The Best Group Gift Ideas for Coworkers - 15+ examples

We’ve all been in the situation where we have to buy a gift for our coworker but we don’t know what to get them – and this takes on a new dimension when you’re buying a group gift.

Whether it’s a coworker’s birthday, a colleague is leaving the office or someone is getting married, there are tons of occasions when you might need to buy your coworker a gift.

Instead of each member of the team buying your coworker a present individually – so they end up with tons of inexpensive, often useless gifts – it’s usually a better idea to team up with others from your work to get them a truly meaningful gift.

With this in mind, below we’ll discuss the best group gift ideas for coworkers.

What is a Group Gift?

Just as it says on the tin: a group gift is chosen, bought and given by a group to a particular individual.

When the chosen gift is agreed upon, you split the cost of the gift, and everyone involved pitches in to buy the group gift – or gift collection – so that no one over or under pays to celebrate an occasion.

Why Should You Buy a Group Gift for Your Coworker?

Buying a group gift is a great way to share the cost of celebrating a coworker. Allowing the cost of an occasion to be split equally between multiple people, it’s an affordable way to get someone a great gift without breaking the bank.

More than this, a group gift often ends up being a better gift, since more people have worked to come up with the gift idea, and there’s usually a bigger budget to play with. In this way, a single group gift can mean even more to the recipient than lots of presents from their coworkers.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Group Gift.

Having the whole team/office pitch in to get your co-worker a present is a great idea, but there are a few things to consider to make sure your group gift is a success.

1. Budget.

You need to work out how much each person (who wants to be involved) is willing to chip in, to get a ballpark figure for the maximum value of the gift.

After all, you don’t want to alienate the whole of your office by footing them with a gift bill they weren’t expecting.

2. The person you’re buying the gift.

When several people are involved with choosing and buying a gift, usually you have the imagination and budget between you to get something that the receiver will actually want.

With this in mind, when choosing your group gift you should take into account who and what it’s for. What are their interests? Do they prefer possessions or experiences? Are you brainstorming thoughtful retirement gift ideas for your boss or is it a gift to go alongside a goodbye card for a leaving coworker?

By asking these questions before you buy, you’re more likely to get a group gift that the recipient will love.

3. How you’ll organise group gift collection.

While there are a number of advantages to buying a group gift, there are also a few pain points.

Namely, you need to figure out the best way to collect money for a gift. You should decide whether you’re going to collect money for the group gift from each person manually – and buy the group gift yourself – or use an online collection method. Going online might make things easier for both yourself and for those who are pitching in.

What Are the Best Group Gift Ideas for Coworkers?

Gifts for the Sentimental

1. Thankbox

Thankbox cleverly combines a sentimental, thoughtful card and a way to organise a group gift collection. First and foremost, Thankbox is an e-card that allows everyone in your workplace to add written or even video messages, and the card can include images and GIFs, too.

Thankbox also allows you to collect cash to give to the recipient. When the recipient opens their e-card, they can choose to claim this cash value as a gift card or receive a prepaid debit card, to spend their group gift however they like.

PROMO

2. Name a Star

What better way to make your coworker feel special than to name a star - one of the most beautiful natural phenomena in the universe - in their name?

3. Photobook

Taking the time to compile your coworker’s most beloved photos, and to arrange them in a photobook, is the perfect way to show you care - and it’ll give them a book full of memories to look back on for years to come.

4. Engraved Jewellery

All kinds of jewellery can be engraved with a personal, meaningful message, whether you’re looking to engrave a watch for your retiring boss or a locket for your coworker celebrating their 30th work anniversary.

5. Family Photoshoot

If your coworker cherishes what they have, purchasing a photo session with a photographer is a great gift to help encapsulate some of their most precious memories, particularly if they have a family to share the experience with.

Gifts for Foodies

6. Wine Selection

After work, many of us have a glass of wine to take the edge off.or a true wine lover, there’s no better gift than a selection of new wines to try, to add an exciting new dimension to winding down at the end of the day.

7. Hamper

Hampers make great group gifts, because they can be customized according to the recipient.

Does your coworker have a sweet tooth? Then a hamper full of sweet, baked goods is perfect. Do they prefer beauty and all-things-wellness? Then a hamper full of self-care and wellness products might be a better fit.

Whoever the coworker, there’s probably a hamper to suit them.

8. Cheese Collection

We all have at least one person in our lives who’s obsessed with cheese. If this is your coworker, then there’s no better gift than a collection of new, delicious cheeses for them to try.

9. Cooking lessons

Perhaps your foodie coworker likes to do more than try delicious food, and is always found in the kitchen trying out new recipes? For this kind of person, cooking lessons make the perfect gift.

Gifts for Tech Lovers

10. Noise-cancelling Headphones

Noise-cancelling headphones are the perfect gift to help your tech-loving coworker tune out from their hectic surroundings and listen to their favourite music, podcasts, or even white noise when they need to focus.

11. Ergonomic Keyboard

If it seems like your coworker is always at their desk, typing away from morning until night, an ergonomic keyboard to make typing more comfortable - and to ward off hand problems like carpal tunnel - makes the perfect gift.

12. Smart Watch

Whether you opt for an Apple watch or a Fitbit, anyone who loves tech will be thrilled to receive a smart watch, allowing them to do much more than tell the time from their wrist.

13. Bluetooth Speaker

A bluetooth speaker is a great group gift to help your coworker get their relaxation on. All they need to do is connect to the speaker with their phone’s Bluetooth to instantly blast their favourite tunes.

Gifts for Experience Seekers

14. A Trip Away

Depending on your budget, the occasion and the number of people chipping in, you might decide to purchase a trip away for your lucky coworker – whether this is for the day or for a minibreak.

If your coworker is more into experiences than possessions, then a trip away is a great – albeit somewhat pricey – gift that they’ll never forget.

15. Spa Day

If your coworker could do with a well-deserved break and a well-needed pamper session, a voucher for a spa day might be the best gift they get this year.

16. Sports Game Tickets

For the sports fan, there’s nothing better than going to watch their favorite sports team in action. This is why tickets to the next big game makes a fantastic group gift to give your coworker.

17. Extreme Experience Voucher

From off-road driving to indoor skydiving, there are a ton of different experiences you can buy to put a smile on the face of your adrenaline junkie coworker.

Give the perfect gift with Thankbox

Providing a gift can be a stressful experience, especially if you’re struggling for gift ideas. Thankbox helps to remove some of this stress. With our easy-to-design e-cards, you can include cash which can be collected as a gift card or as a pre-paid debit card, allowing the recipient to get a gift they’ll really love. 

Create your unique Thankbox today and take the stress out of gifting! 

All images via Unsplash & Pexels