Employee Recognition Ideas for the End of Year

As the year draws to a close, companies have a valuable opportunity to reflect on their employees' contributions and find meaningful ways to show appreciation. This was the focus of a recent webinar featuring Ashley Widener, Director of Marketing at GoCo; Lee Rubin, CEO of Confetti; and Rodrigo Ortega, Customer Success Manager at Bucketlist.

The discussion covered unique ways to celebrate and recognize employees, no matter the budget, and highlighted the importance of making each recognition meaningful and memorable. Here are some of the strategies they shared so you can go beyond the usual end-of-year rewards, events, and shoutouts to keep employees engaged and morale high.

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Making recognition personal and memorable

It’s not all about the company events either, individual recognition at this time of year matters too. Rodrigo Ortega from Bucketlist emphasized that for recognition to resonate, it must feel genuine and personal. “Generic praise can feel transactional,” he explained, “but heartfelt, personalized recognition becomes a lasting reminder of appreciation.”

To make recognition meaningful, leaders should incorporate emotion, ensure the recognition is connected to a specific achievement, taking the time to get to know employees through one-on-one check-ins to tailor recognition to each individual, making it memorable rather than just another corporate gesture.

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The impact of meaningful recognition on morale and retention

Investing in thoughtful celebrations and recognition can have a positive impact on company culture and employee retention. By aligning recognition efforts with employees’ needs and values, organizations can improve morale and create a workplace where people feel genuinely appreciated.

When thinking about the ROI of end-of-year recognition and rewards, replacing an employee on average would range from half or up to two times the annual salary of the employee. That, versus a $100 gift card to sincerely thank someone for the work they're doing, is where you see the benefit come into play.

As Lee noted, some of the most meaningful ways to recognize employees don’t require a big budget but instead rely on intentionality and thoughtfulness.

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Keeping recognition current and interesting

Recognition efforts need to be fresh and employee input is key to that. Ashley from GoCo suggested using post-event surveys to measure employee enjoyment and gather feedback for future improvements. Lee said company culture is dynamic with many layers to consider.

Tapping into different employee cultures and interests when planning recognition events brings new life to each one. Rotating between types of events and offering different types of recognition (group events, public shoutouts, tangible rewards, or quiet one-on-ones) keeps recognition fresh and exciting.

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7 ways to go the extra mile in recognizing employees at your end-of-year celebration:

1. Allow plus-ones to virtual events

Letting employees bring a plus-one to virtual events makes them feel more included and fun. Whether it’s a family member, partner or roommate, adding a plus-one to virtual events gets more people involved, especially during the evening events when folks aren’t home alone. Confetti has found that when companies offer this option, employees feel more connected to the event and the company, and can see an increase in attendance because of this.

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2. Offer flexible “Wellness Days”

Recognizing employees as individuals with unique holiday traditions and responsibilities goes a long way. Instead of designating specific holidays for time off, offer flexible “wellness days” so employees can take time off when they need to recharge and align with their personal and cultural celebrations. This is diversity and inclusion in action, so employees can take a break whenever means the most to them.

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3. Give the “Gift of Choice”

Personalized rewards are more meaningful than generic gifts. Consider giving employees the option to choose a reward that suits them best. This could be a gift card to their favorite store, an extra day off or an experience tailored to their interests. By giving them a choice, you’re showing you care and understand their individual contributions and preferences.

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4. Offer charitable giving as a reward option

Many employees find joy in giving back, especially during the holiday season. Let employees donate to a charity of their choice as part of your recognition program so they can contribute to causes that matter to them personally. This option makes the end-of-year celebration even more meaningful and socially impactful.

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5. Celebrate achievements with a “Year-in-Review”

Create a “Spotify Wrapped” style recap of the year’s highlights. This can be a video or PDF that summarizes team milestones, project successes, and individual contributions. Highlighting the standout moments or individuals who made a big impact lets the whole team share in the joy of the year’s achievements and creates a keepsake that reflects everyone’s hard work.

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6. Launch a personal “Thank-You” program

A culture of appreciation is key to making employees feel truly valued. Encourage managers and peers to give personalized, thoughtful recognition—whether through Slack, email or in-person shoutouts, this way employees feel seen and valued.

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7. Be inclusive

Celebrations should be tailored to your team’s diversity, taking into account different cultural backgrounds, personal preferences and logistical factors like time zones. Instead of a Christmas celebration, consider “Holiday Awards” or Q4 events that can work for everyone’s beliefs.

When it comes to those shout-outs, give employees the chance to tell you how they’d like to receive recognition. Some may prefer more private recognition as opposed to others who receive a big morale boost from public recognition. This way every team member feel appreciated, regardless of role or department.

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What kind of virtual recognition events do employees want?

The key to a successful end of year celebration is to listen to employees’ preferences, find what excites them and make it happen if it’s in the budget. At GoCo for example, a virtual scavenger hunt that uses photo prompts at home has been a hit. This activity gives remote employees a glimpse into each other’s daily lives and cultures the entire team.

Confetti’s year-round bestsellers include Escape Quest and Coworker Clash, holiday preferences shift towards experiences that include hands-on kits such as holiday themed cooking or crafting sessions. These interactive, kit-based experiences add a physical, festive element to virtual events and get employees more engaged. Plus, these events give you a chance to involve others at home – like family, roommates or partners – making it more personal and inclusive.

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Employee recognition efforts beyond the end of the year

Celebration and recognition should be ongoing not just year-end, in fact, GoCo, Confetti, and Bucketlist find ways to move away from a single year-end celebration to a continuous recognition approach, promoting peer-to-peer recognition and encouraging managers to recognize employees throughout the year.

Peer-to-peer recognition is the way to make employees feel appreciated in real-time, sustaining a culture of appreciation beyond just the holiday season.

By having a recognition program that runs all year round companies create a workplace where employees feel valued and motivated all the time, leading to higher morale, better retention and a stronger sense of community within the team.

If you liked these recognition tips and want to learn more 👉 Watch the webinar here!

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Celebrate year-round with Confetti 🎊

Ready to level up your employee recognition program? Confetti has team building events and custom experiences to make it easy to recognize in a meaningful way.

Schedule a call with our team and start recognizing your team not just at the end of the year but all year long!

Meaningful Employee Recognition Ideas for the End-of-Year Celebration