Your Guide to Gifts for Coworkers (+ gift ideas)

It can be a daunting task to choose a gift for a coworker if you’re not familiar with their personal preferences. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to steer clear of showing your team appreciation or feel intimidated by all the gifting options out there.‍

Gifting your coworker a meaningful and thoughtful item helps show them that they’re valued within the team and further creates a collaborative and trusting environment in which everyone feels an added connection to each other. Your work environment and company will definitely benefit from kind shows of recognition between coworkers!‍

If you do find yourself uncertain about where to begin, we’ve put together a guide detailing the best gifts to send your coworkers. Read on for ideas that are sure to put a smile on their face!

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The Best Gift Ideas For Coworkers

Branded Gifts For Coworkers

Personalizing a gift for coworkers helps convey thoughtfulness and a genuine interest in the connection and is thus one of the best appreciation gifts you can give. It shows that you took the time to cater something special for them rather than opting for a generic item that might fit the bill. ‍

Below, we highlight some of the best ideas for personalized gifts that you can give your coworker. It’s important to consider the specific person and decide whether it meets their personality and preferences, in order to achieve a true personalized gift. ‍

Branded Mug

Almost every office has a few serious coffee or tea lovers in their team. These people would appreciate a personalized mug that could have their name, a picture of their loved ones, or their favorite quote printed on it! They can add it into their daily routine and smile at the thought of their work every time they take a sip.‍

On top of that, it can be quite calming to sip on a warm beverage especially when dealing with a stressful or high pressure day. They’ll be able to use this mug, take a breath and remind themselves that they’re appreciated and loved when they really need it.‍

Branded Candles

While some people appreciate a nice cup of coffee or tea, others may be interested in gifts that appeal to their senses. If you know one of your coworkers appreciates a pleasant scent, it would be productive to gift them a personalized candle!‍

Customize this gift by choosing a candle scent that appeals to your coworker’s preferences, such as vanilla, rose or sandalwood. It can be further personalized by catering the candle holder or wax color to suit their likes.‍

Personalized Necklace

This gift is best suited for a coworker who you’d like to celebrate a special occasion for. If you care about them on a personal level and know them well, this is a great gift to help them feel even more valued. ‍

There are plenty of ways to personalize necklaces. You can choose a pendant that holds a special meaning to the recipient (e.g. their favourite gemstone, their birthstone, etc) or you can engrave their name or initials on the necklace to create something that’s specially made for them.‍

It’s important to consider your budget too and decide between silver or gold or even consider a plated necklace.‍

This is one of the best appreciation gifts for coworkers as it’s something they will carry close to their heart and hold onto for years to come - it will constantly remind them that they are loved and appreciated while adding a special touch to their daily look. 

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Related: How To Choose The Best Going Away Gifts For Cowokers (+ gift ideas)

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Personalized Watch 

Watches make fantastic gifts for coworkers since they’re super handy - they are guaranteed to be used and they look professional, making them perfect for work. Every time your coworker checks the time, they’ll be reminded of how appreciated they are by their team! ‍

You can personalize the watch by getting their name, initials, or their favorite quote engraved on the back side of the face.‍

Personalized Christmas Ornament

There are countless people whose favourite time of the year is the holidays. If you know your coworker carries a strong Christmas spirit, a personalized ornament will create a sentimental and specially catered gift for them. ‍

They’ll experience their favourite time of the year while being reminded of their amazing team every time they look at their Christmas tree. You can give them the experience of finding the perfect spot for it and let them know you notice them for their character!‍

There are various ways to personalize a Christmas decoration, but the most popular options are usually through a bauble or snow globe. With a snow globe, you can add in a photo of their loved ones into it and do the same with a bauble, or alternatively, have their names printed on it.‍

Branded Bag For Work

This is definitely one of the most productive and useful gifts to customize for a coworker! These bags can be in the form of leather satchels or laptop bags with your recipient’s name embroidered on them.‍

Leather can be a tricky material to work, not only due to it’s high price, but also if your coworker doesn’t approve of animal products. If this is the case, you can opt for a vegan material that is both user friendly and affordable!‍

Personalized Notebook Or Stationery Set 

This is an awesome gift for coworkers that appreciate organization and even those that have a creative mind.‍

There are endless options for stationery gifts. You could get them a blank notebook, a diary for the new year, a set of good-quality pens or fine liners, a set of pencils, a calendar, and so on.‍

All of these ideas can be personalized in their own ways or you can even add a special note into the gift to give it a personal and thoughtful touch.‍

Gifts For The Snackers

Every office has the team members with snacks always stocked up on their desk. Either way, you can never go wrong with a gift of delicious food!‍

For these kinds of gifts, it’s worthwhile to do a bit of research on your coworker and find out what their favorite treats are. You should also confirm whether they’re a sweet or savoury treat type of person and then consider Consider some of the trending snacks listed below.‍

For The Sweet Tooth

For someone who likes sweet treats, consider protein bars, a box of chocolates, brownies, cupcakes, a jar of jelly sweets, cookies or even high-quality honey!‍

A fun fruit basket could also be a productive idea as these services usually deliver to the door and offer special notes that can be attached to the gift. ‍

If you’re feeling up to it, personalize this gift by baking your coworker a sweet treat yourself! You could also create your own basket and fill it with various favourite snacks.‍

Another idea would be to incorporate CBD infused treats to help the recipient destress from a long day at work (always ensure your coworker approves of this substance before gifting).

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Related: 17 Thoughtful Work Anniversary Gifts For All Employee Milestones

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Savory Options

If you’ve discovered that your coworker appreciates salt more than sugar, read on for various options of savoury gifts! ‍

It can be as simple as offering them a jar of high-quality nuts or fancy cheese and crackers so they can make their own charcuterie board. Homemade bread, dips or even pesto can be added in to add an extra touch of flavour to the gift. ‍

Meat lovers will definitely appreciate beef jerky, sausage snacks or a gift set filled with high-quality assorted meats. On the other hand, plant-based coworkers may enjoy delicious nut butters or even kimchi!‍

Gifts For The Coffee Or Tea Lovers

Countless people thrive on coffee or tea to get them through the workday, so a gift that includes either will go a long way in making their professional life easier. ‍

First things first - find out if they’re coffee or tea lovers. You need to know how to cater this gift for the specific person to meet their individual needs. ‍

Coffee Lovers

For coffee lovers, it could be beneficial to gift them their own coffee brewing machine such as a french press, pour over set or even an Aeropress. None of these tools are electronic and are easily portable so they can enjoy their coffee wherever they are. Add in a bag of ground or whole bean coffee to top off this gift!‍

Perhaps they own a Nespresso machine. Gifting them specially flavored pods, or even a pod storage tree would be a great option!‍

Along with that, a coffee subscription that delivers a different type of coffee to them each month is an amazing gift that will continue to remind them of your appreciation every time it arrives to their door. ‍

Tea Lovers

Tea lovers almost always have an eye for sophistication, so gifting them a stylish teapot and teacup set would be highly welcomed. Add in a bag of loose-leaf tea so they can try out their new equipment!‍

If you’re looking for a gift for the holiday season, an advent calendar that contains a single serving of a different tea for each day would be fun and memorable for your coworker. ‍

A tea infuser, honey sticks, and good quality, unique teas are some other things you could never go wrong with!‍

Gifts For Coworkers With a Green Thumb

If you know your coworker loves to spend their weekends perfecting their lawn and planting a beautiful garden, why not help them indulge in that interest further?‍

Gifts like a bonsai or another ornamental plant, a beautiful glazed pot, a herb growing kit, and books on gardening would be great for these colleagues and allow them to access their hobby with ease! ‍

Gifts For The Tech Lover

Tech gifts make the most impact if they’re specially geared for what the recipient is interested in rather than incorporating any random electronic into the gift. ‍

A few exciting ideas include a portable mini projector, wireless earphones, pocket polaroid printer, wireless charger, electric wine opener, Bluetooth speaker, and video photo frame. ‍

If you know that this person enjoys tech and living a healthy lifestyle, it would be neat to gift them a smart water bottle that reminds them to drink and tracks how often they hydrate.‍

As you can see, tech and electronics are a versatile gift with endless possibilities! Just remember to keep this gift practical, functional and high-quality. ‍

Gifts for the Foodie

If you have a coworker who loves trying different foods or identifies cooking as their main hobby, then consider the options below.‍

Gifts For Coworkers Who Enjoy Cooking

A brand new cookbook, cooking classes, baking utensils, a knife set, or unique and nifty kitchen gadgets would be a lovely gift. Also, consider ingredients like olive oils or a mini herb garden. ‍

Gifts For Coworkers Who Like Gourmet Food

For your gourmet foodie coworkers, gifts like a voucher to a fancy restaurant, wine glasses, a sauce sampler box, or a monthly subscription to a food or wine club will be a huge hit.‍

A tapas and cheese board or a box of unique treats from around the world would also make impressive gifts if you know they’re an adventurous eater! ‍

Gifts For Those Working Remotely

Although it can seem difficult to connect remotely, it’s very possible to gift a meaningful item for your work from home coworker. In this situation, it’s often more important to build and maintain a connection with your team so they feel appreciated while not interacting with each other in person.‍

Some ideas are a gift voucher to their favorite store, a classy restaurant, or items to improve their work-from-home experience.‍

Headphones, webcams, comfy slippers, fitness apps, a white noise machine, air humidifier, or blanket throws are practical gifts that would come in handy when working from home. 

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Related: Rewards and Incentives for Hybrid Employees

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Gifts For When You Just Don’t Know What To Get

If you haven’t been able to get to know your coworker so well, but are still wishing to gift them something special, you can always opt for traditional gifts that are usually very well received. ‍

These include flowers, a gift card, fragrances, bath products, or a spa voucher. ‍

Final Thoughts

Although it can seem like a matter of little importance, creating a gift for your coworker goes a long way in maintaining a healthy connection at work.‍

It is often more than just the gift itself too, and rather about the thought behind it and the fact that you went out of your way to spoil them and make them feel special. ‍

This sign of camaraderie will make the workspace a comfortable and appreciative environment for you and your coworkers. You can all make each other feel important and valued while also creating a strong sense of loyalty in the office. Not only will this increase the respect you all have for each other, it can help build personal relationships in the workplace.‍

Just remember to place a genuine effort when choosing a gift for your coworker, and the gesture will go a long way!