The corporate birthday question is always a tricky one. How much celebrating is appropriate? What to do about the coworker who always goes overboard with your gift when you really don’t want to reciprocate? Should you draw names? Bake cakes? Forget it altogether?
Maybe there’s a better way to manage the birthday situation and make everyone feel appreciated and honored on their special day. One such possibility is a one-size-fits-all type of gift that is selected for that calendar year – everyone gets the same gift. True, there’s not a lot of surprise after the first employee opens the box or accepts the delivery, but it is certainly fair to everyone. There are many choices here and some of them would be welcomed by almost everyone!
Gourmet food items continue to be popular as corporate birthday gifts. Flowers are always nice, too, but there are other options available. Customized note cards, picture frames for family photos, art-book quality calendars, and day planners are solid choices. You may also want to consider patronizing local craftsmen in your area. Beautiful locally made pottery or original art would be a most thoughtful gift.
If individual gift giving is a bit too much for your staff, maybe a monthly breakfast or luncheon to commemorate the birthdays being celebrated en masse would be a fun way to break up the work week and increase morale. Check your local deli or bakery to see if they do catering, and decide on a menu. A simple selection of favorites will work best if offered with several beverage choices, and limited fuss and muss. It needn’t be overly fancy to be a fun break from the daily grind, and to let your co-workers and employees know they are appreciated.
Whatever is decided, make sure to communicate to the whole staff that maybe 2009 is the year to try something new. Ask for their ideas and input and perhaps celebrating Happy Birthdays will be a real highlight for your office staff in the months to come.
With several colors to choose from, this leather photo cube makes a great gift for anyone.
This great organizer can be individualized in several ways.
Image:Morguefile.
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