their immediate team.

Share their professional wins, highlight their expertise through thought leadership posts or feature “day in the life” content that humanizes remote work. This approach both recognizes the individual and demonstrates your organization’s commitment to celebrating all employees equally, regardless of work location.

4. Build dedicated recognition channels or walls

Creating a digital space specifically for appreciation, whether it's a Slack channel, Teams space, or dedicated recognition wall within your employee engagement platform, gives recognition a permanent home. These channels become living archives of gratitude where employees can celebrate wins, thank colleagues, and build a culture of appreciation organically.

The key is making participation easy and encouraging leaders to model consistent recognition behavior.

5. Establish monthly or quarterly award programs

Structured award programs provide rhythm and anticipation to your recognition efforts while ensuring consistent appreciation across your remote workforce. Whether you’re recognizing top performers, culture champions or innovation leaders, regular awards create milestones that employees can work toward.

Pair these programs with meaningful rewards and public celebration to maximize their impact and reinforce the behaviors and values you want to see throughout your organization.

6. Deliver curated care packages to their door

Physical care packages create tangible touch points that remind remote employees that they’re valued members of the team.

These packages can be themed around seasons, company milestones, wellbeing initiatives or simply “thinking of you” moments like personal milestones or life events. The key is thoughtful curation that reflects understanding of what your employees actually enjoy, whether that's gourmet snacks, self-care items, local artisan products or practical work-from-home essentials.

7. Distribute flexible digital gift cards

Digital gift cards offer immediate gratification and personal choice, allowing remote employees to select rewards that genuinely resonate with their preferences and needs. Unlike physical gifts that might miss the mark, gift cards empower employees to choose experiences, products or services they’ll actually use and appreciate.

Modern employee reward platforms provide access to hundreds of retailers, restaurants, and experience providers, so every employee finds something meaningful.

Reward Gateway | Edenred’s Reward Marketplace, for example, uses a points-based system and a diverse catalog of retailers where employees can choose to spend their points – even a network of charity organizations for those who want to make donations – making every reward personal, every time.

8. Upgrade home office equipment

Investing in quality home office equipment demonstrates your commitment to remote employees’ comfort, productivity and long-term wellbeing. Whether it’s an ergonomic chair, standing desk, quality headphones or improved lighting, these upgrades show you recognize that their home workspace deserves the same consideration as any corporate office. Consider offering stipends or allowances that let employees choose equipment that addresses their specific setup needs.

9. Add lifestyle or learning subscriptions

Subscription services for streaming platforms, audiobooks, meditation apps, fitness programs or professional development platforms provide ongoing value that extends well beyond a single moment of recognition. These gifts support remote worker wellbeing while acknowledging that employees are whole people with interests and growth aspirations beyond their job descriptions. The recurring nature of subscriptions also creates multiple touch points of appreciation over time.

10. Curate high-quality company swag

Company swag gets a bad reputation, but thoughtfully designed, high-quality branded items can become genuine favorites that remote employees use daily. Skip the cheap pens and focus on premium items like quality jackets, stylish water bottles, comfortable hoodies or tech accessories that people actually want to use. When remote workers wear or use company swag, it reinforces their connection to the organization and creates opportunities for brand advocacy in their communities.

11. Celebrate personal milestones with thoughtful gifts

Work anniversaries, birthdays and life events deserve recognition that feels personal and intentional. For remote employees who miss out on office celebrations, these moments become even more important for maintaining connection. Send personalized gifts that reflect the individual’s interests, coordinate surprise virtual celebrations with their team or offer experience gifts they can enjoy with family and friends.

12. Facilitate virtual team-building sessions

Structured virtual team-building activities create shared experiences that strengthen relationships and build camaraderie across distributed teams. From virtual escape rooms to collaborative cooking classes to online trivia competitions, these sessions provide morale boosters for remote employees while demonstrating that your organization values connection and fun.

The key is choosing activities that genuinely engage participants rather than feeling like another mandatory meeting.

13. Run friendly online competitions

Friendly competition through online games creates ongoing engagement and gives remote teams something to bond over beyond work projects. Whether it’s a fantasy sports league, multiplayer video game tournament or word game challenge, these competitions build community and provide natural conversation starters. Consider offering small prizes or recognition for winners to increase participation and excitement.

14. Sponsor "Lunch on Us" experiences

Covering the cost of lunch delivery for remote employees recreates the communal lunch experience that office workers take for granted. You can coordinate team lunches where everyone orders from local restaurants and eats together on video, or you can simply provide meal credits that employees can use at their convenience. This gesture acknowledges that remote workers deserve the same perks as their in-office counterparts while also supporting local restaurants in their communities.

15. Host virtual happy hours

Virtual happy hours offer informal spaces for remote teams to connect without the pressure of work agendas or deliverables. These casual gatherings work best when they're optional, time-limited and include fun elements like themed backgrounds, show-and-tell segments or light games.

Consider sending cocktail (or mocktail) kits or beverage credits in advance to make the experience feel more special and inclusive for all participants.

16. Invest in professional development opportunities

Supporting remote employees’ career growth through conferences, courses, certifications or coaching demonstrates your investment in their long-term success. Professional development opportunities show that you see remote workers as valuable team members worthy of advancement, not just distant contributors. Make these opportunities accessible by covering costs, providing dedicated learning time, and celebrating newly acquired skills and credentials.

17. Introduce dedicated mental health days

Offering mental health days specifically designated for rest and recharge acknowledges the unique stressors remote workers face, from Zoom fatigue to blurred work-life boundaries. These days should be separate from standard PTO and framed as proactive wellbeing support, rather than sick leave. Encourage leaders to model taking mental health days to normalize their use and demonstrate organizational commitment to employee wellbeing.

18. Include families in select company moments

Inviting remote employees’ families to participate in certain company events helps bridge the gap between work and home life while acknowledging the support systems that enable remote work success. Virtual family-friendly events, holiday celebrations or ”bring your family to (virtual) work” days create inclusive moments that honor the whole person. These experiences also help family members understand and appreciate what their loved ones do, strengthening support for remote work arrangements.

19. Launch virtual wellbeing challenges

Team-based wellbeing challenges around steps, hydration, meditation or sleep create healthy competition while promoting positive habits. These challenges work particularly well for remote teams because they provide structure and accountability that can be missing when working from home.

Use apps or platforms – like Wellbeing+ – that track progress, celebrate milestones and foster friendly competition while keeping the focus on participation and improvement, rather than perfection.

20. Offer flexible wellbeing stipends

Wellbeing stipends that employees can apply toward gym memberships, therapy sessions, massage appointments, or other health-related expenses demonstrate trust and acknowledge that wellbeing looks different for everyone. This flexibility is especially valuable for remote workers who may not have access to corporate gym memberships or on-site wellness programs. Clear guidelines paired with easy reimbursement processes ensure these stipends get used and appreciated.

Best practices for effective remote worker appreciation

Implementing employee appreciation ideas for remote employees requires more than just selecting activities from a list. The most successful remote recognition programs follow core principles that ensure appreciation feels genuine, inclusive, and impactful across distributed teams.

Make appreciation timely and frequent

Recognition loses impact when it’s delayed or reserved for annual reviews. Remote employees need frequent touchpoints of appreciation that acknowledge contributions in real-time, reinforcing positive behaviors and outcomes while they’re still fresh.

Aim for a recognition cadence that includes daily peer-to-peer appreciation, weekly manager recognition and monthly or quarterly formal awards. Shifting to digital employee recognition makes this frequency achievable by removing logistical barriers and enabling instant acknowledgment, regardless of time zones or schedules.

Tailor recognition to individual preferences

Not everyone wants public recognition, and not every reward resonates equally with all employees. Some remote workers thrive on public shoutouts during team meetings, while others prefer private messages of gratitude. Some value experiences over physical gifts, while others appreciate tangible items they can use daily.

Take time to understand individual preferences through surveys, one-on-one conversations or recognition platform data, then personalize your approach accordingly to ensure appreciation lands with maximum impact.

Maintain visibility across distributed teams

Remote employees often miss the informal recognition that happens organically in office environments, making intentional visibility crucial. Create systems that ensure remote workers’ contributions are seen by leadership, celebrated across teams and documented in ways that support career advancement. This might include recognition dashboards, regular leadership reports highlighting remote employee achievements or structured processes for nominating remote workers for awards and opportunities.

Combine digital and tangible experiences

The most effective remote employee appreciation ideas blend digital convenience with physical touch points that create memorable experiences. While digital recognition provides immediacy and frequency, tangible rewards and experiences create lasting impressions that reinforce appreciation over time.

Effective communication with remote workers means using multiple channels and formats to ensure your appreciation efforts reach employees in ways that resonate with their preferences and circumstances.

Show meaningful appreciation wherever your teams work with Reward Gateway | Edenred

Building a culture of appreciation across distributed teams doesn’t have to mean cobbling together multiple tools or hoping your recognition efforts reach everyone equally. Reward Gateway brings recognition, rewards, wellbeing, and communications together in one employee engagement platform designed for modern workforces, making it easy for employees to give and receive recognition, access meaningful rewards, and stay connected to company culture, wherever they log in from.

Schedule a demo to learn more about Reward Gateway | Edenred’s suite of employee experience solutions and find out more about how we can help you make your corner of the world a better place to work.