Birthdays are supposed to be a time for celebration, but in a large office, employees could wind up celebrating every day. The concept of birthday celebrations in the office has long been debated in boardrooms nationwide, but that doesn’t solve the question of whether or not you should give your coworkers birthday gifts. Various experts have differing opinions, but this is what I could cess out from my research.
First, you have to take into consideration the monetary ramifications of gifting for birthdays. For example, let’s say that you and the woman in the neighboring cubicle have become good friends. Her birthday’s tomorrow, so you run out to buy her a gift, then leave it on her desk when you arrive in the morning. This might seem like a sweet gesture to make, but what happens when your other coworkers see you’ve given a birthday gift?
The fact is that a place of employment should be neutral turf, and favorites should never be played regardless of whether or not the recipient is a subordinate. If you’re going to treat one coworker one way, you are morally obligated to treat everyone else the same. Some experts say that you should only give your coworkers birthday gifts if you work in a small office and plan to do it for everyone.
One way to solve this problem is to give friendly coworkers birthday gifts outside the office. Plan to meet for dinner or a drink and hand over your token then. This keeps it out of the office entirely and makes it a gift between friends rather than coworkers.
Another problem with giving coworkers birthday gifts is that the margin for appropriate items is fairly narrow. Impersonal gifts like picture frames, personalized pens, gift baskets and stationery are appropriate, but they don’t always convey the thoughtfulness a gift should entail. Some experts suggest buying personalized items to make them seem less impersonal, but this can get expensive if you’re buying them several times each year.
Before you decide whether or not you should give your coworkers birthday gifts, make sure to check your company handbook or talk to your human resources manager. Some companies have policies about gifting that might influence your decision dramatically; plus it will keep you out of hot water. Employers in particular often have a no-gift policy in order to keep less fortunate employees from feeling as though they need to spend their money.
It is also a good idea to sit back and see whether or not your coworkers buy birthday gifts for each other. If you see that it’s a popular trend, you might want to join the celebrations and buy them yourself. Just make sure you have the correct dates for each of your coworkers’ birthdays written down so you don’t accidentally forget and leave someone out. The up-side to giving your coworkers birthday gifts is you’ll probably get them yourself when it’s your turn.
