The gift-giving season picks up every time the holidays set in and it is never too early to think ahead. We have to find appropriate gifts to share with our friends and family. Considering that everyone has his or her own preference, finding the right gift for our loved ones is a challenging and stressful affair. You have to research extensively to figure out what would suit each and every person that you intend to gift during the holidays. This is not only tiring, it is time-consuming as well. And that’s not all, you have to find appropriate gifts for your co-workers in the office as well. How do you even figure out what each co–worker wants? Is it even appropriate to give gifts at the office? To answer all these questions, we have come up with tips that will help you navigate smoothly through the holiday gift-giving season at your office.
Stick to the rules
Most offices have rules concerning the issuance of gifts at the office. It could be that there is a cash limit to the value of gifts that can be exchanged at the office. The limit is usually set very low so as to make it affordable for everyone to participate in the event. Most companies set the limit at the $10 mark and issuing gifts exceeding this value is considered a violation of company regulations. Some companies have even outlawed giving gifts at the workplace. If this is the case, then you are obliged not to give gifts to your co–workers. Sometimes workers may be short of cash and to avoid embarrassing situations at the workplaces, the management may choose to ban the issuance of gifts altogether.
Group gifts
The coworkers may decide to purchase a gift as a group for the bosses at work. This will require the coworkers to contribute a small amount each for the gift. Since most of these endeavors are voluntary, you can opt out if you are short of cash. This, however, could paint you in bad light before your coworkers and the best thing would be to contribute for the gift even if it’s $5.
Baked goods are good as office gifts
If you are not sure what gifts to give your coworkers, home baked goods would be a great idea. Cookies and cakes are ideal for the office and they can be shared around among the members. If you are a good cook, baked goods make for a cheap option for a gift. Ask your kids to help you bake and store the cake or cookies safely for your workmates. If you don’t know how to bake, then you can buy freshly baked goods at your nearest supermarket or pastry shop. Sweets are also great gift ideas for the office. You can buy them in bulk and share them with your coworkers. Before sharing any of these food items, ask your coworkers to find out if they have any allergies or food restrictions.
Avoid personal items for gifts
Personal items are not great for office gifts. You can give them to partner at home but not to your co–workers in the workplace. They include lotions, lingerie, jewelry and anything that comes into contact with the body. Such items are inappropriate and invasive. They are also unprofessional and they may end up creating a lot of tension at the office. Items such as lingerie are sexual in nature (which may seem obvious to most people yet it is worth mentioning) and the receiver may see it as sexual harassment. Perfumes also fall into this category and they should be avoided when it comes to giving gifts at the office.
Gifts for your boss
You should avoid giving gifts to your bosses at work since your coworkers may take it as an attempt to earn favor with the superiors. If you have to give your boss a gift, then you should keep it simple. Don’t give them expensive items as this is very inappropriate. A gift card or a book are some of the best corporate gift ideas for your superiors.
Conclusion
Giving gifts are the office need not be stressful and complicated. The above-mentioned tips will make it even less so.
