• Anniversary gifts for an employee are an excellent way to honor a hard worker.office birthday image by DXfoto.com from Fotolia.com
  
  Many companies reward employees for outstanding and loyal service with a gift of gratitude on the employee's anniversary. The company does not have to give a gift every anniversary year. However, on special milestones such as a 10- or 20-year anniversary, a special gift is a thoughtful sign of employee appreciation. Employee anniversary gift ideas range the gamut from award plaques to comical knickknacks. These anniversary gifts do not need to be extravagant, but they should show the employee that the company appreciates her work.
  
  

Engraved Items

• One of the most popular gift ideas for employee anniversaries is an engraved item, such as a plaque or trophy. You can find plaques and trophies in a wide variety of materials, ranging from glass to gold. Typically, an anniversary plaque includes an engraved message stating the employee's name and a special message from the company. Some plaques or freestanding trophies even include a photo frame so that the employee may commemorate his time in the workplace with a photograph. A personalized pen set is another gift idea that you can engrave with a special message from the employer to the employee.
  
  

Comical Gifts

• Funny and comical gift ideas can be a great employee gift. Before investigating a funny gift idea, personnel should consider the atmosphere of the workplace. Comical or risque gifts are not appropriate for all work settings, and any gift-giver should consider this fact before buying a comical employee anniversary gift. One comical idea is a personalized "diploma" declaring the employee's competence in the workplace. Another example of an employee gag gift is to buy the employee a comical sign related to workplace culture, such as a sign that reads, "Please Let Me Drop Everything and Work On Your Problem." An employee may also enjoy a gift that makes a humorous statement about the hectic atmosphere of the workplace. For example, an office can purchase a personalized coffee mug that contains a checklist of everything the employee does in a day. You can also find funny stress relief presents for an employee. Stress balls are a popular gift, but an office can personalize the stress ball with slogans, such as the to-the-point "FU" Stress Ball sold on various gift websites.
  
  

Coupons

• A coupon or gift certificate is another nice gift for an employee during her anniversary. A manager or the entire office staff can pitch in to pay for a substantial gift certificate at a restaurant, entertainment facility, getaway, retail store or service establishment, such as a spa.
  
  

Outings

• The boss or entire office staff can pitch in for a large work day outing for the employee. The outing can be during an extra long lunch or an after-work event. A popular idea for an outing is a nice dinner with the staff or drinks at a local bar.