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The Art of Giving
How to handle this year’s workplace gift giving in a tough economy
by April Nagel
December 11, 2009
Workplace gift giving is a tricky area, especially in a year when people don't have a lot of extra
money to spend. It should not be considered mandatory, but it is wise to find out what the
company's policy is on exchanging gifts at the holidays. If you are unsure about what to do, find
out how the company has handled holiday gift giving in years past.
When firstPRO was a much smaller company, we would do a Secret Santa gift exchange. Now that
we are have more than 100 employees, this is not as feasible, so each department is free to arrange
what they would like. Many of them have adopted traditions among themselves, like a holiday grab
bag.
Everyone loves a cash bonus at the end of the year, but in these economic times, most people
cannot expect that. There are several company-sponsored things you can do instead, like having
lunch delivered to the staff. Offer employees an extra long lunch hour to get holiday shopping
done, or have a generous policy for the month on time away from the office to attend things like
school pageants. Decorating the office and playing seasonal music is a nice gesture as well.
If you exchange gifts with your co-workers, use common sense. Do not give anything with an
adult, discriminatory, political, gag, religious or intimate theme. No gift is better than giving
the wrong gift in a business setting. The more formal the business relationship, the formal the
gift should be. If you have a personal friendship with particular co-workers and want to do
something just for them, handle it outside of the office.
Some other things to keep in mind:
* If there is an established budget, stay within it.
* If you are unsure of what to get for a colleague, a gift certificate is an acceptable
choice, just make sure it's from a store that he or she enjoys.
* If you are giving a handmade item, no matter how talented you are, make sure he or she does
not feel obligated to display, consume or use whatever it is you made.
* If you give holiday cards to co-workers, stick to secular sayings such as "Happy Holidays"
or "Season's Greetings."
* Unexpected gifts do not have to be reciprocated. All that is required is a warm "Thank
you!"
Proper etiquette says that you are not required to give your boss a gift, even if they give
one to you. Responding with well-written thank you note is enough. If you do choose to give your
boss a gift, however, do not give something elaborate or something that can be viewed as brown
nosing. A safe alternative is to give your supervisor a joint gift with several co-workers. One of
the best gifts I have been given by my employees is a charitable contribution or charitable act
they did on my behalf.
Giving gifts in the workplace is a thoughtful way of letting colleagues and clients know that
the business relationship you share is important to you. Just remember, the best gift you can give
to your fellow workers and management is to be a positive, productive and mannerly employee all
year long.
As CEO of firstPRO Staffing and Executive Search, April Fawcett Nagel is the powerhouse behind
one of the largest privately owned staffing and executive search firms in the United States. Since
1986, she has built this top female-run business in Atlanta - she began with just five employees;
now she manages 125. With offices in both Atlanta and Philadelphia, firstPRO specializes in
attracting, placing and retaining the most talented individuals in their specialized fields.
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