40 Promotion Gift Ideas for Coworkers

Your colleague should be feeling on top of the world right now—a promotion is one of the most significant milestones in a career, after all! A heartfelt message and thoughtful gift are the perfect ways to share your excitement and celebrate with them.

But choosing the gift and organising the card signing can be a challenge. Especially when you’re trying to fit them into a busy work schedule.

At Thankbox, we think it’s time to simplify this process. We make it easy to organise group cards and collect gift contributions asynchronously, so you can truly recognise your colleague’s success. That’s also why we’ve also put together this list of gift ideas to help you get started.

Are you ready to show your colleague how proud you are of them? Here are 40 thoughtful (and budget-friendly) gift ideas.

Things to consider when choosing a good promotion gift

First, here are a few things to remember when picking a gift:

• Consider their style and preferences. Are they into bright, bold colours or more muted colour palettes?

• Consider their passions or hobbies. What do they enjoy doing in their free time? Your gift can be something that supports a hobby of theirs (e.g. a tackle box to store their fishing equipment).

• Consider their work style preferences and interests. Are they into gadgets like wireless charging stands and smartphones? Or more traditional items like briefcases and ballpoint pens?

Right, let’s get stuck into the ideas!

Send an e-card with a gift card attached

Straight in at the numbers one and two, respectively, we have:

1. An e-card filled with messages from your team.

2. A gift card or cash gift.

Thankbox is the easiest way to kill two birds with one stone. You can easily create a group e-card filled with personal congratulations and organise an office gift collection. Your colleague will have the option to redeem the gift as a gift card at 700+ retailers or as a Visa pre-paid debit card in whatever currency they’d like!

PROMO

Liven up their working environment with a desk plant

Help contribute to a peaceful, tranquil, and vibrant workspace with a beautiful desk plant. Injecting some greenery into their working environment is an aesthetically pleasing and memorable idea. Plus, it helps reduce stress levels and increase productivity!

Here are some easy-to-look-after desk plant options:

3. Peace Lilies: Great for air quality and has beautiful white flowers.

4. Philodendron: Offers a lush tropical look and feel.

5. Devil's Ivy: Adapts well to a variety of conditions.

6. Zamioculcas Zamiifolia: An almost effortless plant.

7. Sansevieria (or “snake plant”): Can go a month without water!

There are several attractive office plants. Consider one that can withstand humidity and changing temperatures.

Or liven up their desk another way

A desk accessory makes an excellent celebratory gift for a co-worker. It serves as a warm reminder of the team’s support throughout their day. If a desk plant seems like too much hassle for them to look after, here are some other useful and entertaining options:

8. A personalized nameplate with their new job title and a business card holder.

9. A desk organizer with compartments for pens, sticky notes, and a mug.

10. An essential oil diffuser.

11. A custom paperweight.

12. A personalized bobble head.

13. A mouse pad customized with images, text, or a design.

14. A levitating desk plant pot (possibly with one of the plants listed above).

Make their tea breaks more entertaining with a special mug

Many hot beverage drinkers take the decision of which mug they prefer for their hot drinks quite seriously. So, although a mug may sound unimaginative, it works well as a heartfelt gift, and here's why. We become affectionate towards mugs due to the warmth generated from a hot beverage. Wrapping your hands around a warm mug creates warm feelings. And this is why people often become attached to their mugs.

However, you're right; a plain mug is boring. Unless it's personalised! Here are some mug design ideas to add a little humour to break times:

15. A mug with their name, an inspiring quote, or a picture of the team.

16. A heat-changing mug.

17. A mug shaped like their favourite animal.

18. An emoji-patterned mug.

19. A personalised mug with a biscuit slot on the side.

Or perhaps they’d love a new gadget?

If your colleague is into technology, they would likely appreciate receiving a new gadget as a gift. However, it can be challenging to find a tech item they don't already own. Ask your team about any clues that could help you pick a great gift.

And in the event that you end up getting them something they already own, they can always return it for something else—so don’t worry too much!

Here are some ideas:

20. Noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds.

21. A Bluetooth speaker or sound system (e.g., Sonos One).

22. An Apple TV 4K.

23. A wireless charging pad.

24. A smartwatch.

25. A Tile Bluetooth tracker—perfect for colleagues who are always losing their keys!

A snazzy wearable gift

If your workmate is into fashion and accessories, a stylish and tasteful piece is another gift idea they'd appreciate. With their style and taste in mind, here are some accessory ideas to consider:

26. Sunglasses.

27. A leather briefcase or laptop bag.

28. Cufflinks.

29. An engraved watch.

30. A tie set.

Take their breath away with an experience

A great way to celebrate a co-worker's promotion is by gifting them the opportunity to try something new. Studies have shown that experiences and adventures create richer, longer-lasting memories and offer more satisfaction than material possessions. And the anticipation of an experience is part of the fun!

Here are some ideas:

31. A Tomb Raider live experience.

32. A luxury spa break.

33. A murder mystery evening.

34. A luxurious afternoon of wine tasting.

35. A chocolate making workshop.

There are thousands of experiential gifts available, and best of all; you can forward the e-voucher experience along with a special e-card from the team.

A home gift

You could get them something to help them relax and enjoy their personal time at home. This can be a tricky gift to get right—make sure you think about things you know they enjoy. And remember: personalisation is your friend!

Here are some popular home gifts:

36. A coffee maker.

37. A blender.

38. A personalised blanket (perhaps a picture of the team).

39. A self-care and well-being set.

40. A bottle of something expensive to continue the celebrations at home.

Wish Your Colleague the Best in Their New Post With a Thankbox

A promotion is a special time in a person’s life—it’s nice to commemorate the moment with a fitting gift. From physical gifts to experiences, you have tons of options, so don’t e afraid to get creative!

If you’re looking for a way to send personalised e-cards and gift cards without the fuss, check out Thankbox. It’s a great way to show your colleague how much you appreciate them and everything they’ve achieved.

Create a Thankbox today and give your colleague a gift that’s truly tailored to them.

Images:

Cover image - Desk plant - Desk - Mug - Apple Watch - Bag - Hot Air Balloon - Mixer