Check the policy first
Many organisations have gift rules, and they apply to giving as well as receiving:
- Value thresholds above which gifts must be declared.
- Outright bans in the public sector and in regulated industries.
- Tax treatment. In several countries a gift card to an employee is taxable income above a small threshold, which turns a nice gesture into a payroll entry.
For anything above a token amount, five minutes checking is worth it. Being the person who created a tax problem for a colleague is a bad outcome for a thank-you.
Getting the amount right
The workplace scale is narrower than the social one:
- £10–20. A genuine thank-you for a specific thing. Almost never awkward.
- £25–50. Substantial; suitable for real effort or from a group.
- Above that. Usually should come from the organisation rather than from an individual.
The risk of too much is real: a large personal gift can read as an obligation, especially across a seniority gap.
Choosing the brand
Safe and good:
- Coffee. Nearly universal, small amounts feel right, spent within the week.
- General retail. Impersonal but reliable for someone you do not know well.
- Bookshops. Warmer, and safe for most people.
- Food delivery. Practical, well received by people with long commutes.
Avoid: anything implying a judgement about health, appearance or habits. Anything alcohol-related unless you are sure. Anything requiring an account they may not have.
Group gifts
Easier than individual ones and usually better:
- One card, one larger amount, one signed card with everyone's name.
- Nominate one person to buy it, and settle up separately.
- Keep contributions genuinely optional and invisible — nobody should be able to tell who gave what.
The note matters more than the card
A card with "thanks for everything" is a formality. A card that names the thing — "thanks for covering the handover week, it would have been a mess otherwise" — is the actual gift.
Specificity is free and it is the entire difference between a gesture and a transaction.
Leaving gifts
For someone departing, avoid anything tied to the workplace or the city if they are moving. A general card, or something for the thing they said they were going to do next, travels with them.