Every year, managers and human resources professionals like you struggle with the same issue: what to give their employees for the holidays. You’ve seen the looks on your employees’ faces when they all open the exact same pencil set or company tote bag and you don’t want to repeat that ever again. The question is, how do you find something personal, but still workplace appropriate, for each individual employee? With this handy shopping guide, all you’ll need to know is one interest or hobby and this year you’ll be handing out gifts that will put everyone in the holiday spirit.
For the Outdoorsy Type
Have a coworker who spends every weekend hiking in a different state park or every fall counting down the days until hunting season? Outdoorsy people can be pretty particular about their gear, so save yourself the guesswork and get a gift card to a reputable outfitter like Cabela’s.
For the Philanthropist
For the person who truly doesn’t want a gift, consider a gift card to a micro-lender like Kiva. He can then pick the person he’d like to invest in by project and country. The best thing about it is that once the loan is repaid, it can be reinvested in another deserving borrower.
For the Traveler
A great gift for the employee who loves to travel is the Scratch Map Deluxe, a scratch-off wall map that will let her show off everywhere she’s been as well as plot her next adventure.
For the Writer
The aspiring writer in the office will appreciate an adorable “Choose Your Weapon” pen pouch from Etsy and a trio of moleskin notebooks.
For the Sports Fan
Give the sports fan in your office access to the latest in-depth sports news with a membership to ESPN’s Insider. With this membership, he’ll also get a subscription to ESPN the Magazine.
For the Bookworm
Have an employee who has his nose in a book the minute he’s on his lunch break? Grab a gift certificate to a local used bookstore or delight him with a Jane Eyre Bookshelf Bandit tote bag (bonus: a book is donated to a community in need for every tote sold).
For the Music Lover
The music lover in the office will never run out of new music to listen to with a subscription to a streaming service like Pandora or Spotify.
For the Foodie
For the employee who comes in every Monday morning talking about the new restaurant she tried or her latest culinary concoction, try a fabulous Charted Cheese Wheel print from Pop Chart Lab or a gift card to her favorite local restaurant.
For the Beer Drinker
Bringing alcohol to the office might not be appropriate, but a membership to a local beer CSA (or CSBs, as they are sometimes called) will thrill the beer lover in the office. No CSB? Look for tickets to a beer tasting event or brewery tour.
For the Tech Geek
Grab your techie a geek-chic Nerd Herder Gadget Wallet to keep his headphones, charging cords, flash drives, phone, cash and cards organized and close at hand.
For the Movie Lover
Every movie lover will appreciate a gift card to a local movie theater, but if you want something a bit more personal, search for a creative print of her favorite movie on Etsy.