Monday, February 28, 2011

Business Gifts - A Gift For The Boss

With the dawn  of "Bosses' Day", giving gifts to one's Supervisor or Manager has become more acceptable.  However, one should still exercise good judgement in the giving of a gift to ones' Boss, as the action can conjure up ideas of hidden agendas, as well as trigger speculations amongst other employees.  Additionally, the recipient of the gift, namely the Boss, may also consider possible motives or reasons for the gift.

Yet, in the spirit of good office camaraderie, as well as in genuine appreciation of a decent and well-liked Boss, there is no reason to avoid giving a gift to one's Boss.  The ideal way to give the Boss a gift is for a group of employees to pool together to purchase the gift, and thus make it a joint gift giving effort.

The giving of a gift to the Boss from a group of employees will eliminate any speculation that one is endeavouring to endear themself to the Boss. However, by receiving the gift from a group of employees, the Boss will know that they are appreciated.

As usual, there are always exceptions to every situation.  For instance, if someone has worked with and / or for the Boss for an extended period of time, then a personal but inexpensive gift is appropriate on pertinent occasions.  These occasions would include birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, Bosses' days, Christmas, and / or any other particular religious holiday wherein gift giving is common.  Also, if the Boss has been ill for a period of time, or has been hospitalised, a floral arrangement or a plant is usually acceptable from an individual employee.  The trend is now leaning towards sending silk floral arrangements, as these can be kept on a permanent basis as opposed to fresh flowers.   

The Boss is just as human as employees, and just as employees do, the Boss likes to know that their efforts and actions are appreciated.  The art to giving a gift to the Boss lies in the manner in which it is done.





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The Gift Of Giving Is A Gift In Itself.

 
The act of giving a gift can elicit a multitude of positive emotions to the giver, that indeed it is quite possible that they experience more pleasure than the gift recipient them self.  It has been found that giving gifts is an important interaction that strengthens bonds between family and friends.  Giving to others strengthens one’s feelings for them, and also makes one feel more loving and caring.
Pursuing the ideal gift can be a taxing experience.  Once upon a time, one would have to literally travel from store to store searching for the perfect gift.  Apart from the time and effort consumed by the travelling, it was never quite easy to compare and contrast the possibilities in one’s mind, as one was relying on memory of the entire details of each potential gift.  Now, with the advent and advantage of online shopping, this one daunting part of gift giving is no longer necessary. The requirement of physical travelling has been eliminated as one merely sits in front of a computer or other Internet browsing device and searches for the perfect gift.  Alas, the choices are endless, and not always as organized as one would wish.  However, once one has narrowed down the choices, one can actually revisit each choice and compare the images of the potential gifts, and eventually make a selection.
Giving comes from within, and no matter who the recipient of the gift is, the actual selection of the gift should be a heartwarming process.  Knowing the person’s likes and dislikes, wants and needs, circumstances, and events in their life deepens the emotion behind the gift selection process.  Giving a gift however, should not be a process that comes with a hardship to the giver.  An aura of competitiveness and the need to impress has overshadowed the gentle and caring act of gift giving.  For instance, if one is searching for a gift for their brother in law who is an avid golf player, the normal search would begin in the world of golf in the universe of the Internet. However, remembering that your brother in law was recently promoted, and   his peers all carry  classic name brand fountain pens encased in  handsome leather cases, would certainly have some influence on your gift selection thought process.  Between the golf equipment and the fountain pen and it’s accessories, an instant “astronomical price” headache begins to form.
 
 
A mistake often made by many is that they set a price tag on the gift they are going to purchase before they actually make the purchase.  In the name of budgeting that is actually a great idea, but unfortunately, we are in the times of “competitive” gift giving, and some people feel the need to outdo others in the extravagance of the gift purchased.  It is absurd that many people actually spend money they cannot afford to spend on gifts simply because they are trying to create an impression.  The heartwarming experience of the giving of the gift has not been experienced, and instead has been replaced by a aggressive and competitive approach.  After the gift has been given, there will certainly be an uncomfortable feeling for as long as that charge remains on the credit card. 
Very few people remain unscathed by these recent changes in the economical status worldwide.  To increase one’s debt in order to compete with others, or create an extravagant impression is not only ridiculous, but also makes the giving of the gift actually an unpleasant experience from start to finish and beyond. Returning to the example of one’s brother-in law, let it be assumed that a new set of golf clubs and an expensive fountain pen with a leather case is entirely out of one’s budget.  A less expensive and more personal gift would surely make the selection process a much more personal and enjoyable one.  There is no rule that dictates we must cater to the indulgent tastes or more affluent means of others.  The art of gift giving must come with the desire to please the recipient with the gift, to take pleasure in the selection of the gift, to keep the cost within one’s budget and means, and to select a gift that will be admired and used. 
 
 
Handmade gifts for the home or for personal wear are always a warm and sincere gift. Many handmade gifts are available for purchase at reasonable prices via the Internet.  They range from hand crocheted tablecloths, to custom made jewellery, to silk floral arrangements, and many home decor items.  All of these items are ones that will actually used instead of being a “showpiece” such as a fountain pen that never actually makes it out of the beautiful leather case.  As much pleasure as the gift recipient will receive from their gift, the giver will also be pleased whenever they see the gift being worn or used.  A set of throw cushions that was given as a gift will always please the giver every time he or she visits the home of the recipient and sees the throw cushions in use.  Truly, these types of gifts are those that are described as “The Gift That Keeps On Giving”.
 
 








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