Gift Ideas For Co-workers
One of the low-key trickiest gifts to get right is for people who you often interact with more frequently than many of your loved ones — co-workers. Whether they're your closest desk buddy, that always dependable office veteran who knows the ropes better than most or the remote colleague who you haven't even met yet but share a million Slack messages with a week, a touching gift is a great way to say thanks. Here are some of the best options out there...
Written by Kevin LaRue • Updated Dec 3 2020
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The Covid-19 pandemic has forced so many of us to magic a home office out of a cupboard. But even before remote working became a way of life for some, desk space was often at a premium. This adjustable bamboo organizer is the definition of multi-purpose and can help maximize space wherever your workstations may be.
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The greatest invention since the wheel? Possibly. That one colleague who spices up everything from the morning muffin to the corner store lunchtime sandwich will make damn good use of these. Refillable 80ml containers ensure they'll always be like queen Bey and have hot sauce in their bag...swag.
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Before there was Slack...there were less subtle ways to communicate with your colleagues how you may be feeling on a given day. Bringing back the retro is always a cool idea. Whether for home office or workplace office, this solid oak-framed messageboard can be a fun way to throw an inspirational quote, terrible dad joke or legit important workplace notice up and on display. Just keep it clean!
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When it comes to brightening up the workspace, desktop greenery is important. Turning desktop greenery into wacky hairstyles for little ceramic owls...perhaps less important at first, but you'll see. These mini succulent plant pots are indeed kitschy but they get away with it.
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Okay, not all of us get to sit closest to the outlets, Karen. Your desk buddies who missed out on grabbing the most optimum seats will be ever so thankful for these super durable nylon charging cables. They're fully 10 feet long too so will reach even the furthest plug.
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The highest-rated journal and planner provider, Bestself's designs are proclaimed to 'cultivate happiness and crush goals'. That language may sound lofty but their 13-week goal-planning system has won many admirers. They also include self-gratitude reminders, weekly habit tracker and lots of ways to stay on top of, well, everything.
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If you're home-working, the water cooler may no longer be where all the best workplace chats/gossip/labour rights movements happen. (They probably happen on Slack now.) But whether remote or back in the office post-pandemic, raising the water game is always a good idea. These fruit infuser bottles are great for experimenting and super easy to clean and use.
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Hot sauce on the keychain is all well and good but what if the keys go missing? For the co-worker who leaves for the day and five minutes later comes back through the door with a breathless "forgot my bloody keys!", this is the answer. The bluetooth tracker, controlled though an app, is ultra intuitive and super helpful.
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Keep an open mind with us on this one. It may initially look like a a gift for your great aunt, but these bags are life-savers. And given how often your colleagues have been life-savers for you at work, that seems reason enough to gift these. The ripstop polyester bags fold into a built-in pouch that would fit in any pocket. Perfect for post-work errands.
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Another one that falls into the 'great if remote working...or not' category. The 3rd Gen model of the dot is Amazon's smartest speaker yet. As well as all the great streaming options — music, podcasts, audiobooks — it can now double up as your dystopian co-worker too. Alexa can do a lot of the office chit-chat: answering questions, relaying the news, remarking on the weather and setting reminders. Dystopian? Yes. Helpful? Also yes.
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A smart notebook? Sure, why not. Whatever saves the environment. Rocketbooks do a lot more than just conserving paper though. The 32-page model can upload your handwritten notes to popular cloud services like Google drive, Dropbox and more. And it wipes clean with a damp microfibre cloth, which is included along with a smart pen.
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Your colleague, much like your good self, is likely wearing that good blouse for all Zoom calls but going full sweatpants and socks to complete the outfit. And even for non-remote workers, you can never have enough extra-warm house socks. Yoicy's three-packs will warm hearts and feet.
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All of us in 2019: I have a hard time remembering what day it is!?
All of us after February 2020: Days? Ha! I gave up on them. I can't even tell you what month it is.
Well, we all have to get it together guys. This mini Mokani calendar is a good first step. It has funky patterns for every month and comes with reminder stickers for events like birthday, dentist and (some day soon) vacations.
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Musty office space? Overly air-conditioned meeting rooms? Or kitchen turned emergency workstation? We've got something that can help clear the air in all those locations. These portable humidifiers will combat dry eyes, noses and throats and have a mist time of upwards of 18 hours. Just make sure to file for overtime!
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Late nights and early, dark mornings are unfortunately part of the routine for so many of us and our co-workers. Whether it's for a home office or to optimize a desk in the HQ, these LED lamps are particularly handy. With a swing arm that can be clamped to the desk and dimmers, adjustable colours and timers, this is a gift that will shine on.
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Long gone are the days of the drab single-slice ham and cheese sandwich flattened down in a bit of cling film. For that we should be thankful. But corralling all the distinct part of a fresh, funky and rewarding lunch can be a bit of a task. These stackable three-in-one Japanese-style boxes are great for keeping food fresh through to lunch hour.
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Post-work drinks were put on hiatus during lockdowns but that doesn't mean anyone should go dry. Home beer-making kits are a really great project to dive into. Brooklyn Brew's packs includes every last thing you need to make a gallon of beer — more than enough to bring to the office and share with colleagues. For research purposes, of course.
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"Optimize Your Workday Performance and Well-Being" reads the subtitle to this 2017 book by Dr. Suzie Carmack. It might seem harder than ever to achieve those things but Carmack's 4-step system, designed to help 'save your sanity and career' has been lauded and also has useful tips for managers looking to energize their teams.
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We all spend too much time on our phones. We know this. We can't stop this. And then often this leads to us not having a charged phone when we actually need it. Portable chargers are the lifesavers we need while we work on our addiction. Anker's 20,000 model provides almost six full charges for an iPhone and is super durable.
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That co-worker who brings you a tea without even asking — just because they know it will help — really is a wonder. So why not say thanks in the same language. This super cute presentation box and menu includes Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Darjeeling, blackcurrant and more. Put the kettle on.
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No good gifting a selection of great teas without a cup to brew them in. These travel mugs are particularly well rated with their vacuum insulation stainless steel keeping hot drinks hot for five hours and cold ones cold for 10 hours. Ello also insist that their new slider lid is "100% leak-proof".
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The best colleagues are those who always have a spare pen when you're caught in a fix. A particularly fitting thank you would be gifting them a pen, then. But not just any pen. Oh no. This Japanese-made pen was voted the best ballpoint in the world by NY Mag. It's at a great price point for such elevated status.
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If you don't have at least one colleague who has all but wallpapered their workstation with fluorescent Post-It notes then your workplace is not like most. This cute upright bear provides the pop-up variety of Post-Its and fits upwards of 50 sheets, or roughly a day's worth for that sticky note addict!
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The international bestseller may be six years old now but the reason it's sold almost two million copies is because it tells some timeless truths. Swedish author Thomas Erikson's four archetypes of humans will be easily identifiable as you look around your own workplace. His advice and insight on how to navigate all those personalities successfully has proven to be particularly valuable for so many. Pass it on!
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Not as thick as a full-on blanket, not as thin as a hoodie, this throw is the perfect level of breathable snugness to counteract a workplace with an AC system gone intentionally haywire. With it's neater size it's sure to come in handy in a home office too as a shawl or wrap. As an added bonus it's machine-washable.
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Getting the brain going first thing in the morning can be...well, a bit of a struggle. Ditto switching on again after a lunch break. These desktop teasers are a good way to get the cells upstairs back up to speed. Made with natural wood, each of the four teasers will amuse and infuriate in equal measure.
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Okay, we've had lots of functional options. It's important to have fun too. They're your co-workers after all. If you can't have a good laugh and joke with them...well, the work days are likely to drag. What could possibly more soothing in a stressful work environment than the dulcet tones of the grandfather of art himself. The mini Bob recites ten memorable sayings of his and comes with a mini easel of 30 of his works.
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The most boring option? Hmmm, maybe the pen takes that award. But sure, where a gift voucher lacks in the imagination department it makes up in the usefulness stakes. Some co-workers are hard nuts to crack and trying to figure out what they may want is difficult — so let them figure it out themselves.
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There may be that quiet workmate who generally tries to avoid things like gift exchanges and anything that creates too much of a fuss. While it's no bad idea to coax them a little to get involved, it's also a good idea for the rest of the team to understand them a little more. Susan Cain's bestselling smash is an ode to the introvert, the ones who prefer to listen in a world that can't shut up. It's one of the more enlightening books of recent times.
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That tangled mess of cords on your colleague's desk that you make fun of? Maybe do something productive about it! This wireless station accommodates smartphones, bluetooth headphones, smart watches and styluses too. And in an instant clears all those intertwined wires from the workspace.
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Everyone's work stresses can hit in different ways and at different times. But there's nothing worse than that feeling of pressure that's almost hanging in the workplace air. Cleansing that air is a good place to start the de-stressing process. This Equsupro cool mist diffuser is desktop-sized with a range of LED lighting options, auto shut-off and a bunch of extras. Breath again.
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The one guarantee of every work week is? It comes to an end. Well done to all of you who still had the Friday evening energy to get that one right. When it does come to an end, there should always be time found for some fun. As far as fun adult card gams go, this is the gold standard. The absurdity and chaos is sure to bring levity after even the most challenging work week.
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