Business Gift Giving 101: Your Guide to Corporate Gift Giving

Whether you’re considering giving a gift for the holidays, celebrating a workplace birthday, or marking a milestone achievement for a coworker, you should always consider gift-giving etiquette. Business gift-giving can be tricky, especially when you’re wondering what to buy — or if you should give a gift at all! Let’s make corporate gift-giving a little less complicated with some dos and don’ts of gifting in the workplace.

1. Always Check Company Policy

Most corporate organizations have an employee handbook that informs you of all company policies and procedures. So before you start shopping for a workplace gift, it’s important to check if there’s something already written in the handbook to guide you.

Business gift-giving etiquette in the handbook can help avoid conflicts of interest between employees, vendors, customers, suppliers, business stakeholders, and potential applicants. A gift policy will typically include the following:

• Who an employee can accept gifts from
• An outline of the circumstances under which employees can accept a gift
• Description of appropriate and inappropriate gift types
• List of types of gifts that are strictly prohibited

If your company doesn’t have a gift-giving policy, the rest of these tips can help you out.

2. Keep Your Gifts Professional

Whether you intend them to or not, gifts always have an unspoken implication, so you want to make sure your intentions stay professional. Think about how receivers and onlookers might interpret your gift.

Usually, personal items, like clothing, jewelry, and perfume, are a bad idea for business gift-giving because they imply an intimate connection that may cross boundaries. You should also steer clear of gag gifts that may be offensive or insulting to others. The best gift ideas are usually edible, gender-neutral, and age-appropriate.

3. Aim For Inclusive Gifts

Nobody likes feeling out of business in gift-giving situations — especially during the holiday season when everyone should be involved. Make sure your gift is thoughtful and considerate of the person you’re buying for, instead of a cheap item that could be for anyone. Someone who loves music might appreciate a music box, while someone who’s a cinephile might appreciate movie tickets.

If your office isn’t holding a voluntary gift exchange, you can shop for something that can boost morale for the entire office. Good gifts for the entire office might include team-building gifts where everyone gets the same branded item, like tote bags, tech folios, cheeseboards, coasters, tumblers, and even collectibles.

4. Observe Any Spending Limits

When gift-giving in business situations, management will typically set a limit for how much each person should spend. Exceeding the limit can make coworkers feel uncomfortable, and they may misinterpret your motives. While you shouldn’t give cash to match a spending limit, you can give gift cards.

5. Don’t Give Gifts to Superiors

Corporate gift-giving has very strict rules about giving upwards. Gifts should always flow down the reporting line, never up! Even during holidays, when you want to show your appreciation for a manager, you should only give gifts laterally.

This is a common rule because it’s designed to protect employees from feeling pressured to give a gift to the person who’s in charge of their paychecks and reviews and prevent any expectation of special treatment.

There are some occasions where business gift-giving for a boss or manager is appropriate, including special milestones, like birth announcements, work anniversaries, or graduations. In these cases, most or all of the team should pitch in for a group purchase.

6. Save Gifts for After-Performance Review Times

Timing is essential with business gift-giving. If you give a gift before a performance review, pay negotiation, or internal interview for a higher position, you might be sending the wrong message about your expectations for these important meetings. Even if your intentions are completely innocent, they may be perceived as a bribe attempt.

7. Avoid Pressuring Employees to Participate

Whether you’re collecting funds for a group gift or hosting a holiday gift exchange, you don’t want to breed negativity, resentment, or feelings of exclusion. Some people might be strapped for cash or not participate in a particular holiday or celebration. Don’t make participation mandatory or give gifts to people who might not be able to reciprocate. Asking for volunteers is the best approach here.

Planning Business Gift-Giving Occasions

With this guide to corporate gift-giving, you can uphold the code of ethics in your office and ensure clear expectations for employees. Our guide also strives to help you ensure equal, non-discriminatory treatment in the workplace. Follow business gift-giving 101 for successful office gifts every time!