‘Tis the season for holiday gifting. With that said, do you give gifts at work? Gift giving at the workplace is not mandatory, however, if you do feel so inclined to spread holiday cheer and purchase gifts for your coworkers, picking out the right one can be tricky. If you do decide to give gifts at work this holiday season there are some things to consider…
1. Does your company have a gift giving policy? If you’re new to the company, definitely ask around. Find out the company culture. Do people exchange gifts or is it against policy? If people do exchange gifts, you don’t want to be the holiday Scrooge.
2. Are you wondering if you need to give a gift to your boss? The answer is: no. You are not obligated to give a present to your boss. In fact, it could be seen has trying to buy your way to your boss’ good side. However, gifts from bosses to employees are fine. According to proper gift giving etiquette, gifts in the workplace should flow downward, not upward.
3. Another thing you should definitely consider is if the gift you want to give is ‘workplace appropriate’. If you even have to question whether or not your gift of choice is appropriate, don’t get it!
4. Consider how much you’re spending. Too pricey of a gift can make others feel uncomfortable. A good price range to stick to is $10 to $20. But before you spend ask around (especially if you are new) to get an idea what people are planning on doing for gifts.
5. If you only have one or two work friends that you plan on giving gifts to, make sure you don’t do it in front of everyone else. You don’t want to risk making others feel uncomfortable. Either exchange gifts outside the workplace or find a spot in the office where others won’t see and potentially feel left out.
Follow these unspoken rules and hopefully you’ll avoid any awkwardness this holiday season.
