Employee Rewards Ideas Built Around Custom Socks
By Victoria Simmons
The best employee rewards are earned, tied to a moment and useful enough to keep. Custom socks fit all three: design a pair for a milestone, a peer nomination or a sales target, keep each run limited, and hand it over with a few words about why. Kohl's, Peloton, Chick-fil-A and Coca-Cola have all put custom socks to work with their teams.
A reward nobody notices doesn't change anything. A points portal no one logs into or a gift card spent on groceries leaves the effort you meant to thank feeling unseen.
Employee rewards ideas with custom socks
First-day socks: a pair in your colors in every welcome kit, so new hires feel part of the team on day one.
Peer-nominated socks: a new design each quarter for the people their coworkers nominate.
Quota socks: a limited design for everyone who hits the quarter's target, made once and never reissued.
Anniversary socks: a colorway saved for each milestone year.
Team socks: matching pairs for a crew that works together on the floor, in the field or at events.
Appreciation day socks: a design made for one company event, worn by everyone who shows up.
Three real programs
Kohl's: socks for every new hire. Kohl's wanted something in its new employee onboarding packet that people would use every day, at work and at home. We designed a sock built around the Kohl's brand, and Kohl's added a pair to each new hire's packet. Read the Kohl's case study.
Peloton: socks for the instructors. Peloton asked for a sock that worked for workouts and for the office, so we made a custom athletic ankle sock. Its cycle class instructors wore them, and Peloton brought them to its Culture & Code recruiting event at AfroTech 2019. Read the Peloton case study.
Chick-fil-A and Coca-Cola: socks for an appreciation day. The two brands teamed up on a co-branded sock for a Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day event, worn by employees of both companies. After strong feedback from those employees, Coca-Cola has come back for the yearly event year after year. Read the Chick-fil-A and Coca-Cola case study.
What makes a sock reward work
It's earned. Socks handed to everyone are swag. Socks tied to a nomination or a target are a story.
Each design marks a moment. A quarter, an anniversary or a launch gives the pair a meaning beyond the logo.
Runs are limited. A design that's made once is worth collecting.
The quality holds up. A reward that wears out fast sends the wrong message. Our custom crew socks are 70% combed cotton with 200-needle knitting, a no-slip cuff and a reinforced toe and heel. For active teams, athletic crew socks add a compression cuff and a terry cloth bottom.
It repeats. A new design on a schedule keeps the program from fading.
How to start your own program
Pick one behavior to reward, like onboarding, peer recognition, sales targets or anniversaries.
Design for wear. Bold is good, but make it a pair people would choose outside work.
Start small. Most styles start at 50 pairs, so you can pilot with one team first.
Launch with a story. Show the first design, explain how to earn it, and hand out the first pairs in front of the team.
Plan a month ahead. Socks take 2 to 3 weeks to make after you approve the design, so lock each design before the quarter closes.
Here's a simple example. Say a sales team of 80 usually has about 30 reps hit quota each quarter. Order 50 pairs of that quarter's design. The 30 winners get theirs at the quarterly meeting. The rest stay in reserve for reps who close late or new hires who hit their first target.
When socks aren't the right reward
Socks work for recognition. They don't replace pay. If you're asking for a big push, socks on top of a real bonus feel like a thank-you. Socks in place of a bonus can feel like a slight. And if only two or three people earn a reward each quarter, a handwritten note and some time off may mean more than a 50-pair run.
For more ways to thank your team, see our guides to employee recognition gifts, employee incentive gifts and custom sock gift ideas for employees.
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Frequently asked questions
What are good employee rewards ideas?
Rewards that are earned and tied to a moment: first-day socks for new hires, a quarterly design for peer nominees, a limited pair for everyone who hits a target, or a colorway for each work anniversary.
Are socks a good employee reward?
Yes, when they're earned and designed well. People wear a good pair for years, so the recognition stays visible long after the meeting where it was handed out.
How do we keep a rewards program from going stale?
Change the design on a set schedule, such as every quarter, and never reissue an old one, so people have a reason to collect them.
What if only a few people earn the reward?
Most of our sock styles start at 50 pairs. Leave the date off the design so the extras can go to the next group that earns it.
How do sock rewards compare to gift cards?
A gift card gets spent and forgotten. A pair of reward socks gets worn again and again, and coworkers ask about them.
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