Great Gift Ideas for Office Coworkers

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As if finding the perfect gifts for family and friends wasn’t difficult enough, most people also take it
upon themselves to purchase presents for coworkers. This can be problematic for two reasons. First,
you may be on the hook for several gifts if you work in a large office or team. So it can definitely
get expensive. And you also may face the trouble of not knowing people very well, especially if
fraternization outside the office is discouraged (and it usually is). So you could be shopping for a lot of
people you barely know. In this case, you might need a little help coming up with inexpensive, generic
gifts for coworkers that will still wow. And here are just a few ideas to get you started.

1. Baked goods. Truth be told, you still can’t go wrong with a few fabulous treats to stock the
break room. While you can certainly spend beaucoup bucks on trendy gift baskets to save time,
consider making the gift personal by devoting a weekend to some kitchen crafts. You can even
offer vegan or gluten-free options if you’re worried about excluding anyone, and you probably
have plenty of coworkers that would appreciate tasty but low-calorie items if you can find a few
good recipes along those lines.

2. Items from Flight 001. This website has great ideas for anyone that travels (which many of your
coworkers may do, either for work or personal reasons). From carry-on bottle sets, jetlag relief
kits, and money belts to luggage and carry-on bags, to neck pillows and sleeping masks, you can
find a variety of great gifts that will suit your jet-setting colleagues, wherever their travels take
them.

3. Bento box. Everyone is trying to save money these days, which means a lot of your coworkers
are probably cutting back on business lunches and opting for the brown bags of yesteryear.
So why not help them preserve their budgets in style with a bento box that allows them to
compartmentalize their lunch (without wasting paper and plastic bags? Check out the wares at
Laptop Lunches for some suitable options.

4. Wine. Alcohol and alcohol-related gifts aren’t always the best idea. For example, you might not
want to present all of your coworkers with flasks full of Everclear. But wine is a sophisticated
and generally appropriate way to give the gift of alcohol. Of course, some people (like those
that are sober) may take offense, so if you happen to know that certain coworkers are averse
to alcohol, you may want to get them something else. Generally speaking, however, even
those that don’t particularly enjoy wine themselves will happily re-gift your offering the next
time they go to dinner with friends. And you might be surprised how many bottles come highly
recommended by the experts at a truly affordable price.

5. Gift cards. Three words: BEST…GIFT…EVER. Gone are the days when pen sets and pocket
watches (or any watches, for that matter) were considered acceptable corporate gifts. Really?
A pen? Who writes anything without some kind of keypad anymore? These days it’s all about
saving time and money when it comes to gifting for coworkers and there’s really no better way
to say “I like you enough to give you an obligatory gift” than with an impersonal card that can
help your colleagues get just what they like. You’re happy, they’re happy, and no one had to
stress!

Evan Fischer is a contributing writer for the Executive Gift Shoppe where you can find a bevy of great gifts for the professional in your life.