On the surface, it may seem like working from home provides all the perks and comforts your employees need to be productive and successful. Possibly. But every workspace has its challenges and home is no exception. Fortunately, work from home survival kits come in all shapes and sizes, and most can be customized to help your team members better navigate the ups and downs of the remote work environment.
In 2021, over 58% of the US workforce is currently remote, which is almost a 15% increase over the past five years. Looking into the post-pandemic future, there also doesn’t appear to be any slowing of the work from home movement.
According to a March, 2020 survey of over three hundred financial leaders and CFOs, almost 75% of them:
“Plan to shift at least 5% of previously on-site employees to permanently remote positions post-Covid 19” and almost 25% of them “will move at least 20% of their on-site employees to permanent remote positions.”
Work from home survival kits offer so many helpful and thoughtful items to support balancing that load a little. We’ve got varieties of snacks, games, organizational tools, virtual team-building experiences, office accessories, and so much more. Helping your employees thrive in their remote environments is a little easier with these work from home survival kits.
Scroll down slowly and check out these 17 options for promoting a healthy, connected, and most importantly happy remote working team.
List of Work From Home Survival Kit Ideas For Employees
1. Unplugged Box
Working from home doesn’t mean your team doesn’t need a break. Encourage them to walk away from the computer, enjoy a healthy snack, maybe a card game and a cup-o-joe with this uniquely curated work at home survival kit from Caroo.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: Unplugging is so necessary from time to time and this survival kit makes it easy for your team members to do just that.
Price: $64.95
Where to find it: Unplugged Box
2. New Employee Survival Kit
Why not give your new arrivals a customized welcome kit so they can represent your brand while “out there” working? This simple work from home survival kit has all the swag basics covered.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: The bluetooth speaker is ideal for amplifying their conference calls or their meditation music.
Price: $82.60
Where to find it: New Employee Survival Kit
3. Wine Taste At Home Box
Working remotely may also mean not being able to grab a bottle of wine to unwind with on the way home from the office. To ensure your team avoids such a tragedy, have this wfh survival kit shipped directly to their home office.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: With six assorted mini-flights, there’s no real need to dirty any drinkware, and this employee survival kit covers Monday through Friday with a bonus bottle for the weekend (or two for “Friyay”).
Price: $49.00
Where to find it: Wine Taste At Home Box
4. Burts Bees Kit
They work a LOT with their hands so help your team members’ keep their hands (and feet, for that matter) happy and healthy. All the products in this kit are 95% natural and sustainably sourced so it’s a feel-good kit you can feel good about giving.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: This remote working survival kit isn’t only thoughtful, but it appeases the appendages and soothes the soles.
Price: Under $26.00
Where to find it: Burts Bees Kit
5. All-in-One Desk Organizer
When working remotely, some members of your group may not have the same amount of space as they did in the office, so organization is key. Not only does this survival kit idea keep all their goods in order, it comes already packed with all the folders and labels needed to make organizing simple.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: This cool kit carries so much more than meets the eye and keeps it all securely tucked away for easy transport.
Price: $54.90
Where to find it: All-in-One Desk Organizer
6. Mindfulness Box
Stress balls have been around for 33 years. Why? Because they’re simple and effective. So of course there’s one in this (also simple and effective) wfh survival kit from Caroo. Encourage your remote employees to take a minute for themselves with a stress ball, a cup of tea, and empty pages for their thoughts.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: This kit calms the 2pm slump with snacks and stress relief and makes for a thoughtful work from home gift idea.
Price: $64.95
Where to find it: Mindfulness Box
7. Recovery Kit
The gift box is customizable with your company logo and the contents are nothing short of considerate. Keep your herd healthy with this cute and courteous work at home survival kit packed with treats for their health and for their bellies.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: What a kind and mindful care package to let your employees know you care about their health and well-being while working remotely.
Price: Under $17.00
Where to find it: Recovery Kit
8. VIP Treatment At Home Kit
There are just so many items to get excited about in this work from home survival kit idea! From comfort and tech for the home office, to making it easier to unwind at the gym, Caroo knows how to equip your remote working team for success.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: This employee survival kit is a true high-end VIP treatment in a box, complete with an indulgently sweet treat.
Price: Take this 60-second quiz to get personalized results for your remote VIPs.
Where to find it: VIP Treatment At Home Kit
9. Monthly Planning & Stationery Kit
This monthly subscription sends new, thoughtfully crafted stationary and planning tools to your remote team members. Each new month is generously packed with newly designed calendar pages, accessories, and motivational messages to support their peace and structure.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: Each new and minimalistic design is uniquely handcrafted and supports a small-business.
Price: Monthly subscriptions for under $40.00
Where to find it: Monthly Planning & Stationery Kit
10. Celebrate At Home Kit
Having healthy snacks is essential to surviving the remote work environment. This WFH kit has something for the mid-morning-munchies, the post-lunch-pick-me-up, and every craving in between. Organic, purposeful, and guilt-free cookies, chips, fruit snacks, and so much more to ensure no one’s tank runs low.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: It’s full of so many tasty, healthy treats, plus each kit supports “Black, Latinx, AAPI, LGBTQ+, and women-owned” businesses.
Price: $75.00
Where to find it: Celebrate At Home Kit
11. Virtual Happy Hour Kit
Combine a work from home gift and a team-building event, with this festive employee survival kit idea. Nothing brings a virtual team together quite like icebreakers, snacks, and cocktails.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: No need for anyone on the team to leave the house or have to search for their car in the morning with this fun gift that brings happy hour into everyone’s living room.
Price: Head over to Caroo for a customized quote.
Where to find it: Virtual Happy Hour Kit
12. Work • Space • Spark
Success, leadership, and wellness are just some of the career boosting themes promoted in this brilliant employee gift. This work from home survival kit delivers up to 5 office accessories and encouraging items monthly, to uplift and motivate your remote team.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: Every month is a new color theme and a unique selection of empowering tools and positive messages to regularly refuel those career flames.
Price: Monthly subscription for less than $50.00
Where to find it: Work • Space • Spark
13. Winter Cozy Swag Pack
If you don’t already know, “Winter is coming.” Customize some cozy goods for your wfh teams with company branded swag like an insulated coffee mug, a soft, sherpa blanket, and a comfy sweatshirt.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: Everything in this swag pack supports warm and fuzzy feelings for their work space, down to the bamboo candle.
Price: $88.48
Where to find it: Winter Cozy Swag Pack
14. Brew Your Own Beer Kit
“There’s no beer quite as good as the beer you make at home.” Everyone will appreciate the welcome distraction from the daily grind while learning a new skill with this fun, virtual, and fully interactive experience. All ingredients are included and brings your team back together for a phase II to compare (and maybe brag a little) on their brews.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: This wfh survival kit pulls your remote teams together for some creative bonding time, with no stats, charts, or spreadsheets required. And… BEER!
Price: $150.00 per person
Where to find it: Brew Your Own Beer Kit
15. Lavender Care Kit
From seeds to serenity, these personalized pots offer some calm amidst the daily storms. Thoughtfully packaged, this remote work survival kit combines plant care, essential oils, and meditation to nurture peace and overall wellness.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: The soothing properties in lavender promote relaxation and who couldn’t use a little dose of that now and then throughout the day?
Price: Starting around $50.00
Where to find it: Lavender Care Kit
16. Unbox A Mystery Team-Building Kit
Who says you can’t have a little fun at work? Exercise their imaginations and spark a little healthy competition among your remote crew by solving a new mystery together each month. They’ll work together to unlock online clues and determine “who done it” with their coworkers, while flexing their critical thinking skills off the clock.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: The intrigue and creativity of this work from home team building kit is great for really stepping outside the home office and into some suspense and entertainment.
Price: $21.67 monthly
Where to find it: Unbox A Mystery Team-Building Kit
17. Workday Wellness Kit
Tasty snacks and kind words can go a long way in keeping your remote team feeling valued and engaged. Support their wellness with single servings of coffee, cookies, and calmness in this unique employee survival kit.
Why we love this survival kit for employees: This survival kit idea offers a little sweet, a little salty, and a little stress-relief in each thoughtful box.
Price: $52.00
Where to find it: Workday Wellness Kit
Conclusion
Understanding your employees’ needs is a vital part of their success. When working remotely, those needs are likely to change from the previous in-office environment and could possibly use a little extra support. Another survey, also in March, 2020, revealed already that “29% of remote employees struggle with work-life balance and 31% said they needed to take time off for their mental health.”
Life can feel overwhelming in general at times. Appointments, schedules, volunteering, dog walks, homeschooling, practices, and a thousand other personal responsibilities coming from all directions. And then… oh yea… a whole career to foster in the middle of the chaos. Viability is key. Let us know what your favorite work from home survival hack is in the comments below.
People Also Ask These Questions About Work From Home Survival Kits
Q: What is a work from home survival kit?
- A: A work from home survival kit is a thoughtful way of showing appreciation to your employees’ and supporting their needs and goals to ensure they can successfully work remotely.
Q: What should I put in an employee survival kit?
- A: Some things you can put in an employee survival kit include promotional swag, tech gear, organizational accessories, snacks, care packages, and relaxation tools.
Q: Where can I find a pre-made wfh survival kit?
- A: To find a pre-made wfh survival kit, simply scroll up and check out the 17 suggestions we’ve carefully picked out for you.
Q: What are the benefits of sending a work from home survival kit?
- A: The benefits of sending a work from home survival kit may include happier employees, with a healthier work-life balance, resulting in improved engagement and efficiency.
