44 Mental Health and Wellness Items for Employees

We all love presents, but when it comes to corporate gifts, your team usually has high standards, especially when talking about mental health gifts for employees. On one hand, you need to consider the company’s budget, and on the other hand, you really wish to pamper your colleagues, so… How can you do both? 

In this article, HR professionals and people managers will discover an array of thoughtful and practical gifts tailored to enhance mental health awareness and support among employees.

‍

HR teams around the world use Meditopia to plan strategic benefits and build more engaged and productive teams. Ready to learn how? Contact us today for a tailored demo.

Book a Free Demo

What Makes Wellness and Mental Health Gifts Beneficial for Employees?

Mental health gifts for employees offer more than just tokens of appreciation; they serve as tangible expressions of care and support for their well-being. These gifts, or wellness prizes for employees, not only demonstrate an organization's commitment to their team but also contribute to creating a positive work culture that values holistic health.

This is not only about pampering your employees, it’s also about increasing their retention and work satisfaction levels. In fact, it has been proven that companies that have corporate gifting practices increase their retention, improve their performance, and overall employee satisfaction.

When we focus on mental health corporate gifts, we aim at two things: benefiting the company through employee emotional support, and doing the right thing, which is being there for your team.

It’s a way to make their lives better in terms of productivity, mental wellness, work-life balance, stress relief, and relaxation.

Tips for Selecting the Ideal Mental Health and Wellness Gifts for Employees

When choosing wellness prizes for employees, it’s essential to consider options that will genuinely resonate with your team. But it's also important to consider the company budget, the purpose of the wellness gifts, and considering personalized options for remote workers. Here are a few key factors to keep in mind:

• Individual Needs: Personalized wellness gifts can make a powerful impact by addressing employees' specific needs. For example, offering a choice between relaxation kits, fitness gear, or mindfulness tools allows each employee to select what aligns best with their personal wellness goals. Customized wellness giveaways for burnout recovery, such as meditation apps or sleep aids, show that the company cares about individual well-being.
• Company Culture: Wellness gifts should align with your company culture. For example, if your company values work-life balance, gifts that encourage relaxation and recovery, like spa kits or guided meditation subscriptions, reinforce this message. For a fitness-oriented culture, consider wellness giveaways like activity trackers or ergonomic office accessories.
• Budget: Select wellness items that fit within your budget but still feel meaningful. Wellness prizes for employees don’t have to be costly to show appreciation—a small, thoughtfully chosen gift can be just as impactful. For instance, affordable or cheap wellness gifts for employees can also be personalized water bottles, yoga mats, or journals are budget-friendly yet valuable wellness items that show consideration for employee health.

44 Mental Health Gifts For Employees

Now let’s explore 44 mental health awareness gifts for employees that will make them feel included, supported, and excited about working in your company.

Team Building and Social Gifts

These types of gifts are all about creating a vibrant, cohesive, and motivated team. Imagine an environment where colleagues bond over exciting challenges and shared experiences, fostering trust and collaboration through laughs, teamwork, and skills.

The goal is not only boosting morale and camaraderie but also enhancing productivity, making work feel less like a chore and more like a delightful, shared journey. Here are some ideas:

1. Team swag kit: A collection of branded items like t-shirts, mugs, and notebooks that boost team spirit and pride.
2. Virtual team-building activities or games subscription: Access to online games and activities designed to enhance collaboration and camaraderie among remote teams.
3. Customized team photo frames or collages: Personalized frames or collages that display cherished team memories, fostering a sense of unity and belonging.
4. Group cooking or baking class vouchers: Vouchers for team members to join interactive cooking or baking classes, promoting teamwork and fun. Could be online or on-site.
5. Board games or puzzle sets for team game nights: Sets of engaging board games or puzzles for team members to enjoy together, encouraging bonding and relaxation.

Physical Wellness Gifts

Physical activity is one of the most significant determinants of overall well-being. It promotes both physical and mental health, contributing to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improving cognitive skills. And yet, according to The World Health Organization, around 1.4 billion adults are not sufficiently active.

1. ‍Virtual Fitness Membership: Offering a virtual fitness membership is a great wellness gift idea for employees. Through online programs and assisted videos, individuals can move their bodies in a way that matches their personal needs. Another benefit is that they can exercise whenever and wherever they want to.
2. ‍Compact Desk Exercise Equipment: If your budget is small, you can also offer small exercise items like resistance bands, mini dumbbells, or under-desk pedal exercisers encourage physical activity during breaks, supporting fitness and productivity.
3. ‍Fitness Trackers: A fitness tracker is a classic wellness gift that encourages physical activity and helps employees monitor their health metrics. It’s a great wellness prize for employees focused on fitness goals, and for those interested in starting a less sedentary lifestyle. There are also many affordable models you can choose from. ‍
4. Yoga Mats with Carrying Straps: Yoga mats make thoughtful wellness items for employees interested in fitness or mindfulness exercises. A carrying strap allows them to take it to the office, home, or outdoor spaces. You can also personalize the mats with your company's name or logo.

Mental Wellness Gifts

Mental wellness gifts focus on reducing stress, promoting mindfulness, and enhancing emotional well-being. Whether through relaxation tools, guided meditation, or self-care items, these gifts help create a calmer, more balanced state of mind.

1. Personal Coaching Services: A personal coach can guide and support your employees as they go through difficult times and resolve their work-related issues. After all, becoming a mentally resilient individual is easier with a helper. So, providing your employees with personal coaching services is a unique way of demonstrating your care for them.
2. Inspirational Desk Calendar: Affirmations and quotes have the power to develop a mentally resilient mindset. They enable embracing the change we want to see in ourselves. So, we can be productive and maintain our motivation to work while prioritizing self-care and staying inspired. A desk calendar crafted for your team is a great gift to keep the spirit up. You can include: Photos of your team, motivational quotes from famous or inspiring people, some inside jokes and sayings.
3. Emotional Wellness Books
4. ‍Curate a small collection of books on emotional well-being, mindfulness, or personal growth that employees can use for self-reflection. It's also a great excuse to start your own book club as part of mental health games at work.
5. ‍The Gift of Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the practice of purposefully bringing your attention to the present moment to witness what is there without making judgments. Mindfulness is an effective tool to manage chronic pain, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, treat chronic stress, improve sleep quality, and enhance attention.

Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) are generally conducted as a group lasting for several weeks. Some examples include Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, which are the models that inspire Meditopia's programs, talks, and meditations.

MBSR was also found to be an effective intervention for people experiencing chronic physical problems, and MBCT was found to be an effective intervention for people with depressive symptoms. Since these programs improve certain mental conditions, it is a good idea to conduct a needs assessment, define your target group, and then employ the right MBP.

Subscription Tools

Subscriptions as mental health gifts for employees are a delightful way to promote well-being, offering a consistent stream of joy and relaxation. These thoughtful gifts provide employees with regular treats and experiences that help them unwind and stay engaged.

They can reduce stress, enhance focus, and foster a sense of appreciation and value. By showing you care about their mental well-being, these subscriptions create a happier, healthier, and more motivated work environment, making employees feel truly supported and cherished.

1. Language learning app subscription: Access to apps or platforms that help employees learn new languages, enhancing personal and professional development.
2. Digital magazine or audiobook subscription: A service providing a wide range of digital magazines or audiobooks for entertainment and learning.
3. Online fitness or yoga class subscription: Membership to virtual fitness or yoga classes that promote physical health and well-being. They should be classes for all levels.
4. Mindfulness and meditation tools subscription like Meditopia: Access to mindfulness and meditation resources to reduce stress and improve mental health. Meditopia, for example, also empowers employees because it's available in 12 languages and whenever they need to unwind.
5. Creative design or photo editing software subscription: Subscription to software for creative design or photo editing, enhancing productivity and creative skills. It's also a fun way to increase camaraderie.

Healthy Lifestyle Gifts

Their goal is to promote wellness and vitality, encouraging employees to maintain a balanced and active lifestyle through this mental health swag. This type of mental health corporate gifts boost energy levels and enhance overall well-being. By providing tools and resources that encourage healthy habits, you show employees that their health matters, fostering a culture of care and support.

These gifts not only help reduce stress and increase productivity but also make employees feel valued and motivated to bring their best selves to work every day.

1. Healthy snack gift baskets or fruit delivery subscriptions: Regular deliveries of nutritious snacks or fresh fruit to promote healthy eating habits. Consider allergies and personal diets.
2. Re-usable water bottle: A durable, eco-friendly water bottle encouraging hydration and reducing plastic waste. It could have your company's logo.
3. Indoor herb garden kit: A kit for growing herbs indoors, adding fresh flavors to meals and a touch of greenery to the workspace. Besides, gardening can also be a refreshing hobby for many.
4. Air purifier or essential oil diffuser: Devices that improve air quality and create a soothing atmosphere with pleasant scents.
5. Ergonomic desk accessories or standing desk converters: Tools that enhance workspace comfort and support better posture, reducing strain and fatigue.

Self-Care and Relaxation Gifts

1. Sleep Hygiene Box: Studies support that in addition to sleep's effects on cognitive skills such as decision-making, attention, and learning, sleep deprivation can also cause an increase in stress and depressive symptoms. Moreover, sleep hygiene can be defined as the rules and methods that we apply to improve our sleep quality. A sleep hygiene box can include: teas, sleep masks, smart lightbulbs, humidifiers, meditation app subscriptions, and cozy socks or blankets.
2. ‍Self-Care Box: A self-care box can take many forms depending on your goal. The first step is to determine how you want these gifts to benefit your employees. Start by understanding your employees' needs. If your goal is to help them pamper themselves, you can include a bath bomb set in the box. If your goal is to help your employees ease the tension in their bodies, you can include a massage voucher.
3. Self-Care Leave Check: Orignal wellness prizes for employees like a self-care leave check remind them that you support them through their emotional struggles. When their organizations are on their side, employees feel valued and assured that there are no negative consequences to taking care of themselves.
4. ‍Mini Desk Plants: A small and easy to care plant, such as a succulent, a potos, or a snake plant, can bring a touch of nature to employees’ workspaces. These self-care wellness items for employees add freshness and can help lower stress levels, while also giving them a sense of fulfillment for taking care of the plant. Besides, who doesn't like a little green at the office?
5. ‍Personalized Tea Gift Sets: You can offer customized tea sets featuring a variety of calming and invigorating teas, paired with a personalized coroporate mug. These make affordable, relaxing wellness giveaways that employees can use anytime on a remote or on site environment. Please, try to consider personal dietary preferences and allergies, too.
6. ‍Guided Relaxation or Sleep Meditation Cards: Small cards with guided breathing exercises, sleep meditation steps, or relaxing affirmations can ease the mind before bedtime. Access to Meditopia's Mindfulness Program gives your team full access to 1000+ meditations, breathing exercises, natural sounds, and music to soothe their mind at work and home equally. ‍
7. Cozy Socks or Warm Blanket: Warming up your feet can improve circulation and help the body prepare for sleep, so cozy socks or a small blanket make a thoughtful addition. For hotter seasons, you can consider small portable fans, customized hats, sleeveless shirts, and flipflops.

Work-Life Balance Gifts

These gifts support, along with other mental health awareness activities, relaxation and leisure, encourage employees to take time for themselves and their loved ones. By promoting a healthy work-life balance, you show that you value their well-being and understand the importance of downtime.

These thoughtful gestures can reduce burnout, increase job satisfaction, and enhance overall productivity, making employees feel appreciated and motivated to maintain a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.

1. Personalized planner or journal: Customized tools for organizing tasks and thoughts, fostering productivity and workplace mindfulness.
2. Massage or spa gift certificates: Vouchers for relaxation and rejuvenation, promoting stress relief and self-care.
3. Noise-canceling headphones or earbuds: Devices that block out distractions, enabling a productivity boost and concentration in any environment.
4. Virtual assistant or task management app subscription: Access to digital tools that streamline tasks and increase efficiency, helping to stay organized and on track, while also promoting work-life balance.
5. Hobby course: Enrollment in a class to explore personal interests and passions, promoting creativity and personal growth. Some ideas are ceramic, swimming, gardening, or art.

Which of these mental health awareness items would you consider fit for your team? You can learn more about mental health day off policy in our specialized blog.

Remote Employees Gifts

Working remotely can create an abstract barrier between the company and the employees' well-being and motivation. You can reduce it by taking into consideration what could make your remote employees' work life more comfortable, and improve work from home mental health. A positive reinforcement like recognizing the unique challenges of remote work and providing tools or treats that make the home office experience better, shows your genuine care and support.

1. Ergonomic home office accessories (e.g., lumbar support pillows, laptop stands): Tools for comfort and posture improvement, enhancing productivity during remote work.
2. Coffee or tea gift sets: Packages of high-quality beverages, providing a delightful pick-me-up for busy workdays. Consider allergies and personal diets.
3. Powerbanks and stickers for their laptop: Handy portable chargers and laptop decorations, ensuring connectivity and personalization on the go. You could have a lot of fun with this idea if you consider inner jokes or memes.
4. Digital gift cards for meal delivery services: Convenient vouchers for delicious meals, saving time and effort during busy workdays. Consider allergies and diet preferences as well.
5. Virtual team-building experiences, such as virtual escape rooms or online trivia games: Interactive online activities fostering teamwork and camaraderie among remote teams.

Mental Health Care Package Ideas

A thoughtfully curated mental health care package is a powerful way to support employees' well-being and show appreciation. These stress relief gifts are designed to promote relaxation, mindfulness, and healthy habits, making them ideal for boosting morale and fostering a positive workplace culture. Here are some creative options to consider:

1. ‍Package 1: Self-Care Essentials: Ideal for helping employees unwind and recharge, this package focuses on relaxation and comfort:‍

• Aromatherapy Oils or Candles: Promote a calming environment with scents like lavender or chamomile.‍
• Bath Bombs or Salts: Encourage stress relief and relaxation during downtime.‍
• Cozy Socks or a Blanket: Add a touch of warmth and comfort for at-home relaxation.

2. ‍Package 2: Mindfulness and Relaxation Tools: Perfect for fostering mental clarity and focus, this package includes tools to practice mindfulness:‍

• Journals or Notebooks: Provide a space for reflection and gratitude exercises. ‍
• Adult Coloring Books and Colored Pencils: Encourage creativity and stress relief through mindful coloring.‍
• Meditation or Mindfulness App Subscriptions: Offer guided practices for relaxation and stress management.

3. ‍Package 3: Healthy Snacks: A great option for promoting both physical and mental well-being, this package includes nutritious treats (please, consider dietary preferences and allergies):‍

• Nuts and Dried Fruit Mix: Provide a quick energy boost with healthy snacks.
• ‍Herbal Teas: Promote relaxation with blends like chamomile or green tea.‍
• Dark Chocolate: Indulge in a mood-boosting treat that’s rich in antioxidants.