The Four Best Business Gift Ideas
Sometimes, the hardest part of working in an office is not navigating business challenges but navigating office etiquette. Giving gifts is a surprisingly routine part of office culture, whether for birthdays, retirement parties, special conferences, or holidays.
Giving gifts in the business world is hard to navigate because you have to strike the right balance between gifts that show a personal touch but are still office appropriate. It’s also hard to give gifts when you don’t know the person well, but these business gift ideas, including corporate gift baskets, are office-appropriate for any occasion.
- Good Coffee (or Other Beverages)
If the coffee pot is a popular hangout spot for people in your office, get your fellow java fiends a gift that fuels this hobby (or addiction). A thoughtful coffee-related gift can include high-quality coffee from a small press, a novelty coffee cup, and a selection of coffee-appropriate snacks.
If the person you are buying gifts for is not the biggest fan of coffee, you can always create a gift around another beverage of choice. A nice mug with high-end tea is a great choice, particularly for a retirement party. You can also gift a bottle of classy wine if your business culture allows tasteful consumption of alcohol and you know the recipient enjoys wine.
- Office Supplies
Office supplies seem like a dull gift idea and a way to remind people in your business that they are tied to the workforce, but there is a lot of potential in this sphere for gift ideas. One way to stand out is to get a classier version of regular office supplies, such as a high-end fountain pen to mark a work anniversary. Those gifts are work-appropriate but still show that you care.
If you are a boss looking for gifts for employees, get something that you know people need for their workstations, such as speakers or charging stations.
- Sherpa Blankets
A gift can be business-appropriate, but it doesn’t have to be tied to your workplace. You can give someone a gift that you know they will use at home, such as a comfortable throw pillow or a Sherpa blanket. Make sure that the blanket you give is high-end so people can tell that it is a thoughtful gift and not a last-minute purchase at the dollar store.
A Sherpa blanket makes a particularly good retirement gift as the recipient will probably be spending more time at home curled up in a blanket as opposed to at work.
- Corporate Gift Baskets
When you’re in doubt about what to get or just don’t have time to agonize over workplace gifts, corporate gift baskets are your way out. When you buy a gift basket, you know that the curated items inside are workplace-appropriate and high-quality because the gift basket manufacturer already put them together for you.
The next business conference, holiday party, or retirement party doesn’t have to be a source of stress for you if you follow these gift ideas!
