Deborah OConnor August 27, 2013
August 26, 2013
August 27, 2013
Business gifting can convey many meanings. You might want to thank someone for a job well-done, congratulate someone on a promotion, offer condolences on a death in the family, or offer best wishes on retirement. Remember, when you deal with a business gift, you are dealing with etiquette and expectations. It’s not always just what is correct, but also what is customary. Gift-giving protocol is a definite part of the corporate culture of your company, so be sure to make yourself familiar with your company’s policies. Some companies, in an attempt to avoid any nuance of bribery, have strict policies and rules limiting the exchange of any gifts.
Before giving a gift, think about company policy, company traditions, circumstances surrounding the gift, the cost, the nature of the gift, and the likes and dislikes of the recipient.
Company Policy:
• Obey all rules regarding company policy. Ignorance could put you and the recipient in an awkward position. For example, someone may not be able to accept a gift over a certain amount. Avoid embarrassment by knowing their company policy.
Company Traditions:
• Traditions are definitely different than rules. They are not mandatory, but it is a good idea to follow them. Traditions can influence the nature of a gift, and you will be judged in comparison with others.
Circumstances surrounding the gift:
• Though it may be perfectly in line with company policy to give holiday gifts to clients, if you are in negotiations with that company it can be construed as a bribe.
• If there is inequality in a relationship, the appropriateness depends not just on the gift and its cost, but if there is an obligation implied by giving that gift. You never want to give a gift with strings attached.
Cost of the gift:
• Cost can influence the appropriateness of a gift. It may be perfectly fine to give a small, inexpensive, yet thoughtful gift where a larger gift would be out of line. For example, if everyone is contributing $20 to a boss’ wedding gift, it would be inappropriate to give him or her a $200 gift. It would seem that you were trying to butter up the boss.
Nature of the Gift:
• Even if you satisfy all the criterion of gift giving, a gift can still be inappropriate if it is sexually suggestive, tacky, or unprofessional. You don’t want to be that person who gave the CEO the tacky, sexually suggestive, inappropriate gift.
Likes and dislikes of the recipient:
• The more you know about the recipient, the better you can tailor that gift to that specific person. Find out their tastes, interests, hobbies, the holidays they celebrate, and any other details that might be helpful. It doesn’t do anyone any good to give a vegetarian a honey ham for the holidays.
Learning company policies and putting some thought and consideration into your choices goes a long way into making successful gift choices.
Deborah O’Connor is a social strategist and founder and president of Successful Image LLC with offices in Columbia and Atlanta. She offers training and seminars on image management, workplace etiquette, and social skills necessary to succeed in life professionally and personally. Contact at: [email protected] www.successfulimage.biz
