Must I buy my boss a pricey holiday gift?
Giving gifts at the office can be stressful, writes Fortune's Anne Fisher in her November 21 Ask Annie column. What dilemmas do you face when buying presents for bosses, co-workers or employees? And what are the best and worst gifts you've received at work?
As a Chinese girl, I have to take it into account before Spring Festival. Usually I will take the special local products of my hometown, especially some delicious food, welcome and not so expensive!
If you are male and have a male boss, what are the gift giving guidelines? Keep in mind that I live in the deep south and was raised/ educated in the north..... Demographics can play a very large role in gift giving.
My department collects $20 each to buy the boss a present. The department continues to grow, but the donation amount has stayed the same. The organizer of the gift has decided to buy the boss a very expensive Tiffany bracelet. Do you think it is appropriate to give such a lavish, personal gift? Should I opt out and buy my own gift for the boss?
The worst give I ever received from work will come this year - a poinsettia. I can't stand those flowers and they are poisonous to my animals. The second worst gift I received from a boss was a smoked turkey and 4 padded hangers. What the hey?
I'm giving my boss a set of noise reduction headphones - he travels 2-4 times a week. thank goodness we're not allowed to give supervisors gifts. We have a wonderful office tradition, the white office gift exchange. We bring in all the awful stuff everyone else brings us and give it each other, anonymously, of course
No gifts PLEASE! I have a thousand cups, tokens, do-dads from over the years. I throw them away. Its not a reflection on the person giving them its just I never use them. They sit there doing noting until I get tired of moving them around and throw them away. I would rather have a ride to the airport to board so I can get to my families Christmass and have a handshake a a,"wish you and your a very Merry Christmass--with a smile." Again not a scrooge, I love Christmas, wish it were everyday, dress your office up, make candies but no gifts PLEASE.
A good gift for a boss is a donation to their favorite charity.
"A good gift for a boss is a donation to their favorite charity"
Hmmm, yeah just make sure you don't make a donation to the "human fund" (like George from Seinfeld) :) I'm overseas and have 15 co-workers ranging from ages 20 to 42. I decided a thoughtful inexpensive gift would be goodie bags. I went on Oriental Trading company and ordered some goodies that I think everyone will enjoy. Had mom ship me some candy canes and cocoa packets to add to the bags and wall-la! Everyone gets the same thing and there's no jealousy. Of course there are a few people I am a lot closer too, they were given an e-certificate for their fav department store.
This year, I bought my boss a yearly subscription to the local newspaper. Every day, he runs out for lunch and always picks up a paper while he is out. I know this is something he will enjoy and it also saves him time (albiet a few minutes). Perfect.
I guess I'm a bit late here, but I did not give my boss a gift. The reason - I just graduated from college and barely make enough to cover my basic expenses. On top of that, I am asked to contribute money every time someone on my team has a baby or a wedding or a birthday (everyone was out for my birthday last year, so I got nothing). It adds up. I hope my boss recognizes that the reason I do not give her a gift is because she makes 10x what I make, and to buy her a gift would be silly.
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