Use a high-quality, personalized pen, not a cheap, branded one from a vendor.
A Tool vs. a Treasure
Imagine signing an important document. You could use the cheap, plastic pen you got for free, with a big corporate logo on it. It’s a disposable tool, an advertisement that will be in a landfill next week. Now, imagine using a beautiful, weighted pen, engraved with your own name. It’s no longer just a tool; it’s a personal statement. It feels good in your hand and makes your signature look more intentional. One is a piece of plastic junk mail; the other is a small, daily touch of personal luxury and professionalism.
Stop buying your boss a “World’s Best Boss” mug. Do a gift card to their favorite lunch spot instead.
The Cliché vs. the Actual Treat
That “World’s Best Boss” mug is a tired cliché. It’s the gift equivalent of a shrug, a low-effort joke that will end up in the back of a cabinet with ten others just like it. It’s a gift of clutter. A gift card to the sandwich shop or cafe they frequent every day, however, is a genuine treat. You’re giving them a free lunch, a small moment of respite in their busy day. It shows you’re paying attention to their actual habits and are giving them something you know for a fact they will use and enjoy.
Stop just getting a generic gift for your coworker. Do something related to their non-work hobbies instead.
A Gift for the “Coworker” vs. a Gift for the Person
A generic office gift—a mug, a pen, a desk plant—is a gift for the “coworker” persona. It’s a gift for the version of them you see from 9 to 5. But if you’ve listened during breakroom chatter and know that your coworker is a passionate gardener, a dedicated hiker, or a huge fan of a specific sports team, you have an opportunity. A gift related to their real life, their non-work passion, is a gift that says, “I see you as a whole person, not just as the guy in the next cubicle.”
The #1 secret for a great office gift is that it should be consumable or useful, not decorative clutter.
The Dust Collector vs. the Daily Delight
A decorative object for a desk—a small sculpture, a framed inspirational quote, a novelty paperweight—seems like a nice idea. But one person’s “art” is another person’s clutter. That object will likely just sit there, collecting dust. The secret to a successful office gift is to choose something that will be either consumed or used. A bag of high-quality coffee, a delicious-smelling hand cream, a powerful portable charger—these are gifts that provide a moment of joy or solve a problem, and then they are gone, leaving behind no clutter.
I’m just going to say it: Nobody wants a desktop zen garden for their cubicle.
The Gift of Another Chore
A miniature zen garden, with its tiny rake and little pebbles, is marketed as a tool for workplace relaxation. The reality is, it’s a small box of sand that collects dust and is impossible to keep clean. It’s not a gift of mindfulness; it’s a gift of another tiny, tedious chore. “Great, now I have to worry about keeping my tiny sand garden perfectly pristine.” It’s a novelty item that provides a fleeting moment of interest followed by a long-term existence as a dusty piece of desk clutter.
The reason your Secret Santa gift ended up in the breakroom is because it was too personal and a little weird.
The Private Joke in a Public Space
For the office Secret Santa, you got your work friend a gag gift related to a hilarious inside joke between the two of you. When they open it in front of the entire team, nobody else gets it. The laughter is awkward and forced. You’ve made a private joke public, which can be uncomfortable for everyone. Office gift exchanges are a semi-public performance. The best gifts are the ones that are universally appealing and appropriate, not the ones that require a secret decoder ring to understand.
If you’re still giving a generic candle for a coworker gift, you’re losing the chance to give a high-quality, gourmet coffee or tea.
The Scent That Bothers vs. the Sip That Satisfies
A scented candle is a risky gift for an open-plan office. Your idea of a “relaxing lavender” might be your neighbor’s idea of an “allergy-inducing nightmare.” Scent is highly personal and can be disruptive in a shared space. A much safer and more universally appreciated gift is a high-quality, consumable treat. A bag of beans from a local, artisanal coffee roaster or a beautiful tin of gourmet tea is a sophisticated and thoughtful gift that they can enjoy at their desk or at home, without bothering anyone.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about corporate gifting is that it has to be expensive to be impressive.
The Price Tag vs. the Personal Touch
There’s a myth in the corporate world that the more you spend on a client gift, the more you impress them. This leads to sending generic, expensive gift baskets or high-end bottles of wine. The lie is that money equals impact. A much more impressive gift is one that shows you’ve been listening. A less expensive book on a topic you know they’re passionate about, or a small gift related to their favorite sports team, shows that you see them as a person, not just a contract. Personalization always trumps price.
I wish I knew this about buying for a boss when I was starting out: a group gift is always better than an individual one.
The Solo Act vs. the Team Chorus
When I was a young employee, I would buy a small, individual gift for my boss for the holidays. It always felt a little awkward, like I was trying too hard to curry favor. I wish I had known that a group gift is always the better choice. By pooling your resources with the rest of the team, you can get a much more substantial and impressive gift. More importantly, it diffuses the awkwardness. The gift is not from “me”; it’s from “us,” a collective and appropriate expression of the entire team’s appreciation.
99% of offices make this one mistake with Secret Santa: setting the price limit too low, resulting in a pile of junk.
The $10 Challenge
The office announces a “fun” Secret Santa exchange with a strict $10 price limit. The intention is to be inclusive, but the result is a frantic scramble to find something—anything—that costs less than ten dollars. This inevitably leads to an exchange of cheap, plastic, novelty junk that nobody actually wants and that will end up in a landfill. A slightly higher price limit, or better yet, a cookie exchange or a potluck, is a much better way to foster holiday cheer without creating a mountain of useless trash.
This one small action of giving a portable charger will make you the office hero.
The 3 PM Panic
It’s 3 p.m., and the “low battery” notification is flashing on your coworker’s phone. The panic is real. A small, slim, portable power bank is the ultimate office utility gift. It’s a simple, practical, and relatively inexpensive item that solves one of the most common and persistent anxieties of modern work life. By giving the gift of a reliable backup battery, you are not just giving a gadget; you are giving the gift of peace of mind, and you will be remembered as a hero every time that 3 p.m. panic is averted.
Use a high-quality, insulated lunch container, not another sad, plastic food storage set.
The Leaky Lunch vs. the Hot Meal
A cheap, plastic food storage container is a practical but uninspired gift. It often leaks, stains, and can’t be put in the microwave. A high-quality, insulated, stainless steel lunch container, like a “bento box” or a food jar, is a significant upgrade to a coworker’s daily routine. It will keep their hot food hot and their cold food cold for hours, and it’s completely leak-proof. You’re not just giving them a container; you’re giving them the gift of a delicious, hot, home-cooked meal in the middle of a busy workday.
Stop giving stress balls. Do a gift certificate for a 15-minute chair massage instead.
The Squeezable Toy vs. the Genuine Relief
A stress ball is a classic, but ultimately silly and ineffective, office gift. It’s a novelty toy that gets squeezed a few times and then becomes a permanent desk resident. A gift certificate for a 15-minute chair massage from a local practitioner is a gift of genuine, tangible, stress relief. It’s a small, affordable luxury that can work out the real knots in a coworker’s neck and shoulders. One is a cute gimmick; the other is a powerful dose of actual wellness.
Stop getting a generic “thank you” gift. Do a handwritten card specifying what you appreciate about them instead.
The Object vs. the Articulation
When a coworker helps you out, it’s tempting to buy them a generic “thank you” gift, like a box of chocolates. A far more powerful and meaningful gesture is a handwritten card that specifically articulates why you are thankful. “Thank you so much for staying late to help me with that presentation. I was so stressed, and your calm expertise really saved the day. I learned so much from you.” A specific, sincere acknowledgement of their effort and impact is a gift of recognition that will be remembered long after the chocolates are gone.
The #1 hack for a farewell gift for a coworker is a photobook of team memories.
The Gift They Leave Behind vs. the Memories They Take With Them
When a coworker is leaving, a generic gift can feel impersonal. The #1 hack for a meaningful farewell gift is a photobook. Spend a week collecting photos from team lunches, holiday parties, and funny moments around the office. Upload them to a simple photobook service and have everyone on the team write a short farewell message. You’re not just giving them an object; you’re giving them a tangible, emotional, and often hilarious time capsule of the relationships and experiences that defined their time with your team.
I’m just going to say it: Food gifts can be tricky due to unknown allergies and dietary restrictions.
The Delicious Gift That’s a Danger
You bring a beautiful, homemade tray of peanut butter cookies into the office to share. It’s a generous and delicious gesture. But you don’t know that one of your coworkers has a severe nut allergy, and another is gluten-intolerant. Your thoughtful gift has now become a source of exclusion or even a potential health hazard. When giving food gifts in an office environment, it’s always safest to choose items that are pre-packaged with clear ingredient labels, or to discreetly ask about any allergies beforehand.
The reason your desk plant gift died is because your office has no natural light.
The Gift of Life vs. the Slow, Green Death
A small desk plant seems like a great, cheerful gift to brighten up a coworker’s cubicle. The problem is, most office environments are a botanical death trap. They often have no windows, or the windows are treated with a UV filter that blocks the light plants need to survive. Your beautiful, living gift is doomed to a slow, sad, and inevitable death. Unless you know for a fact that their desk is right next to a bright, unfiltered window, it’s best to avoid gifting a living thing.
If you’re still giving a generic planner for a new year’s gift, you’re losing the utility of a smart notebook like a Rocketbook.
The Paper Prison vs. the Digital Bridge
A traditional paper planner is a lovely gift, but the notes and ideas are trapped on the page. A smart notebook is a gift that bridges the gap between the physical and the digital. You can write in it with a special pen, just like a regular notebook. But then, you can use an app to scan your notes and instantly send them to the cloud, your email, or your favorite project management tool. Then, you simply wipe the pages clean and start again. It’s a gift of endless, organized, and eco-friendly note-taking.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about gifts for your boss is that they expect one.
The Myth of the Obligatory Gift
There is a subtle but pervasive pressure to “gift up” to your boss during the holidays. The lie is that this is an expectation. The truth is, most bosses do not expect—and many feel actively uncomfortable receiving—individual gifts from their direct reports. It can create an awkward power dynamic. The best and most appropriate “gift” you can give your boss is to consistently do excellent work, be a positive team member, and to offer a simple, sincere, verbal or written expression of appreciation. That’s it.
I wish I knew that a simple, high-quality olive oil is a perfect, neutral gift for a professional acquaintance.
The Sophisticated and Safe Choice
For years, I would struggle with what to give a professional contact or a new client. I wish I had known that a bottle of high-quality, extra-virgin olive oil is a perfect, universally appreciated, and sophisticated choice. It’s a consumable, gourmet item that is used in almost every household, regardless of dietary restrictions. Presented in a beautiful bottle, it’s an elegant, neutral, and genuinely useful gift that is a step above a bottle of wine and avoids the pitfalls of more personal items.
99% of people make this one mistake with a group gift: not collecting the money before buying the item.
The Generous Giver Who Becomes a Bill Collector
You volunteer to organize a group gift for a coworker. You find the perfect item, and in your excitement, you buy it with your own money, assuming everyone will pay you back. This is a classic mistake. Now, you have been transformed from a thoughtful organizer into an awkward bill collector, having to send reminder emails and chase down your colleagues for their share. Always, always collect the money from everyone before you make the purchase. It’s the one rule that will save you from future resentment.
This one small action of upgrading a colleague’s most-used office supply (like their favorite pens) will be a huge hit.
The Beloved, Basic Tool
Your coworker has one specific, cheap, disposable pen that they love and use every single day. You can see their desk is littered with them. For a small, thoughtful gift, you can buy them the high-quality, refillable, “fancy” version of that same pen. It’s a simple upgrade that takes a utilitarian object they already love and makes it a small, daily luxury. This small action of observing and upgrading their most-used tool is a powerful and surprisingly intimate gesture of appreciation.
Use a subscription to a premium coffee service for the office breakroom, not a bulk can of cheap coffee.
The Sludge vs. the Morale-Booster
The giant, bulk can of cheap, pre-ground coffee is the sad, default fuel of most office breakrooms. It’s a signal of mediocrity. A gift of a subscription to a premium coffee service that delivers freshly roasted, high-quality beans to the office each month is a gift to the entire team. It’s a significant upgrade to a daily ritual and a powerful morale-booster. It’s a simple way to make the entire office feel a little more valued and a little less like they’re drinking brown-colored sludge.
Stop giving humorous desk plaques. Do a high-quality, comfortable seat cushion instead.
The Joke vs. the Joy of a Happy Back
A funny desk plaque that says something like “I’m not bossy, I am the boss” is good for a one-second chuckle and then becomes visual clutter. A high-quality, ergonomic seat cushion, however, is a gift of pure, unadulterated, daily comfort. For someone who sits in a standard-issue, uncomfortable office chair for eight hours a day, a supportive cushion is a game-changer. It can genuinely improve their physical well-being and reduce back pain. One is a forgettable joke; the other is a gift of lasting physical relief.
Stop just giving a gift for a work anniversary. Do a contribution to a charity in their name instead.
Another Plaque for the Wall vs. a Gift with a Purpose
A work anniversary is a great time to celebrate a valued team member. A standard gift, like a plaque or a watch, is a nice gesture. A more meaningful and modern alternative is to make a donation in their name to a charity that you know they care about. It’s a clutter-free gift that honors their years of service by supporting a cause that is important to them. It shows that the company not only values their work but also respects their personal values.
The #1 secret for a promotion gift is a session with an executive coach.
A Congratulatory Pen vs. a Tool for Success in the New Role
When someone gets a promotion, the standard gift is a congratulatory object, like a nice pen or a bottle of champagne. The #1 secret for a truly impactful and supportive gift is a session or a package of sessions with a professional executive coach. The skills that got them the promotion are not the same skills they will need to succeed in their new, more senior role. A coach can provide invaluable guidance and support during this critical transition. It’s not just a gift of congratulations; it’s an investment in their future success.
I’m just going to say it: Gifting “up” to your boss can feel like you’re trying to curry favor.
The Politics of the Present
The act of giving a gift to your direct superior is fraught with unspoken politics. No matter how pure your intentions, an individual gift can be perceived by others (and sometimes by the boss themselves) as an attempt to “suck up” or gain an unfair advantage. It can create an awkward power dynamic and make your colleagues feel uncomfortable. This is why a group gift is always the safest and most appropriate choice. It’s a collective gesture of appreciation, not a personal play for favor.
The reason your gift for the remote worker felt impersonal is because you just shipped it from Amazon without a note.
The Brown Box vs. the Personal Connection
When you’re sending a gift to a remote coworker, it’s easy to just click a few buttons on Amazon and have a generic brown box show up at their door. This can feel cold and transactional, like a corporate supply shipment. The way to make that same gift feel warm and personal is to take the extra step. Select the “gift” option, and more importantly, write a short, personal message. That small note is what transforms the anonymous brown box into a genuine, thoughtful gesture of connection from a real person.
If you’re still giving a generic business card holder, you’re losing the modern touch of a digital business card service.
The Paper Card vs. the Smart Connection
A physical business card holder is a classic, but increasingly dated, professional accessory. In an era of smartphones, a more modern and eco-friendly gift is a subscription to a digital business card service. These services allow you to create a beautiful, interactive, virtual business card that can be shared with a simple tap of a phone or a QR code. It’s a sleek, impressive, and sustainable way to network, and it’s a gift that positions the recipient on the cutting edge of professional technology.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about networking is that you need to give expensive gifts to make an impression.
The Grand Gesture vs. the Genuine Follow-Up
There’s a misconception that to build a professional network, you need to impress people with expensive lunches or lavish gifts. The lie is that you can buy a relationship. The truth is, the most powerful networking “gifts” are often free. A simple, thoughtful follow-up email after a meeting, mentioning a specific point you enjoyed. A genuine offer to connect them with someone in your network who could be helpful. These small, selfless acts of connection and support will build a much stronger and more authentic professional relationship than any expensive gift ever could.
I wish I knew that a portable laptop stand is a game-changer for anyone who travels for work.
The Hunchback of the Hotel Desk
For years, when I traveled for work, I would end up hunched over my laptop on a low hotel desk, resulting in a sore neck and back. I wish I had known about the magic of a lightweight, portable, foldable laptop stand. This simple, inexpensive device elevates your laptop to eye-level, allowing for a much more ergonomic and comfortable working posture. It’s an absolute game-changer for any road warrior or remote worker, a gift of good posture and pain-free productivity.
99% of coworkers make this one mistake for a holiday gift: choosing something too fragrant for an open-plan office.
The Scent Bomb in the Cubicle Farm
You buy your coworker a beautiful scented candle, a strong-smelling hand lotion, or an essential oil diffuser. In an open-plan office, your thoughtful gift has now become a “scent bomb” that is inflicting a headache on the person three desks away who is sensitive to fragrances. In a shared airspace, the most considerate gifts are the ones that are unscented or have a very mild, neutral scent. It’s a small but crucial detail of office etiquette that is often overlooked.
This one small action of giving a high-quality blue light filtering glasses will be a godsend for their screen-fatigued eyes.
The Unseen Strain
Your coworker spends eight hours a day staring at a computer screen. They complain of headaches and tired, strained eyes. A pair of high-quality, stylish, blue light filtering glasses is a gift of pure, physical relief. These glasses are designed to block the high-energy blue light emitted from digital screens, which can reduce eye strain, prevent headaches, and even improve sleep. It’s a thoughtful, practical, and surprisingly effective gift that addresses a major, unseen problem of modern office life.
Use a gift certificate for a local car wash or detailing service, not another coffee mug.
Another Mug vs. the “New Car” Feeling
Your coworker who commutes by car probably has a cabinet full of coffee mugs. A gift they will genuinely appreciate is a certificate for a high-quality car wash or a full interior and exterior detailing. After a long week of work, nobody wants to spend their weekend cleaning their car. This gift takes a chore off their to-do list and gives them the universally beloved feeling of driving a sparkling clean, “like-new” car. It’s a surprisingly effective and welcome practical gift.
Stop giving a generic “Congratulations” gift. Do a personalized piece of office art from a site like Minted.
The Standard Pen vs. a Statement of Success
A generic gift for a promotion, like a pen or a paperweight, is nice but forgettable. A more modern and personal way to celebrate a colleague’s success is with a piece of personalized art for their new, bigger office. You can get a beautiful, abstract print that is customized with their name, new title, and the date of their promotion. It’s a sophisticated, stylish, and lasting way to commemorate their achievement, a daily reminder of their hard-earned success.
Stop just getting a cake for a retirement party. Do a legacy journal for them to record their stories instead.
The Fleeting Celebration vs. the Lasting Legacy
A cake is a wonderful way to celebrate the moment of a retirement. But a “legacy journal” is a gift that honors the retiree’s entire life and career. It’s a beautiful, guided journal filled with prompts like, “What was your first job?” or “What are you most proud of in your career?” It gives them a framework to record their stories, their wisdom, and their memories for their family and for future generations. One gift is for the party; the other is for posterity.
The #1 hack for a new job gift is a gift certificate for a food delivery service for their first week.
The Stress of the First Week
Starting a new job is exciting, but also incredibly exhausting. The first week is a whirlwind of new names, new systems, and information overload. The last thing they will want to do when they get home is think about what to cook for dinner. The #1 hack for a perfect “new job” gift is a gift certificate for a service like DoorDash or Uber Eats. You are giving them the gift of a hot, easy, and stress-free meal during a week when they will need it most.
I’m just going to say it: The office “gift exchange” is often a source of financial stress and anxiety.
The Forced Fun and Financial Strain
An “optional” office gift exchange can feel anything but optional. It can create a sense of social pressure to participate, even for employees who are on a tight budget. This can turn a supposedly fun, festive activity into a source of genuine financial stress and anxiety. A more inclusive and less stressful way to celebrate in the office is to organize a potluck, a cookie swap, or a volunteer activity, which allows everyone to participate without the pressure of a price tag.
The reason your well-intentioned gift was awkward is because it was too expensive for the context.
The Gift That Creates an Imbalance
You want to show your appreciation for a coworker who helped you on a project, so you buy them a very expensive gift. Your intention was to be generous, but the high price tag can create an awkward sense of imbalance and obligation. They may feel uncomfortable accepting such a lavish gift, or they may feel pressured to reciprocate at the same level in the future. In a professional setting, a modest, thoughtful gift accompanied by a sincere note is often more appropriate and better received than an overly expensive one.
If you’re still giving a mousepad with a stock photo on it, you’re losing the appeal of a high-quality leather desk mat.
The Flimsy Square vs. the Executive Workspace
A cheap, flimsy mousepad is a relic of a bygone era. A high-quality, leather or felt desk mat is a gift that can transform an entire workspace. It’s a large, beautiful surface that serves as a mousepad, a coaster, and a comfortable writing surface all in one. It defines and organizes the desk area, reduces clutter, and adds a touch of sophisticated, executive style to any cubicle or home office. It’s a significant and lasting upgrade to a person’s daily work environment.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about team-building is that it requires expensive off-site events.
The Trust Fall vs. the Daily Trust
Companies spend a fortune on elaborate, off-site team-building events like trust falls and escape rooms, believing this is the key to a strong team. The lie is that you can buy cohesion. The truth is, a strong team is built in the daily, small, unglamorous moments in the office. It’s built on a foundation of clear communication, mutual respect, and a manager who actively supports their team. A leader who consistently fosters a positive and supportive daily work environment is a far more powerful team-builder than any expensive one-day event.
I wish I knew that a small, quiet desk fan is a universally appreciated office gift.
The Silent Savior of the Stuffy Office
Offices are notorious for their terrible temperature control. It’s always too hot or too cold. For years, I struggled to find a good, neutral, and useful office gift. I wish I had known that a small, stylish, and most importantly, quiet USB-powered desk fan is a near-perfect choice. It gives the recipient a small bubble of personal climate control without disturbing their neighbors. It’s a practical, inexpensive, and universally appreciated gift that can genuinely improve their daily comfort at work.
99% of people make this one mistake with a Secret Santa gift: waiting until the last possible minute to buy it.
The Thoughtful Plan vs. the Pharmacy Panic
The Secret Santa list goes out, and you have weeks to find a thoughtful, personal gift for your assigned coworker. But you procrastinate. Now it’s the morning of the office party, and you’re in a frantic panic, grabbing a generic box of chocolates and a sad-looking mug from the pharmacy on your way to work. Your last-minute panic gift is a clear signal of your lack of forethought. Taking just a little bit of time to plan ahead is the difference between a gift that connects and a gift that clunks.
This one small action of pooling money for a single, amazing gift for your boss will be far more impactful than 10 small, cheap ones.
The Pile of Trinkets vs. the One Great Thing
For the holidays, ten different employees each buy the boss a small, ten-dollar gift. The result is a pile of generic, inexpensive trinkets—mugs, candles, and chocolates—that feels more like clutter than a genuine expression of appreciation. A far more impactful approach is for the team to pool that same hundred dollars and buy one single, high-quality, amazing gift that the boss will truly love and use. The collective, coordinated effort is a more powerful, professional, and less awkward gesture.
Use a high-quality travel mug that is actually leak-proof, not another cheap branded one.
The Dribble Cup vs. the Commuter’s Holy Grail
A cheap, branded travel mug is a common corporate giveaway, and it almost always has one fatal flaw: it leaks. It dribbles coffee on your shirt and creates a mess in your car. A truly high-quality, genuinely leak-proof travel mug, from a brand like Zojirushi or Contigo, is a life-changing gift for any commuter. It’s a gift of a clean shirt, a clean car, and a hot cup of coffee. It’s a daily tool that just works, and that reliability is a form of luxury.
Stop giving a generic pen holder. Do a desk organizer with a built-in wireless charger instead.
The Cup vs. the Command Center
A simple pen holder is a single-purpose cup for your pens. A modern desk organizer is a multi-functional command center. Gifting an organizer that not only has space for pens and notes but also includes a built-in wireless charging pad for a phone is a brilliant, space-saving, and incredibly useful upgrade. It reduces cable clutter and provides a dedicated, powered home for their most important device. It’s a gift that brings a touch of modern convenience and organization to their daily workspace.
Stop just saying “good luck.” Do a curated box of their favorite snacks for their new desk instead.
The Verbal Wish vs. the Tangible Treat
When a coworker leaves for a new job, a simple “good luck” is a kind and standard farewell. A more tangible and memorable gesture is to give them a “new desk survival kit.” You can curate a small box filled with their favorite snacks, a bag of good coffee or tea, and a new mug. It’s a thoughtful, personal, and practical gift that will make their first few, stressful days at their new company a little more comfortable and delicious.
The #1 secret for a memorable intern farewell gift is a collection of LinkedIn recommendations from the team.
The Gift Card vs. the Career Catapult
An intern’s time with a company is all about learning and building their professional network. A standard farewell gift, like a gift card, is a nice gesture. But the #1 secret for a truly impactful and memorable gift is to have every member of the team write a thoughtful, specific, and positive recommendation for them on LinkedIn. This is a powerful, professional gift that can act as a career catapult, helping them land their next great opportunity. It’s a gift that invests in their future.
I’m just going to say it: A gift with the company logo on it is not a gift, it’s marketing material.
A Present vs. a Promotion
Your company gives you a “holiday gift” of a water bottle, a t-shirt, and a tote bag, all emblazoned with a giant corporate logo. This is not a gift. This is a marketing expense. You are being given a uniform and asked to be a walking billboard for the company. A true gift is given with the sole intention of bringing joy to the recipient. An item with a corporate logo is given with the intention of promoting the brand. Don’t confuse the two.
The reason your gift for the person leaving was forgotten is because it wasn’t something they could use in their new role.
A Relic of the Past Job
You give a departing coworker a gift that is deeply tied to their role at your company—a mug with an inside joke about your team, a tool for a specific task they will no longer be doing. It’s a sentimental gift, but it’s a relic of their past. It will likely be packed away in a box as they move on to their new chapter. A better farewell gift is one that is forward-looking, something that will be useful and relevant in their new job and their new life.
If you’re still giving a generic box of chocolates, you’re losing the sophistication of a gourmet food item from a local deli.
The Sugary Staple vs. the Savory Surprise
A generic box of chocolates is a safe, but often boring and overly sweet, gift. A more sophisticated and interesting choice is a high-quality, gourmet food item from a local specialty shop or deli. A small bottle of truffle oil, a wedge of a unique artisanal cheese, a jar of high-end olives, or a beautifully cured salami are all savory, elegant gifts that feel more grown-up and special than another box of candy. It’s a gift that shows a more refined and thoughtful palate.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about office culture is that it’s built on pizza parties.
The Free Lunch vs. the Foundation of Respect
Companies often believe that they can build a great culture by offering superficial perks like free pizza, ping-pong tables, and “fun” team-building events. The lie is that you can buy morale. The truth is, a great office culture is built on a foundation of much deeper, and free, things: mutual respect, psychological safety, clear communication, and a genuine appreciation for the employees’ work and well-being. A slice of pizza is a nice snack; a culture of respect is what makes people want to stay.
I wish I knew that noise-canceling headphones are the single best gift for someone in an open-plan office.
The Constant Distraction vs. the Cone of Silence
An open-plan office is a modern-day torture chamber of constant noise and distraction—ringing phones, loud conversations, the clicking of a hundred keyboards. For years, I struggled to focus. I wish I, or someone who loved me, had known that a pair of high-quality, noise-canceling headphones is not a luxury in this environment; it is an essential survival tool. They are a gift of focus, of peace, and of a personal “cone of silence” that can make the difference between a productive day and a frustrating one.
99% of people make this one mistake when gifting to a client: not doing their research on the company’s gift policy.
The Generous Gift That Gets Rejected
You want to thank a valuable client, so you send an expensive and thoughtful gift basket. A week later, you get an awkward email explaining that their company has a strict policy against accepting gifts from vendors, and they have to send it back. Your generous gesture has now created an embarrassing situation for everyone. Before you send any corporate gift, a simple, quick search on the company’s website or a discreet question to your contact about their gift policy is a crucial step to avoid this common and completely avoidable mistake.
This one small action of giving a nice hand cream will be a lifesaver for someone in a dry office environment.
The Paper-Dry Hands
The recycled air in an office is often incredibly dry. This, combined with constant hand-washing, can leave a coworker’s hands feeling dry, cracked, and uncomfortable. A small, but incredibly thoughtful and useful, gift is a tube of high-quality, non-greasy, and lightly scented hand cream. It’s a small luxury that can sit on their desk and provide a moment of comfort and relief throughout the day. It’s a practical, caring gift that addresses a small but persistent daily annoyance.
Use an Audible subscription for the coworker with a long commute, not another business book.
The Book They Don’t Have Time to Read vs. the Library They Can Listen To
You give your commuting coworker a business book you think they’ll love. But they spend two hours a day in the car, and when they get home, they’re too tired to read. An Audible subscription is the perfect solution. It transforms their frustrating commute into a productive and enriching university on wheels. They can “read” all the books they’ve been meaning to, listen to podcasts, and learn new things, all while keeping their eyes on the road. It’s a gift that redeems their lost time.
Stop giving a generic desk calendar. Do a digital picture frame pre-loaded with team photos instead.
The Static Calendar vs. the Living Slideshow
A paper desk calendar is a functional, but impersonal and slightly dated, office gift. A digital picture frame is a modern, dynamic, and deeply personal alternative. Before you give it to them, you can pre-load it with a collection of fun photos from team outings, holiday parties, and other happy office memories. It’s a gift that provides a constant, gentle, and evolving slideshow of the positive relationships and experiences they’ve had with their colleagues.
Stop just giving a gift card. Do a gift card to a coffee shop right next to the office instead.
The Gift Card That’s an Errand vs. the Gift Card That’s a Daily Treat
A gift card to a big, generic chain store is a nice, but impersonal, gift. It requires a special trip, an errand. A gift card to the specific, independent coffee shop or cafe that is right downstairs or next door to your office building is a gift of daily convenience and delight. It’s a gift that seamlessly integrates into their existing daily routine. You are essentially treating them to their next five morning coffees, a small but powerful gesture of daily kindness.
The #1 hack for a white elephant gift is something that people will actually want to steal.
The Junk vs. the Jewel
A white elephant exchange is often just a circulation of unwanted junk from the back of everyone’s closets. The goal seems to be to get rid of your own trash. The #1 hack for winning the game is to flip the script. Instead of bringing something weird that nobody wants, bring something genuinely useful or desirable that fits within the price limit—a high-quality phone charger, a really nice bottle of olive oil, a cozy blanket. Your gift will become the “jewel” of the exchange, the one that gets stolen over and over again, making the game infinitely more fun.
I’m just going to say it: You don’t have to participate in the optional office gift exchange.
The Pressure to Play
The email says the office Secret Santa is “totally optional,” but the unspoken social pressure can feel immense. You might be on a tight budget, or you might simply not enjoy the forced festivity. It is okay to politely decline. A simple, “Thanks so much for organizing, I’m going to sit this one out this year,” is a perfectly acceptable response. Your participation in forced fun is not a measure of your value as a team member. It’s okay to opt out.
The reason your “funny” Secret Santa gift wasn’t funny is because it was unprofessional.
The Joke That Crosses a Line
In a casual setting, a slightly risqué or edgy joke might be hilarious. In an office Secret Santa exchange, that same joke can be a recipe for an awkward and unprofessional moment, or even a trip to HR. The office is a professional environment, and the gifts exchanged there should reflect that. A gift that is mean-spirited, overly personal, or makes light of a sensitive topic is not just a bad joke; it’s a bad career move. When in doubt, keep it clean and keep it kind.
If you’re still giving a generic notepad, you’re losing the quality feel of a Rhodia or Leuchtturm1917 notebook.
The Scratchy Paper vs. the Silky Smooth Page
A cheap, generic legal pad is a purely functional object. The paper is thin, and the ink bleeds. For a colleague who appreciates quality, a gift of a notebook from a brand like Rhodia or Leuchtturm1917 is a significant upgrade. The paper in these notebooks is famously smooth, a joy to write on, and resistant to ink bleeding. It’s a small, daily luxury that transforms the simple act of taking notes from a chore into a satisfying, tactile experience.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about “employee appreciation” is that it can be bought with a cheap pizza.
The “Pizza Party” Panacea
When morale is low, a common corporate response is the “pizza party.” The lie is that a slice of cheap pizza can be a substitute for genuine appreciation and a healthy work environment. True employee appreciation is not a one-time event; it’s a consistent culture. It’s fair pay, it’s respect for work-life balance, it’s clear communication, and it’s a sincere, specific “thank you” for a job well done. Pizza is a snack, not a solution.
I wish I knew that a high-quality umbrella is a perfect, practical gift for a commuting coworker.
The Flimsy, Inside-Out Umbrella vs. the Storm-Proof Shield
We’ve all been there: a sudden downpour, and your cheap, flimsy umbrella immediately flips inside out in the wind, leaving you soaked. For a coworker who commutes, a high-quality, windproof umbrella is a game-changing and incredibly thoughtful gift. It’s a gift of a dry and less-frustrating journey to and from work. It’s a practical, durable, and surprisingly elegant present that they will be genuinely thankful for every single time it rains.
99% of people make this one mistake with a farewell gift: having everyone sign the card before the person has announced they are leaving.
The Premature Farewell
You hear a rumor that a coworker is leaving, so you proactively start passing around a farewell card for everyone to sign. This is a classic and potentially disastrous mistake. If the rumor is untrue, or if the person hasn’t officially resigned yet, your well-intentioned card can create an incredibly awkward situation or even jeopardize their position. Always wait until the person has made their official announcement to the team before you start collecting signatures.
This one small action of giving a gift certificate for a shoeshine will be a classy and unexpected professional gift.
The Scuffed Shoes vs. the Polished Professional
In a professional environment, small details matter. A pair of well-maintained, polished shoes can make a huge difference in a person’s overall appearance and confidence. A gift certificate for a professional shoeshine is a classic, classy, and surprisingly affordable gift. It’s a small luxury that many people would never think to buy for themselves, but will absolutely appreciate. It’s a gift that helps your colleague or client put their best foot forward, quite literally.
Use a gift subscription to a premium industry newsletter, not a generic business magazine.
The General News vs. the Insider Intelligence
A subscription to a generic business magazine is a nice, but broad, gift. For a colleague who is serious about their career, a subscription to a premium, niche, industry-specific newsletter is a far more powerful and useful tool. These newsletters provide deep, insider analysis and intelligence that can give them a real competitive edge in their field. It’s a gift that shows you respect their profession and you are invested in their continued growth and success.
Stop giving a generic plant. Do a low-maintenance succulent or air plant that can survive office neglect.
The High-Maintenance vs. the Nearly Indestructible
A beautiful, leafy plant is a lovely thought for a desk, but it often requires a level of care and attention (and sunlight) that is impossible in an office environment. It is a gift of future guilt. A small succulent or an air plant (Tillandsia), on the other hand, are the superheroes of the plant world. They are incredibly resilient, require very little water, and can tolerate the low-light conditions of most offices. They are a gift of green, without the guilt.
Stop just saying “congrats on the new baby.” Do a contribution to a team meal train for the new parents instead.
The Onesie vs. the Gift of a Hot Meal
When a coworker has a new baby, the office will often buy a cute onesie or a toy. A far more useful and compassionate gift is to organize a team “meal train.” You can use a simple online tool to create a schedule where different team members sign up to deliver a home-cooked (or ordered) meal to the new parents’ home for the first few weeks. You’re not just giving them another object; you’re giving the sleep-deprived parents the incredible, stress-relieving gift of a hot meal they didn’t have to cook.
The #1 secret for a great client gift is to make it personal to them, not just about your business.
Your Logo vs. Their Life
Sending a client a gift that is plastered with your own company’s logo is not a gift; it’s a piece of marketing. It’s about you, not them. The #1 secret to a client gift that builds a real relationship is to make it personal to them. Did they mention they love to golf? Send a sleeve of high-quality golf balls. Do you know they’re a huge fan of a certain sports team? Send them a small piece of memorabilia. A gift that reflects their interests shows that you listen and that you see them as a person, not just a client.
I’m just going to say it: That desktop punching bag is going to get someone in trouble with HR.
The “Funny” Gift with Unforeseen Consequences
A miniature desktop punching bag for a stressed-out coworker seems like a hilarious gag gift. But in a professional office environment, it can be a minefield. What starts as a funny way to blow off steam can be perceived as unprofessional, aggressive, or even create a hostile work environment. It’s a gift that has the potential to be wildly misinterpreted. When in doubt, it’s always best to steer clear of gifts that involve any form of mock violence or aggression in the workplace.
The reason your gift seemed like an afterthought is because you didn’t include a handwritten note.
The Object vs. the Message
You could give the most expensive, perfect gift, but if you just hand it over with no card or note, it can feel like a cold, impersonal transaction. The gift is the object, but the note is the soul. A simple, two-sentence, handwritten note—”I was so grateful for your help on that project, and I wanted to get you a small token of my appreciation.”—is what provides the context, the warmth, and the genuine sentiment. The note is what transforms the object into a true gift.
If you’re still giving a generic lanyard, you’re losing the style and durability of a handmade leather one.
The Fraying Nylon vs. the Polished Professional
A generic, nylon lanyard with a company logo is a functional but flimsy and often ugly necessity of office life. A handmade, leather lanyard is a significant and stylish upgrade. It’s a durable, professional, and comfortable accessory that elevates a simple ID badge into a part of a polished work uniform. It’s a small, but noticeable, detail that can make a colleague feel more put-together and professional every single day.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about holiday bonuses is that a gift can replace one.
The Jelly of the Month Club
In the classic movie “Christmas Vacation,” the boss gives his employees a subscription to the “Jelly of the Month Club” instead of their expected cash bonus. This is the perfect illustration of a fundamental business lie. A gift, no matter how thoughtful, is not a substitute for fair compensation. A holiday bonus is a part of an employee’s expected earnings. Replacing it with a branded fleece or a gift basket is not an act of generosity; it’s a cost-cutting measure that will almost certainly damage morale.
I wish I knew that a compact, powerful lint roller is a lifesaver for a professional who meets with clients.
The Pet Hair on the Blazer
For the professional who wears a lot of dark suits or has a pet at home, a high-quality, compact lint roller is an absolute essential. Just before a big client meeting, a quick roll can be the difference between looking polished and professional, and looking like you just wrestled a golden retriever. A small, but powerful, lint roller that can be kept in a desk drawer or a briefcase is a surprisingly thoughtful, practical, and inexpensive gift that can be a true lifesaver.
99% of people make this one mistake with a retirement gift: making it all about the end of their career, not the beginning of their next chapter.
The “Goodbye” vs. the “Hello”
A retirement party is often filled with gifts that are nostalgic and backward-looking, focused on the career that is ending. The mistake is to forget that retirement is not just an end; it’s a new beginning. A far more inspiring and forward-looking gift is one that supports the retiree’s next chapter. A gift certificate for a class on a hobby they’ve always wanted to try, a set of high-quality gardening tools, or a National Parks Pass are all gifts that say, “Congratulations on your amazing career, now go and have an incredible adventure.”
This one small action of giving a beautiful, high-quality water bottle will encourage your coworker to stay hydrated.
The Disposable Cup vs. the Desk-Side Hydration Station
Many office workers forget to drink enough water throughout the day. A beautiful, high-quality, insulated water bottle is a simple, effective, and health-conscious gift. Having an attractive and functional water bottle sitting on their desk is a constant, gentle reminder to stay hydrated. It’s a gift that is good for their health, good for the environment, and a small, daily upgrade that can make them feel a little more cared for.
Use a portable white noise machine for the coworker who is easily distracted, not a pair of cheap earplugs.
Blocking the Noise vs. Masking the Noise
Cheap earplugs can be uncomfortable and can’t block out the sudden, sharp noises of an office, like a ringing phone. A portable white noise machine is a more effective solution. It doesn’t just block noise; it masks it with a steady, soothing sound, like gentle rain or a soft fan. This can create a personal bubble of focus around a coworker’s desk, helping them to tune out distractions and concentrate. It’s a gift of peace and productivity in a chaotic open-plan office.
Stop giving a generic business book. Do a biography of an inspiring figure in their field instead.
The Abstract Theory vs. the Human Story
A generic business book filled with abstract theories and management jargon can be a dry and forgettable gift. A well-written biography of a brilliant, inspiring, or innovative figure from their own industry, however, is a gift of a human story. It’s a way to learn about leadership, perseverance, and creativity through a compelling, real-life narrative. A story is always more engaging and memorable than a textbook, and it’s a gift that can provide both education and genuine inspiration.
Stop just giving a gift. Do the gift of taking on one of their tasks when they are overwhelmed.
The Gift of an Object vs. the Gift of Relief
Your coworker is drowning in a tight deadline. You could give them a stress ball, a candle, or another object meant to “help” with their stress. Or, you could give them the most powerful and effective gift of all: the gift of genuine help. A simple, “You look overwhelmed. Can I take that small report off your plate to give you some breathing room?” is an act of profound kindness and teamwork. You’re not just giving them a thing; you’re giving them the priceless gift of a lighter load.
The #1 hack for a great Secret Santa gift on a budget is a collection of high-end snacks.
The Cheap Gadget vs. the Gourmet Treat
When you’re stuck with a low Secret Santa budget, it’s tempting to buy a cheap, plastic, novelty gadget that will end up in the trash. The #1 hack for a successful, budget-friendly gift is to focus on a small collection of high-quality, consumable treats. You can go to a specialty food store and, for under twenty dollars, get a beautiful bar of artisanal chocolate, a small bag of gourmet coffee, and a unique, savory snack. It’s a small taste of luxury that feels much more special than a cheap, disposable object.
I’m just going to say it: You should never give your boss clothing, perfume, or anything overly personal.
The Boundary-Crossing Gift
Gifting “up” to your boss is already tricky. Giving them a highly personal item like an article of clothing, a bottle of perfume, or a piece of jewelry crosses a professional boundary. These gifts are too intimate for a superior-subordinate relationship. They can make your boss feel uncomfortable and can be easily misinterpreted. When it comes to your boss, always stick to safe, professional, and neutral gifts, and whenever possible, make it a group gift from the whole team.
The reason your gift card went unused is because it was for a store they never frequent.
The Gift of an Inconvenient Errand
You give a coworker a gift card to a boutique on the other side of town because you thought it was a cool, unique spot. The problem is, your coworker never goes to that neighborhood and doesn’t have time to make a special trip. Your thoughtful gift has become an inconvenient errand that is unlikely to ever be completed. The best gift cards are the ones for places that are either incredibly convenient (like the coffee shop next door) or for a brand that you know for a fact they already love and frequent.
If you’re still giving a generic “thank you,” you’re losing the impact of a specific, public acknowledgement of their hard work.
The Private “Thanks” vs. the Public Praise
A private “thank you” to a colleague is a wonderful and important gesture. But for a truly impactful expression of appreciation, consider a public acknowledgement (when appropriate). A shout-out in a team meeting, a “cc” to their manager on a complimentary email, or a positive comment on a company-wide chat channel are all ways of making your praise visible. Public recognition is a powerful motivator and a gift that can have a real, positive impact on a person’s career.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about corporate culture is that you have to be friends with everyone.
The Myth of the “Work Family”
Many companies push the idea that your team should be your “family” and that you should be close, personal friends with all of your colleagues. The lie is that this is necessary for a good work environment. The truth is, a healthy and effective team is built on a foundation of mutual respect, clear communication, and professional kindness. You don’t have to love your coworkers; you just have to respect them. A professional, collaborative, and friendly-but-not-forced atmosphere is the real goal.
I wish I knew that a gift certificate for a high-quality headshot session is an incredible gift for someone starting a new career.
The Selfie vs. the Professional First Impression
When a friend or a new graduate is starting their career, their online professional presence is incredibly important. A blurry, cropped selfie on their LinkedIn profile can make a poor first impression. I wish I had known that a gift certificate for a session with a professional headshot photographer is an amazing and empowering gift. You are giving them a tool that will boost their confidence and help them present themselves in the best possible light as they embark on their new professional journey.
99% of people make this one mistake with a virtual gift: just sending a link instead of making it feel special.
The Cold Link vs. the Warm, Digital Unwrapping
You buy a virtual gift, like an e-gift card or a digital subscription, and you just forward the confirmation email to the recipient. It’s a cold, transactional, and anticlimactic delivery. To make a virtual gift feel special, you need to create a “digital unwrapping” experience. Take a few extra minutes to write a thoughtful, personal email. Attach a relevant, fun GIF or a picture. The link to the gift should be the last part of a warm, personal message, not the entire message itself.
This one small action of keeping a few nice, blank cards in your desk will save you from many last-minute gift emergencies.
The Desk Drawer Lifesaver
A coworker’s birthday pops up unexpectedly. Someone announces they are leaving. A colleague has a baby. These last-minute gift occasions are a part of office life. The small, heroic action is to keep a small stash of high-quality, beautiful, blank greeting cards in your desk drawer. This means you are always prepared to write a thoughtful, personal note without having to make a frantic dash to the pharmacy. It’s a simple act of preparation that makes you look thoughtful and organized, even when you’re not.
Use a high-end, ergonomic mouse for the coworker who complains about wrist pain, not a generic one.
The Standard Mouse vs. the Handshake
A standard, flat computer mouse forces your wrist into an unnatural, twisted position for eight hours a day, which can lead to repetitive strain injuries. For a coworker who complains of wrist or hand pain, a high-end, ergonomic mouse—especially a “vertical” mouse that allows you to hold it in a more natural “handshake” position—is a gift of profound, physical relief. You are not just giving them a new piece of hardware; you are giving them a tool that can alleviate a source of chronic, daily pain.
Stop giving a generic picture frame. Do a high-quality stand for their tablet or phone instead.
The Outdated Desk Accessory vs. the Modern Media Hub
A picture frame is a classic desk accessory, but in a modern office, a person’s most-viewed “pictures” are often on their phone or tablet. A high-quality, sturdy, and adjustable stand for their device is a far more useful and relevant gift. It elevates their screen to a more ergonomic viewing angle for video calls, keeps their device accessible for notifications, and turns their phone or tablet into a mini, desk-side digital picture frame.
Stop just giving a gift for “Boss’s Day.” Do consistent hard work and respect all year long instead.
The One-Day Gesture vs. the 365-Day Performance
“Boss’s Day” is a manufactured holiday that can feel like a day of forced, obligatory appreciation. The truth is, the greatest gift you can give your boss is not a mug or a gift card on one specific day. It is the gift of your consistent, high-quality work, your positive attitude, and your professional respect, every single day of the year. A great employee is the best gift a manager can ever receive, and it’s a gift that you give through your daily actions, not a one-time purchase.
The #1 secret for a gift for a mentor is a detailed letter explaining the impact they’ve had on your career.
The Object They Don’t Need vs. the Legacy They’ve Built
A mentor is often a successful, established professional who doesn’t need another physical object. The #1 secret for a truly meaningful gift is to give them the gift of their own legacy, reflected back at them. A detailed, specific, and heartfelt letter that outlines the concrete ways their advice has helped you, the doors they have opened for you, and the impact they have had on the trajectory of your career is the most powerful and cherished gift you can possibly give. It’s a testament to the value of their guidance.
I’m just going to say it: The best gift for your employees is flexibility and respect.
The Ping-Pong Table vs. the Permission to Go to the Doctor
Companies spend a fortune on “perks” like free snacks, company swag, and ping-pong tables, believing these are the keys to employee happiness. The truth is, the best and most valued gifts are often free. The gift of flexibility to work from home when needed. The gift of respecting their time outside of work hours. The gift of trust and autonomy to do their jobs without being micromanaged. These gifts of a humane and respectful work environment are far more valuable than any superficial perk.
The reason your team gift felt uninspired is because you bought a bulk pack of the same item for everyone.
The Assembly Line of “Appreciation”
You needed a gift for your team of ten, so you went online and bought a bulk pack of ten identical, generic water bottles. While efficient, this approach feels impersonal and uninspired. It’s an assembly line of appreciation. A more thoughtful, though more time-consuming, approach is to get a small, unique gift for each person that reflects their individual personality or interests. The extra effort to personalize the gifts shows that you see your team as a collection of unique individuals, not a uniform group.
If you’re still giving a cheap, plastic travel adapter, you’re losing the universal compatibility of a modern, all-in-one device.
The Bag of Plugs vs. the One True Adapter
A cheap, plastic travel adapter set is often a confusing bag of a dozen different, flimsy plugs. A modern, all-in-one, universal travel adapter is a sleek, compact, and brilliant piece of engineering. It has clever, slide-out prongs that can be configured to fit outlets in over 150 countries, and it usually includes multiple USB ports for charging all of your devices at once. It’s a gift that can replace an entire bag of clutter with one single, elegant, and incredibly useful tool for the global traveler.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about business is that you can’t be kind and successful.
The Myth of the “Ruthless” Executive
There is a pervasive and toxic myth in the business world that to be successful, you must be ruthless, cutthroat, and willing to step on others to get to the top. The lie is that kindness is a weakness. The truth is, in the modern, interconnected world, a reputation for kindness, integrity, and collaboration is a powerful long-term asset. You can be both ambitious and empathetic, both successful and kind. In fact, the latter is often the sustainable foundation for the former.
I wish I knew that a subscription to a mindfulness app like Calm or Headspace is a great gift for a stressed-out colleague.
The Gift of a Quiet Mind
In a high-pressure work environment, stress and anxiety are constant companions. I used to give well-intentioned but ultimately useless gifts like stress balls. I wish I had known that a one-year subscription to a mindfulness and meditation app is a powerful and practical gift of mental wellness. It’s a tool that can be used every day—on their commute, during a lunch break—to reduce stress, improve focus, and find a few moments of peace in a chaotic day. It’s a gift of a quiet mind.
99% of people make this one mistake with a work-from-home gift: giving something that adds to their home clutter.
The Blurring of Work and Home
When you’re buying a gift for a remote worker, it’s tempting to get them a “fun” desk accessory or a piece of office-themed decor. The mistake is forgetting that their “office” is also their “home.” Another object for their desk is another piece of clutter in their living space. The best gifts for a remote worker are ones that are either digital, consumable, or that improve their comfort and workflow without taking up permanent visual space—like a high-quality headset, a subscription service, or a comfortable footrest.
This one small action of giving a high-quality webcam cover will be a thoughtful gift for privacy in the age of Zoom.
The Post-It Note vs. the Elegant Solution
In the age of constant video calls, we’ve all had that moment of panic: “Is my camera on?” Many of us resort to a tacky, sticky piece of tape or a Post-it note over our webcam lens. A simple, but incredibly thoughtful and useful, gift is a high-quality, ultra-thin, sliding webcam cover. It’s an elegant, professional solution to a modern privacy concern. It’s a small, inexpensive gift that shows you care about their security and peace of mind.
Use a gift of a premium Zoom background subscription, not another virtual happy hour.
The Awkward Virtual Gathering vs. the Polished Professional Image
Another “optional” virtual happy hour can often feel like a forced, awkward, and screen-fatiguing obligation. For a remote team, a more useful and creative gift is a subscription to a service that provides beautiful, high-quality, professional virtual backgrounds for their video calls. You are giving them a tool that can help them look more polished and professional in every meeting, and it’s a fun way to express their personality without the pressure of forced social interaction.