How to choose a farewell gift for a coworker

When a person you have worked with closely leaves a job it can be difficult to say goodbye. Even in those instances where a colleague has only briefly worked with you, bonds can grow. A farewell gift for a departing colleague is a nice way to acknowledge thanks, appreciation and to show a token of friendship and affection.


Many colleagues pool resources and choose a group gift. Others leave it up to individuals to select a gift on their own. Either way, sharing a gift is a nice gesture to give a coworker before he or she departs the workplace.

Choosing a present for some colleagues is easy, but for others, it may be more difficult to correctly choose the right gift. There are various aspects to consider when choosing a farewell gift for a coworker, such as:
  • His or her likes and/or hobbies
  • Your working relationship
  • What the rest of your colleagues plan to do
  • How much you want to spend
For the latter, while you don't want to buy a gift that looks cheap, it also may be inappropriate or beyond a budget to purchase a more pricey gift. The cost of the gift doesn't matter so much as the thought and effort put into choosing the gift. Often the best farewell gifts are ones chosen specifically for the individual rather than offering a generic gift. Specially chosen gifts are usually the most touching and treasured.

Here are a few ideas for farewell gifts to give a coworker before he or she moves on to the next journey of his or her life/professional career:

Desk items

Engraved or personalized desk items are usually an appropriate choice for colleagues. If the reason a colleague is leaving the job is due to a new promotion or better job offer, a shiny new personalized desk item will likely be appreciated and useful. It'll also serve as a reminder friends from a former job. If the job is in the field and/or not a desk job, other items can be tools, planners or other useful items that may assist them in their specific industry.

Commemorative plaque

A nice farewell gift is to have a plaque engraved that commemorates your coworker's time with the company. You can have his or her name, organization name, dates of service or any other special details. A plaque is a nice keepsake that many coworkers would appreciate.

Gift certificates

Gift certificates are not as personalized as other gifts, but can also be an appropriate farewell present. Especially if you do not know the person very well. You can choose a generic gift certificate, or a gift card to a favorite store or restaurant you know your coworker enjoys. An online gift card is also often a good choice (VISA, Amazon, eBay, etc.).

Guides and maps

If your colleague is moving to a new city, he or she may not be familiar with the area. In this case, you can purchase some books about the area, either things to see or one that shares local history. Maps and other handy guides to your colleague's new location can help get him or her acclimated to the new environment. Tuck in an envelope with a gift certificate to a nice local restaurant in the guide they can use while they explore their new surroundings.

Photographs

If you have a close working relationship or friendship with your coworker, you might want to consider framing a special group photo or putting together a small photo album that highlights important events, days or everyday shots that may have been taken in the workplace; you can even do this on a CD. When I left one of my jobs I received a framed photo of the group and a lovely book of various photos of people I'd worked with when over my time there, along with special events and highlights, some of the photos of myself I wasn't even aware were taken. I treasure these memories and still pull out the book from time to time and smile.

Check Etsy

Etsy has some a lot of neat stuff - from sentimental to fun. And if you've gotten to know your co-worker pretty well, you can often find a hand-made, customized or personalized gift.

A farewell gift is a nice gesture when it comes time to say goodbye to someone at work. There are really many ideas of farewell gifts, these are only a handful of ideas. What's most important when selecting a farewell gift for a coworker is to put thought into the gift.

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