A good gift for a colleague is small, kind and easy to like. You share a kitchen and a meeting room, but probably not a Saturday, so the safest choice is something that works for most people and doesn't ask for too much. It says thank you, or good luck, and then gets used. It works for a farewell, a thank-you or the office Kris Kringle.
What a colleague really wants
Something that fits the working day. A good mug, a decent pen and a treat for the afternoon slump all do the job, because they are useful and nobody has to explain them. Keep it personal enough to feel chosen, and not so personal that it feels odd on a Monday morning: skip clothes, perfume and anything about their health.
If the gift is for a send-off or a new job, you can go a step up. If it's a thank-you for help on a project, a small treat is plenty. Check for allergies before you buy food, and check whether your workplace has a view on gifts, particularly if the person is more senior than you.
Before you choose, ask yourself
- Is it a thank-you, a send-off or a new job?
- Do they drink tea, coffee or neither?
- Is there a team budget, or is it just from you?
Gift ideas for a colleague
A thank-you
For the colleague who covered for you. A goes round the team if they feel like sharing, a tea gift set suits the one with a mug always on the go, and a is small and useful for anyone who types or washes their hands all day.
For the desk
Something they will see every day. A is easy to get right, an insulated tumbler keeps the drink warm through a long meeting, and a is the gift for the person who already has a tidy cupboard.
A send-off or a new job
For someone moving on, choose something to take with them. A fountain pen suits the next first day, a puts a few team photos on the new desk, and a is a quiet way to say you'll miss them.
For a colleague you know well
If you've shared a lot of lunches, you can aim a little closer. A board game suits the one who organises the team games night, and a jigsaw puzzle is a slow holiday project for someone who likes a quiet challenge.