Long Service Awards: Gift Ideas by Years of Service
Long service awards by milestone: which gift fits five, ten, twenty or twenty-five years, how to personalise and present it, and how to set up a scheme that stays fair.
By Zintora Team
Long service awards thank employees who reach a milestone such as ten, twenty or twenty-five years with the company. They work best as a published scheme: one award per milestone, each a clear step up, personalised where the product allows, presented in person and budgeted in advance so nobody is missed.
This guide covers how to structure a long service award scheme, which gifts from the current range suit each milestone, how to personalise and present them, and what to plan before the first award date. Every product and starting price comes from the live Zintora catalogue on 28 October 2026. If you are looking at recognition more broadly, including promotions and targets, our guide to employee recognition gifts covers the wider programme; this one is only about years of service.
What makes a long service award different
A long service award is not a thank-you for a busy month. It marks a record that the whole company can see, and it is usually given only a few times in a career. That changes the brief:
- It must last. People keep long service awards for years. Choose items that are built to be used daily and that age well: metal, linen, bamboo and heavy fabrics rather than throwaway promotional items.
- It must feel personal. A logo alone reads as merchandise. A name, the number of years or a short message, on the item or on a card, makes it an award.
- It must be consistent. Two people reaching twenty years in the same quarter should receive the same thing. A written scheme avoids awkward comparisons.
- It is often presented in public. A team meeting, an all-hands call or a small lunch. Presentation and packaging matter more than for most gifts.
Setting the milestones
Most UK companies start their scheme at five or ten years and then mark every five years after that. A common structure:
- Five years: a quality everyday item, personalised.
- Ten years: a more substantial item, presented in a box.
- Fifteen years: a set of two or three items, or a premium version of the ten-year award.
- Twenty years: a set presented in a rigid gift box, with a letter from a director.
- Twenty-five years and beyond: the most substantial award in the scheme, and often a choice between two or three options.
Whatever you choose, write it down: which milestones you mark, what each one receives, who presents it and how the date is triggered. Pull the dates from the HR system once a quarter so nothing is missed.
Long service award ideas by milestone
The table matches each milestone with items from the current range. Prices are starting prices ex VAT; printing and delivery are extra, UK import VAT and duties are paid on delivery.
| Milestone | Award idea | Personalisation on the product page | From (ex VAT) | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Five years | Voyage Travel Mug | Laser engraving, UV printing | £15.01 | 25 |
| Five years | Ledger Hardcover Journal | Foil stamping, custom bookplate, slipcase printing | £13.58 | 25 |
| Ten years | Wooden Digital Clock | Laser engraving, UV printing, screen printing | £20.02 | 25 |
| Ten years | Align Monitor Stand | Laser engraving | £19.30 | 15 |
| Fifteen years | Lumen Desk Lamp | Base printing, branded box | £22.16 | 15 |
| Twenty years | Traverse Backpack | Rubber patch, tone-on-tone embroidery | £32.88 | 15 |
| Twenty-five years | Commute Roll-Top Backpack | Reflective printing, rubber patch | £38.60 | 15 |
| Any milestone, presentation | Crate Premium Gift Box | Foil stamping, interior printing, custom padding | £4.65 | 50 |
Each product page states its own minimum order. For a scheme that gives a handful of awards a year, batch ordering (covered below) is the practical way to meet those minimums.
Five years: something used every day
At five years, the award should be personal and practical. The Voyage Travel Mug is a 400 ml vacuum-insulated stainless steel mug with a one-handed flip lid, and it takes laser engraving, which suits the number of years or a short line of text. The Ledger Hardcover Journal is an A5 linen-bound journal with copper foil stamping, gilded edges and 120 g/m² cream paper. Each unit can include a bookplate page printed to order, a natural place for a name and the date of the milestone.
Ten years: something for the desk
At ten years, step up to an item that changes the working day. The Align Monitor Stand raises a monitor to eye level on a solid bamboo platform, supports up to 20 kg and takes a laser-engraved logo on the front edge. The Wooden Digital Clock is a desk object that is seen every day; laser engraving keeps the mark discreet.
Fifteen years: a premium desk set
The Lumen Desk Lamp is a minimalist bar-style LED lamp with touch dimming, three colour temperatures and USB-C power, so it moves between the office and home. Its weighted, fabric-wrapped base carries a subtle printed logo, and it can come in a branded box. Paired with a Ledger Hardcover Journal, it makes a clear step up from the ten-year award.
Twenty and twenty-five years: the most substantial awards
For the longest service, choose an item people will carry for years. The Traverse Backpack is a 22 litre commuter backpack with a padded laptop compartment for laptops up to 16 inches, branded discreetly with a rubber patch or tone-on-tone embroidery. The Commute Roll-Top Backpack is the roll-top alternative, branded with reflective printing or a rubber patch. At twenty-five years, many companies combine the backpack with a journal and an engraved pen and let the employee choose between two sets.
Personalising long service awards
Personalisation is what turns a good product into an award, but what is possible depends on the item and the technique:
- Engraving. Laser engraving is listed on the Voyage Travel Mug, the Align Monitor Stand and the Wooden Digital Clock. It is permanent and one tone, so short text works best: a name, "20 years" or a date.
- Printed bookplates and cards. The Ledger Hardcover Journal offers a custom bookplate printed to order. A card inside the box can carry a longer message.
- Inside the box. The Crate Premium Gift Box has a custom-printed interior, and the inside of the lid can carry a message for the milestone.
- Embroidery and patches. The backpacks take a logo, not usually an individual name.
Whether each unit can carry a different name or year is confirmed in the quote for the specific product and quantity. If it is not possible, keep the item neutral and put the personal part on the card, bookplate or lid. The digital proof shows every mark before production, and nothing is produced until you approve it.
Presentation: the moment matters
The way a long service award is handed over is often what the employee remembers:
- Use a rigid box for the higher tiers. The Crate Premium Gift Box is a rigid presentation box with a magnetic closure, a soft-touch laminated exterior and die-cut foam or crinkle paper filling, with the logo foil stamped on the outside. Our branded gift boxes page shows the box options.
- Add a letter. A short, specific letter from a director, naming what the person has contributed, is worth more than a generic certificate.
- Present it in person. Even five minutes in a team meeting matters. For remote staff, deliver the award before the call so it can be opened on camera.
Running the scheme: budget, approval and batches
Budget per tier
Set a budget per person for each milestone and include the item, the personalisation, the box and delivery. The table gives a starting point: from £13.58 ex VAT for a five-year journal to £38.60 ex VAT for a twenty-five-year backpack, before presentation.
Ordering in batches
Because each product has a minimum order, order a year's worth of each tier in one run and hand the awards out as the dates arrive. Keep the branding on the item neutral when you batch, and put the name and the year on a card or bookplate. Production takes 10 to 20 working days after proof approval, confirmed in the quote.
Delivery
Send the award to the office where it will be presented, or to the employee's home for remote staff. Zintora delivers across the UK and internationally to Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, to one office or to each person.
Long service awards and HMRC
HMRC has specific rules for long service awards, and what you report and pay depends on how long the employee has worked for you, the value of the award and whether it is cash or a non-cash item. The GOV.UK page on long-service awards sets out what is exempt. General information, not tax advice. Check with your accountant.
Sustainability questions
If your company reports on purchasing, ask for the details with the quote: material composition, an estimated carbon footprint per product and documentation for certified products. The Traverse Backpack has a recycled polyester shell and the Align Monitor Stand is bamboo, according to their product pages. The only certificate we name is the GRS of The Tenth House, checked per lot; certificates for other products are available on request. More is on our sustainability page.
Long service awards checklist
- Milestones agreed: for example five, ten, fifteen, twenty and twenty-five years
- One award chosen per milestone, each a clear step up
- Budget per tier set, including personalisation, box and delivery
- Personalisation checked on each product page
- Neutral branding for batch orders, name and year on the card or bookplate
- Letter template for directors written
- Presentation planned: team meeting, lunch or video call
- Award dates for the next year pulled from the HR system
- HMRC rules checked with your accountant
- Batch order placed with time for proof, production and delivery
Frequently asked questions
What is a good long service award?
An item that is used daily and lasts: an engraved travel mug, a linen-bound journal, a desk lamp, a monitor stand or a quality backpack, presented in a box with a personal letter.
At which years should we give long service awards?
Many companies start at five or ten years and then mark every five years. What matters is that the scheme is written down and applied the same way to everyone.
Can each long service award be engraved with a name?
Laser engraving is listed on products such as the Voyage Travel Mug and the Align Monitor Stand. Whether each unit can carry a different name is confirmed in the quote.
How do we meet minimum orders with only a few awards a year?
Order a year's worth of each tier in one batch with neutral branding, then add the name and year on a card, bookplate or box lid.
Can you deliver awards to remote employees?
Yes. List the addresses in your request and the quote confirms delivery to each destination.
Planning your scheme? Browse the catalogue and our corporate gifts page, or request a quote with your milestones, the number of awards per tier and the dates. If you have a question first, contact us.