Farewell Gift Ideas for your Colleagues

For a lot of us, some of the most meaningful and special friendships we have are formed in the workplace. Spending around 8 hours of our everyday lives with our colleagues also allows us the opportunity to know them on a deeper level.?

This also means that leaving an organisation and watching a friend move on to a different company can become more difficult. But goodbyes can be a good sign of a new beginning and when a colleague-turned-friend has better opportunities presented to them, it is only right that we give them the fullest of support that we can. It will also be fitting to provide them with something for them to remember the friendships that they have made or the organisation as a whole.?

Here are some farewell gift ideas for your colleagues:

Video Greetings

This has been tried and tested and still is probably one of the most popular ways to say farewell to a colleague. A short message from everyone from your team or everyone who has worked with your colleague is something he/she can always look back to and can help bring back happy memories.?

You and your team can get even more creative by doing some song or dance bits or maybe a re-enactment of your friend’s usual daily routine in the office. Either way, a video greeting can sure always do the trick.?

With the abundance of video-editing softwares and mobile applications, collating video messages and stitching them into a nicely-edited and professional-looking final video has never been so easy.?

Dinner with the Team

Taking your colleague out to dinner (or even lunch) is a great way to say farewell. This is always a safe option too. You can take your colleague to their favourite spot and just enjoy the moment with them – maybe share a few of your most favourite memories with them or ask them to share about their most favourite memories from work. You can also use the time to share with your colleague your farewell message and let everyone else do the same.?

A Printed out Team Photo

Either taken professionally at a studio or just one that you snapped at work, another nice farewell gift would be a team photo – ideally with your colleague who is leaving in the middle of it.?

This will be a good memorabilia. Years down the road, it can also be a good reminder of who he/she has worked with and who were responsible for making her time with the company such an amazing one.?

A bonus to this gift would be short, handwritten messages at the back of the photo for your colleague.?

A Huge Card

Let’s face it, a lot of you may want to write longer messages and if a number of people from the team wants the same then you may need a bigger space to write on, and this is where a nice huge card comes in handy.?

This is going to be personalised and more people from the company can put their messages in.?There may be enough space to doodle drawings as well, making it even more personalised.?

A Massage

It has been the end of a journey, your colleague deserves a treat, and a massage may just be fitting. Giving a massage voucher is a nice way of saying, “You deserve to relax!”.

If you are feeling really generous, you can book them a hotel spa where there may be complimentary meals, but if working on a budget, there are numerous smaller (yet as decent) spa chains you can buy vouchers from.?

A Funny Cake

With the kind of friendship you have made with your colleague, a cake with a sarcastic message may be a cute way of saying goodbye without it being too emotional. Funny messages like, “We hope you don’t succeed”, or “They won’t like you there”, can be a funny way of saying you will actually miss them.?

If you are feeling like pushing it further you may even get the management involved and have them present the cake to your friend. It will be good fun for everyone while making the last day of your colleague a memorable one.

Something Nice

Depending on what your colleague is fond of, it will also be a good idea to provide them with something nice that they will really like and appreciate. It can be a perfume, or a new mouse, a shirt, or a pair of eyewear. An item that is something that they are into will most definitely be appreciated.?

It will be a bonus if you get it wrapped in a nice packaging – it can be a box, a paper bag, or your good old gift wrapper – for that added presentation.?

Something for the New Office

Depending on the industry your colleague will be joining next, you may come up with a few gift ideas on the kind of office item they will need. If they will be moving to an Interior Design company, you may want to give them an artsy fartsy desk organiser, or if they are joining an educational institute, maybe a new planner. Such gifts will not only be a good way to remember you by, they are also practical items that your colleague will put to good use.?

Bonding

With restrictions loosened, you can enjoy a night out or a day out with your colleague. Attractions like Universal Studios Singapore, Sea Aquarium, and Night Safari can be some spots you can visit. If your colleague is all about the night-life, then Chijmes, Haji Lane, and other spots within the city area will be a good destination. The goal is to spend some quality time before they officially move to their new office.

There are many other ways to make the last few weeks of your colleague at work more memorable. It will always boil down to their individual preferences and the closeness of the bond you have made.?

If you are hoping to move to a new environment and find a workplace more suited for your experiences, visit?www.jobspivot.com.sg?now!?