Knowing What Types of Gifts to Give in the Workplace
Tricia Gehl, Boon Coach
Secret Santa, White Elephant, something for your manager, something for the person who showed you how to create an editable PDF...the list of workplace Holiday gifts goes on and on. Most of us experience great joy through giving and love picking out just the right gift for the special people in our lives.
Navigating workplace gift-giving, however, can get a bit tricky. Gift-giving is intimate and personal, and although many of us may be close with a number of our colleagues, we may not have the type of relationship with them that would make it easy to select an appropriate gift.
Reading the Room
(Company) cultural awareness
Using your company’s culture and values framework as a place to start when selecting gifts for those you may not have a personal relationship with is a good idea. Does your company pride itself on promoting a culture of wellbeing in the workplace? Perhaps a pack of beautiful self-care or affirmation cards would be appropriate. Does your company’s values framework highlight community and societal responsibility? Perhaps a gift that is rooted in being of service or volunteering would be appropriate.
Taste and tone
Work within a more conservative industry or at a more traditional company? Perhaps a blow-up snowman with a precariously placed carrot is not the best way to go. Consider gifts that you feel would be appropriate if opened in front of your parents or grandparents. Work within a more creative industry or at a non-traditional company, where individuality and quirkiness are valued and encouraged? Consider gifts that are fun, playful, or centered in creative living and individual thought (I’d still stay away from that snowman, however.).
Following the rules
Understand the assignment. If there were parameters provided for the gift-giving be sure to stay within the lines. Most company sponsored gift exchanges come with a set of rules, whether it be a certain dollar amount, a specific type of gift, or a prescribed theme. To keep things balanced and fair, be sure to honor the guidelines that have been provided.
Getting Individual with It
Know your audience. Does the person you’re buying for love cats? Is travel their greatest passion and hobby? Is their idea of self-care spending an hour on their most recent home redecorating project? Use what you know about them to select a gift that is aligned with their interests, preferences, and hobbies
Buy based on their preferences, not yours. If your colleague is a sports fanatic, your gift should represent their favorite team and not yours. It’s all about personalization, after all. If your manager wears brightly colored or witty slogan-covered socks every day, but the idea of receiving socks as a gift makes you want to roll your eyes, remember it’s not about you! Select the gift based on what they’d be excited to receive
Make an effort. We are all incredibly busy, stressed, and spread too thin; despite that, there’s no reason to phone it in. There are plenty of online gift-giving sites that make it easy to order and ship creative, heartfelt, and customized gifts. Putting in the effort will help the person on the receiving end feel seen, valued, and appreciated
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