Holidays are just around the corner and everybody is shopping for the gifts. You may consider it hard to find a gift for your co-workers and especially for the boss, so we thought we’d share a few ideas.
How to Buy?
How much to spend on your boss and your co-workers? You don’t want to look cheap and, at the same time, don’t want to end up with huge credit card bill. There are also company policies and certain guidelines of office gift-giving:
Decide on maximum amount of spending per gift. Typically companies suggest that gifts cost no more than $25. Some companies even limit the price to $10 or under.
Don’t buy too personal items. Perfume, clothes, jewelry, etc. is not a good gift idea.
Don’t buy anything expensive for your boss. He knows how much you make and you don’t want to look like you are trying to curry his or her favor.
Know who to get gifts for. You should not feel obligated to purchase gifts for anyone in the workplace, but it might be a nice gesture to express thanks to a special mentor during the holidays: direct reports, co-workers from your department, office manager or secretary, your boss, your close friends at work.
Group gift is a good idea. If you work in a big department you may consider a group gift. You can bake nice cake/cookies or buy a basket of candies for common area such as the kitchen or break room.
What to Buy? 10 gift ideas.
Movie or theater tickets are making a nice gift.
Picture frames and photo albums. You can make the photograph and place it in an attractive frame for your boss or co-worker.
Memory books and scrapbooks. At memory books all members of a team should write comments and share high points of the year. Scrap books with pictures of staff activities, positive notes from customers, team comments and memory notes, etc. People appreciate gifts that commemorate good times and successes at work.
Card cases. It would not be very expensive and can be given to all without much hassle, as all of us need them badly.
Calendars. It can be day-by-day desk calendars or traditional wall calendars.
Magazine Subscriptions. It will cost around $12-$25 depending on the magazine.
Gift baskets. You can buy a basket or make your own. Just select a theme: a basket for coffee lovers, tea lovers, chocolate or fruits lovers, etc. It makes a very good gift.
Mugs/Personalized Mugs. There is a big choice of mugs with different sizes, colors and pictures on them. You can even personalize it for your boss and co-workers, e.g. print a phrase like “Big Boss”, “Great Co-Worker”, etc.
Stress relief gifts. Ideas for him: book/magazine full of hilarious cartoons or jokes, Chinese stress balls or squeezable stress relief balls. Ideas for her: aromatherapy oils and candles, CD with stress-relieving music or soothing sounds, funny books, a pot with flower.
Office supplies and other personalized items: stationery, pen sets, organizers, business card holders, books, CDs, or DVDs.
Holidays are just around the corner and everybody is shopping for the gifts. You may consider it hard to find a gift for your co-workers and especially for the boss, so we thought we’d share a few ideas.
