Finding great gifts for coworkers might seem complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is to bring a little personality — yours and your co-workers’ — to the holiday gift-giving party. And these eight ideas can help you find the inspiration you need to choose (or create) a fantastic coworker gift.
1. A Gift in Good Taste
A terrific way to give a gift that doesn’t create clutter is to give them a gift they can gobble up. Bake a batch of your signature treat, whether it’s cookies, cupcakes, brownies, or even your special granola recipe, and pack it up in a custom box for a tasty treat that’s one of a kind.
2. Quote Them
Highlight the fun you have as a team by creating a gift that recaps an in-office gag. The jokes you tell around the lunch table can be the basis of a fun, personalized gift. Pick their favorite saying and print it on something they can use every day at work — like a mouse pad or personalized notepad.
3. Help Them Stay Healthy
If you work together, you probably fight the lure of the office vending machine together too. So, find gifts for coworkers that make staying healthy at work a little easier. A personalized water bottle can help them reach the hydration goals they’re working on, and a set of one-of-a-kind labels can make it easier to claim their healthy lunch in the office refrigerators. You could even offer to bring in a salad to share once a week in the New Year as a gift that keeps on giving.
4. Be a Good Sport
You don’t have to join in the office softball league to get sporty with your colleagues. Create gifts to show that you want them to have more fun with their favorite sport — such as golf towels or personalized tennis balls. Or show that you remember their favorite team with gear that lets them take their fandom to the next level.
5. Kick Out Stress Before the New Year
The team that de-stresses together will be happier and healthier when they succeed together. So, gifts that help people relax and breathe a little easier are popular coworker gift options. Give a scented candle with a message that helps them relax and let go, or even a yoga mat they can use to stretch out in the breakroom.
6. Help Them Make Their Mark
Customized office supplies make a coworker gift that strikes the perfect balance between personal and professional. So, emblazon customized desk gear with your co-worker’s name, initials, or favorite phrase for a way to make professional life feel a little more personalized.
7. Deck Their Workspaces
Help your co-workers make their cubicle or office space feel more welcoming with a gift that adds comfort. For example, use a photo of your co-worker’s family from the summer office picnic to create a framed photo, or print that same image on a toss pillow for their office chair.
8. Keep Them Caffeinated
If your officemates are coffee fans, a funny mug is just one of many gifts to keep them perky. Exchange a pound of a favorite roast, offer them a desktop coffee cup warmer, or even chip in for a coffee-of-the-month subscription as a gift from the whole team to the whole team.
9. Gift Them a Plant Baby
Giving plants as gifts is all the rage lately, and for good reason! Instead of a physical item that might get donated or eventually thrown away, a plant can live on your co-worker’s desk for years to come, with the proper care. If you don’t want to give a plant that requires a lot of work, look for a snake plant, a cactus or a succulent – neither of which require much attention, light or water.
10. Keep Them Current on Business Trends
In the ever-evolving business world, there’s always a new book on the market discussing the latest trend. Regardless of your industry, buy a book for your co-worker they might enjoy reading while also gaining valuable knowledge. Some of the most popular ones out there are “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” by Robert Kiyosaki, “How to Win Friends & Influence People,” by Dale Carnegie and Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown.
You see these people every day and likely know at least some surface level information about them, but how can you use that information to come up with some great gifts for coworkers? By shopping for gifts that appeal to their interests, spruce up their desk space or just keep them in the loop on business trends, your gift will surely be the talk of the office this year! Do you have any other gift ideas for coworkers that you think will help out others reading this? Share them in the comments below!
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