23 of the best group gifts for a leaving co-worker in 2024 Pt. 1

“My colleague is leaving & I have no idea what I should get them... HELP!”

It’s a challenge that seems to always fall on your plate - whilst everyone else is left to simply lament the gap the person will leave in workload, personality and/or skill, you suddenly have another sizeable and really quite involved task on your already bulging to-do list.

The responsibility of buying a gift - especially for someone leaving - is huge. It’s more than just the physical logistics of giving a gift. It’s recognition of their efforts, it’s showing they were valued, cared about, that their hard work has been recognised. Your ability to raise the money and make the decision on what to get is relied upon by everyone else to achieve all of these things.

I mean, it would be lovely if any of them helped, although I get that sometimes a very active slack channel or whatsapp group can actually be a hindrance compared to allowing you to make the ‘executive decisions’ that need making, but still, the offer would be nice.

But alas, whether you volunteer for the task because you want to ensure that the leaving gift is done properly, or you are a reluctant saviour of everyone else who is swerving the task, the job still remains to be done and like it or not it’s you that needs to do it!

How do I collect for a gift for a colleague who is leaving work?

So firstly, there’s the collection. A notorious minefield made all the more complicated now because no one carries cash and most companies are operating a post-Covid hybrid working strategy so having everyone in the same place is highly unlikely.  The round-the-office envelope is a thing of the past it seems.

Add to that the fact that work teams are now much more likely to be spread out across the globe and that the person leaving will probably have had regular contact with them via internal communication methods and virtual calls, all of which are now efficient and easily-accessible.

Alternatives then?

Send your bank details to all and sundry across your organisation. I’m not sure about you, but that doesn’t sit fantastically with me. That’s your money. Your hard earned salary, your mortgage payment and your ability to put food on the table. Why would you risk those details falling into the wrong hands and something happening to jeopardise that?

Then there’s yet another job for you to have to go through your personal statements to identify what is a contribution, what is a direct debit, what is the sausage roll and diet coke combo you bought whilst filling up with petrol? Ain’t nobody got time for that….especially you!

Ah, with the onset of neo banks and the wonders of PayPal, you can send people a payment link. That takes away the need to share bank details. BUT, it brings a new challenge - the person paying in needs to have an account on that platform, or to create one.

The more committed amongst us will go to these lengths, but research has shown that just 10% of the nation are these committed types. So what that results in is you not getting the level of contribution you need to achieve all of those warm fuzzy feelings for the person leaving that we discussed earlier. What then? Do you top the pot up yourself? Do you have to be ‘that guy’ and chase people…..basically become the colleague version of a debt collector?

Is there a solution that combats all of these barriers, concerns and frictions? Well actually, yes there is.

Collctiv is a free-to-download app that allows you to create a money pot for any gift, event or occasion. Share the automatically generated link or QR code anywhere and watch the money come rolling in!

People paying in can do so using Apple or Google Pay in seconds, without the need to download an app, create an account or activate an email. They simply tap to pay and their £10 is instantly in the pot you’ve created.

Download the Collctiv app now and see for yourself!

Gift ideas for a colleague who is leaving work

With the collection element sorted, let’s get on to what to buy for your work colleague who is leaving. Conversations by the coffee machine of a morning or even the fact that you performed an impressive karaoke rendition of a Whitney Houston classic with the person on a recent work night out doesn’t necessarily make you the most qualified person to decide on THE gift. The embodiment of the outpouring of feelings of gratitude and sadness that it’s coming to an end.

But give yourself a little break here. Often, gifts need only a small element of relevance to the recipient to make them  feel personal and thought about. We like to help you however we can, so we have compiled what we think are the 25 best ideas for a leaving gift, as a way of getting creative juices flowing and sparking endless ideas for memorable leaving gifts.

And, when you're done reading this first part, don’t forget to check out part two for even more ideas for colleague leaving gifts!

What to get for the colleague that’s… found another job?

What to get for a colleague that’s found another job? They may be moving ‘upstairs’; or moving to a new job entirely. In either scenario you want to wish them every success in the new role, recognise and thank them for all they have done and leave them with a lasting memory of you as the dream team that they’ll never quite replace. So here are some ideas that will help you to achieve that;
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1. A Spa voucher
A new job, can be really stressful, especially after the initial euphoria of getting the job dies down. Why not give them a chance to unwind mentally and physically with a Spa voucher? Nothing says indulgence like a massage and why not accompany the brand new trouser suit with an expertly completed manicure?!

2. A sarcastic card
Rooted in good faith and humour, turn the genuine feelings of gratitude into a card that pokes plenty of fun and well-meaning banter at the ‘turncoat’ who is leaving you and the team behind!

3. An office mug
Mugs can be a sort of physical representation of identity within an office. Why not give somebody the chance to recall their past time spent in fondness with a brand new mug to grace the kitchens of wherever it is they’re moving to? Or at least one that can sit on their desk at home every morning and remind them of all the good times with you and the team?

4. Stationary
A commemorative notepad, pens and pencils? You can customise it in a way that shows that you’re sorry to see them go, but then again thankful for the time that you did get to spend with them. Plus, it marks back to the first day of school - surely everyone loves that moment when you have everything you need, and even things you don’t in a new and shiny pencil case or tin. Or is that just me?

5. Engraved pen
It’s a similar story with a pen, but the difference is that this can be a standalone gift. Opt for a top-of-range MontBlanc with their initials on it and every time they reach for it from their inside jacket pocket, they’ll think of you and the team.

What to get for the colleague that’s… retiring?

They have completed work! That’s a whole lifetime and legacy built and it’s now coming to an end. How can you encompass all of that in a gift? Well, here are some suggestions:

6. A Gardening voucher
It doesn’t have to be gardening per se, but surely the person has gazed out of their window, or macheted their way through the ever-growing weeds to get to their car and thought ‘if only I had the time to sort this garden out’. Well now they have, and with a voucher, they also have the incentive to!
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7. Contribute to a hobby
They may not be into gardening, but a most common thought amongst those who are retiring is ‘what am I going to do with all that time?’ No more late night presentation preps, early morning calls to action via email or 18 hour days. So why not get them something toward one of their hobbies, or a beloved team that they support?
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8. Enable a subsequent hobby
Have they regularly mentioned something that they could have been great at ‘if only’, or a musical instrument they never quite took up? Enable them to quell those regrets, or at least remove the excuse!

9. Restaurant vouchers
An experience is a lovely way to provide a memorable gift, and what better way to allow the retiree to indulge than with fine food and drink without them having to worry about whether their pension will cover it!

10. A subscription service
For the stay-at-home retiree, allow them to hibernate and catch up on all the things they’ve missed over the last few decades spent firmly stapled to a career. Pay for Netflix. A cheese and wine subscription. Unlimited Sudoku. Online jigsawing. A subscription is quite literally the gift that keeps on giving.

Ok, so that’s part one.  Be sure to check out part two here!

Organisers bring people together.

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Since 2019, Collctiv has helped over 200,000 people from 83 countries come together by making it simple for Organisers to collect money from groups. Whether it's group gifts, retirement presents or charity collections - download our free app today and start bringing people together!

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