How to Handle Excessive Gifts From a Coworker

Avoid purchasing gifts that are higher than the company price range for a coworker.

If gifts are being exchanged in the office during the holidays or your birthday has just passed and you've received a pretty lavish gift from a coworker, you may feel flattered, but a little uncomfortable. It's important to stick to company policies and budget when buying gifts for the people you work with, and if you get a present that suggests a little more than "Happy Holidays" or "Happy Birthday," there are several ways to handle the situation appropriately.

Instructions

1. Talk to someone in your company's Human Resources (HR) department about the policies associated with gift giving in the office. Once you get the details on the price range allotted for presents and the regulations on giving gifts that are too personal like clothing, cosmetics, alcohol or presents of a religious nature, you'll know whether the token from your colleague was excessive according to company rules.

2. Show the HR professional the gift you've received so he can determine if the present is indeed excessive. Once you reveal who the gift giver is, your Human Resources coworker may reveal that this coworker is known for presenting rather expensive gifts to everyone during the holidays or makes a point to give extravagant birthday gifts. This may help you to feel a little less uncomfortable about the present, as you won't feel singled out. However, if the gift giver doesn't have a history of being excessive, it's time to return the present.

3. Send your colleague a friendly but direct email stating that while you appreciate the gift and the gesture, you feel that the present is a bit too lavish and need to return it. If you have a closer relationship with your coworker, she may appreciate a face-to-face conversation during lunch or after work hours.

4. Set an example the next time there's an opportunity to give presents in the office to give your coworker an accurate idea of which gifts would be considered appropriate. For instance, bake cookies for everyone during the holidays and include a greeting card that simply says "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" instead of "Merry Christmas" as a sign of respect for other's religious beliefs. Or, if you're the gift giver's supervisor, but you also have a boss, give the same gift, like a gift card or catered breakfast, to each colleague who celebrates a birthday --including your boss. The Quintessential Careers website asserts that this will show the person who gave you the lavish gift that giving extravagant presents to bosses is distasteful and may be offensive to the other coworkers.

References

• Merchant Circle: How To Choose a Gift for a Coworker
• Monster.com; Dos and Don'ts for Exchanging Gifts at Work; Brandon Miller; 2011
• Quintessential Careers; Holiday Office Gift Giving Do's and Don'ts; Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.