Buying for the Boss: How to give tastefully

Nearly one-third of all workers plan to buy holiday gifts for their bosses, according to a joint study by CareerBuilder and Shoplocal.com.

For employees among those who plan to buy such gifts, local business and gift experts offer some helpful advice on how to pick the right present without alienating the boss or co-workers.

Know the company policy

Some companies have rules - written and unwritten - about giving gifts, according to Drury University management professor Robin Sronce.

"If you're new in the office, you want to get a feel for what kind of gifts everyone else gives," Sronce said. "You don't want to spend too much if everyone buys a token gift, or if everyone chips in for a larger gift. It's supposed to acknowledge the boss rather than you."

But even when company policy does allow gifts, they might not be such a good idea, said Jonathan Rimington, president and creative director of Springfield advertising and public relations firm On the Spot.

"You have to consider the politics in a work environment," Rimington said, noting that he also has been in management positions in large companies overseas before relocating to the Ozarks. "If someone buys something for the boss, is that considered sucking up? Is it considered currying favor? And then, surprise, later on you get a pay raise - how does everyone else feel about that? There are all sorts of dangers."

He said he can't recall ever receiving a holiday gift from an employee - and he prefers it that way.

"I think it's best to keep that employer-employee relationship clean," he said.

Know the boss

Employees who decide to buy gifts for their superiors need to take time to learn about their specific tastes and interests - or risk the gifts collecting dust on a shelf somewhere.

"There are all of these catalogs that sell items that people in management may receive but would have no use for," Rimington said. "Like a coffee mug - everyone has a favorite coffee mug, so what happens to a new one? It gets put on a trophy shelf and collects dust. I think most are a waste of money."

Rimington's recommendation for a supervisor's gift is a hand-written note or card expressing gratitude for hard work.

For those employees who prefer a more traditional gift, food items - if they're of good quality - can be a safe bet, according to Kathy Caplinger, manager of Basket Case Gift Baskets.

Caplinger had some advice, though: Don't get too personal.

"That's why the snack basket is a good option - it's full of high-quality items, things that would be appreciated but don't have to be eaten right at the holidays," she said.

Caplinger added that a gift package centered on coffee is also a good possibility, as is a wine package - assuming that the boss is not opposed to alcohol.

Keep it appropriate

The CareerBuilder/Shoplocal.com survey also offers this tip: If you're not sure about what the boss likes, err on the conservative side.

"The safest bets are to stay with classic items such as portfolios, books, picture frames (and) food baskets," the survey said. "The best of intentions can turn into the worst of consequences if the recipient of the gift feels it is offensive or inappropriate."

The safest choice is a gift card or gift certificate, and many employees take that to heart; 38 percent of those surveyed plan to give those gifts.

The survey also notes that a donation to charity in the boss' name can work, if you know which charities the boss supports.

The best way to play it safe is to keep supervisor gifts work-related, according to David Yates, president of Springfield-based Yates Promotions.

"For example, if the folks at a car dealership want to get their boss something, and he's a golf addict, we might get him in a nice Callaway shirt with the company logo on it," Yates said. "If he wears it out to dinner or on the course, people would recognize that company."

Yates points to one example of a railroad company that got the boss a plaque with an actual railroad spike, one of the company's signature products.

The biggest no-no, according to Drury's Sronce, is a humorous gift for a supervisor.

"Often people will offer things that may seem like a joke, but taken in a different context they would not be appropriate, especially at work," she said, citing gifts that could have suggestive overtones.