Everyone loves birthdays — except at work. At work, they can be somehow awkward and obligatory. Emotional discomfort, hurt feelings, and misunderstandings are all there. People even have to fake they like the gifts… so be careful, urges the expertbusinessadvice.com website.
Office gifts for the boss
There are fewer bosses than employees. So when you are about to buy a gift, you should consider getting the entire department or office involved. Making gift giving a group event can create a more comfortable situation for everyone. It will be cheaper for you and won't send the wrong signals to your boss or your peers.
Buying gift for boss on your own
Make sure it's not too expensive or way better than what you think your coworkers are going to get. You definitely don’t want the gift to look like a bribe. A good idea is to give the gift to your boss in private, not in front of the rest of the office.
What to give? Something functional
Look for something that the boss can actually use. Your boss probably has endless supply of novelty gifts and trinkets that ultimately take up space and collect dust. Try going through this list:
Good Ideas
- Coffee shop gift certificate
- Laptop bag
- Concert tickets
- Boxing lessons
- Yoga sessions
- Massage
- An annual subscription to his/her favorite magazine
- High-quality pen
- Gift card
- Gourmet gift basket
It is usually a good idea to rule out gifts that may offend or insult someone, gifts that may appear to be sexual in nature, and gifts that contain inappropriate language.
Bad Ideas
- “Dummies” or “Idiot’s Guide” books
- Sexy lingerie
- Awkward, profane or offensive T-shirts
- “World’s Best Boss” stuff
-jk-