This isn’t a problem I have any more as a full time blogger, but when I worked in an office, I remember it all too well.
Buying gifts for work colleagues can be a real minefield. It obviously depends on your professional environment and the people you work with, but it always made me anxious. You don’t want to spend too little and come across as mean, but neither do you want to go over the top and spend so much you make it feel weird. Like someone desperately trying to be friends 🤢
Then there is the gift itself. Do you go for jokey? Useful? Meaningful? Edible? What if they have an allergy you don’t know about, or you get something they find offensive, or in bad taste? What if they just think it’s a bit rubbish?
Maybe I put too much pressure on myself but I know I’m not the only one. It’s called gift giving anxiety and psychologists have studied it.
I recently helped my other half with this very situation when he had to buy something for a colleague at work, and I thought I would share that advice with you too. So whether it’s a Secret Santa, a gift for a big birthday, a leaving present, a new baby gift, or anything in between, I’ve got you covered, so relax!
There are no official workplace gift tariffs, thankfully, but there are a few guidelines that can help you choose something decent without making the rest of the week awkward.
The Unspoken Rules of Workplace Gifts
The golden rule I used to live by, is that the value of a workplace gift should broadly match your relationship. Think about what you spend on your friends and family and work down from there: a £10 gift can feel like a real treat from a casual colleague, but may feel impersonal from someone you eat lunch with every day and occasionally invite round for a barbecue.
Workplace culture is a factor too. Some offices do cake and cards for every birthday as well as sending a collection round for a gift. Others barely acknowledge them. Read the room and don’t rock the boat.
Where gifts are given, thoughtfulness genuinely matters more than price. Great gifts can be cheap gifts too. Remembering things people have told you – their favourite wine from a specific region, or the fact they grow vegetables on an allotment at the weekends – will lead to gifts that are much more appreciated by the recipient. If that’s the vibe, of course. Some people might genuinely find novelty loo roll hilarious, but you had better be sure if that’s the road you go down! 🫣
The other thing to bear in mind, is why the gift is being bought in the first place. A Secret Santa gift requires a very different approach from a gift for someone who has been in a traffic accident, for example.
Which leads me on nicely to some more specific colleague gift giving advice.
Secret Santa Gifts
This is the easiest workplace gifting scenario, because it’s not supposed to be taken seriously. Plus, the budget is the same for everyone so there is no cost anxiety to deal with 😌 If the limit is £10, you spend £10. Simple!
The budget also limits what you can realistically get, and everyone is in the same boat, so you are unlikely to be shown up. Even if your gift doesn’t go down well, it’s a Secret Santa, so the recipient won’t find out who bought it for them anyway 😂🤫
For me, there are two gift categories here: safe gifts, and funny gifts. Is your person full of character or quieter and more serious? Choose a gift category accordingly.
Safe choices are things like chocolates, posh coffee or tea sets, nice notebooks, small plants, a good mug, etc. Funny gifts will depend on the person and the environment, but anything festive usually goes down well.
Gifts For Colleagues You Know Casually
We are in the territory of birthdays, thank you gifts, and leaving presents here. I think £10 to £15 pounds is plenty for someone you don’t know well. It’s just a gesture. All you want to say is “I thought you might like this”. You don’t want to say “I’m that slightly odd work friend who clings on and won’t let go if you show me any sort of attention”.
You don’t need to think too hard here. Unless you have some instant inspiration, go for the mundane:
- Box of posh biscuits
- Voucher
- Books
- Flowers
- Travel mug
- Desk accessory
- Scented candle
- Toiletries
- Socks
- Wine/Beer (if they drink)
Make a bit of effort with the presentation and a card, and you’ve done the job.
Gifts For Your Best Friend At Work
You know this person pretty well, and might even be friends outside of work, so you probably feel more confident in this scenario.
I might spend up to £30 on someone like this and not feel I was being too generous. The gift itself can be a bit more personal too, with no weird vibes included. It’s hard to make specific suggestions because I don’t know you or the person you work with, but real life examples of mine have included:
- Theatre tickets (for me and her)
- A board game I knew he wanted
- A necklace
- A vinyl record
You could also buy something connected to a shared joke if you didn’t want to go down the sentimental or meaningful route. I once bought someone a custom printed t-shirt because of an ongoing joke we had between us. It said, “Manboy Champion”, which I know doesn’t make sense out of context, but he thought it was funny.
One note here: if you are likely to be spending significantly more than everyone else, or if other people aren’t likely to be buying anything, give the gift privately. Not in the office. You’ll make everybody feel awkward if you hand over a great birthday gift and everyone else gives coffee mugs or thin air 😬
Group Gifts
I love a group gift. Me and my friends actually do this out of choice, but it works well for colleagues too.
You’re probably looking at occasions such as maternity leave, promotions, absence due to illness, retirements, etc. Usually, a set amount per person is agreed, but if it’s a collection, anything from £5 to £10 is usually fine. It depends how many people are contributing. If there are only a few of you give a bit more.
Usually, the colleague closest to the person in question is in charge of buying the gift, so it’s rarely your problem. But if you do end up with the job of present buying, go for something related to the occasion: baby stuff and a new mum survival kit for maternity leave, something a bit special for a retirement like sport memorabilia, expensive spirits, or a good pen. You should have at least £50 to spend here if not more, so your options are wider.
How To Avoid Crossing The Line
We have all seen gifts that go down like a lead balloon. Something inappropriate, or embarrassing, or tatty.
It’s easy to stay on the safe side, but the alternative fear is being boring, so ideally, you want to land somewhere in the middle.
A few tips to avoid crossing the line include:
- No clothes – sizing and styles are difficult, and it feels over familiar.
- No scents – aftershave and perfume are traditionally romantic gifts. You don’t want to start an office rumour.
- No insults – if the gift in some way makes a comment on a person’s age, weight, appearance, or health, steer clear.
- No religion – even if you know a person’s religion, you don’t know their full thoughts on it, so don’t go there.
- No innuendo – anything rude or sex related is out, it’s way too risky.
If you avoid these five categories you should be alright.
Remember, most of the time, a gift for a colleague doesn’t need to be impressive. It just needs to be ‘nice’. In most circumstances, you want their reaction to be “Aww thank you!” with a smile, and that’s it.
If you are unsure, ask yourself one question: Would I feel comfortable explaining this present to everybody else at work? If the answer is no, put it back.