7 Techniques for Discovering the Best Gift Ideas for the Office

Posted on November 13th, 2008 by HGA Admin

Gift giving for the work place can be a challenging task. Whether it’s an office party, an upcoming holiday, or just a simple “Thank You” - it’s sometimes hard to know what’s going to be that perfect fit. Every office environment has a variety of people working in it, and below are some techniques of observation that you can exercise to discover a fitting gift for each individual:

1. Look at their workspace - if it’s cluttered with post-it notes, then a nice paper and pen set may be the gift of choice.

2. Notice the lunch patterns of your office mates, if someone always seems to bring back a cup from KFC or Mr Chicken - then a gift card may be very appreciated from you.

3. Watch the break-room, as anyone leaving more than three times a day with a cup of coffee may be an addict - appreciating a pound of coffee.

4. Be on the lookout throughout the year for people who decorate for any holidays - even a little. For them, a small trinket for their Christmas-Decorated desk could win them over.

5. Keep an eye on the office radio, or the music others are listening to… if someone is always listening to music, then a gift card to any music store would show that you’re listening to them.

6. On Monday mornings and Friday afternoons - listen to the office talk (and join in) - listening for any hobbies or interesting adventures. These are powerful clues as to what each person chooses to do in their upcoming or recently passed free time. Match this knowledge up with a book or gift card relating to it, and you’ve found a winner!

7. When in doubt as to what to get, use your intuition and go for one of the following: an Aromatic Candle in a jar, grocery store gift card, bookstore gift card, coffee shop gift card, a cinema gift certificate, or a video gift certificate.

In addition to these tips, be aware that any small gift will be easily accepted. It’s when you start giving gifts of value over $35 or so that people become noticeably uneasy. So keep the gifts small and meaningful. It’s the Heart behind the gift that matters most - so always include a card explaining why you felt so drawn to give your gift… and any good deed done by them towards you will suffice very well for this.