Saying goodbye to an employee is bittersweet. Whilst it’s exciting they are moving onto a new chapter of their life, their absence will be felt in your workplace. Even if you only speak at work, fellow employees can become some of your closest friends.
After enduring the highs and lows of work together, it only makes sense that you’ve become daily comrades, valued allies and great friends. Whether you’ve put up with difficult customers and clients together, sealed the deal with high-flying business executives or persuaded kids to take their naps, your teamwork has been a valuable asset and deserves to be celebrated with a special token of gratitude.
Leaving gifts are one of the best ways to recognise, thank and bid farewell to your departing employee or coworker. The best leaving gifts not only act as a token of your appreciation, they are also a great way to cultivate an outstanding corporate culture and ensure they leave on a happy, positive note.
With so many cool gifts to choose from it can be hard to pick just one. Luckily for you, we are here to help. We have carefully curated a list of our favourite, unique gifts for employees that we know they’ll love.
There are plenty of reasons a person chooses to leave their workplace, so we have decided to break our list down into these reasons. By selecting something that is symbolic of their reason for leaving, you are adding a meaningful and thoughtful touch to your gift. From retiring to relocating, building a career to building a family, we have selected the top leaving gifts for employees and colleagues.
Retirement Gifts
Retiring is a truly momentous occasion. It marks the end of a long, fulfilling career and the beginning of a new and exciting chapter. After working hard for so many years, retirement is a great time to kick back, tools down, relax and enjoy the pleasures of life. Whether it’s spending quality time with loved ones, travelling to bucket list destinations, taking up a new hobby or pampering themselves at the spa, your retiring colleague is free to see, do and experience whatever they like.
A gift is a marvellous way to celebrate this exciting milestone. A retirement gift is a meaningful way to recognise their impressive work efforts, express your appreciation and bid farewell as they exit the workforce. When in retirement many have free time in their hands, so a great gift option for retirees is an experience. An experience is a wonderful way to get them out and exploring the beauty and wonder of the world.
An exciting getaway is a fun way to kickstart their transition into retirement. Whether it’s a day, a week or a month, a getaway can symbolise a fresh start and a new beginning. An overnight stay in a luxury hotel is a fantastic option. It will give them a small taste of the world around them and leave them feeling refreshed, re-energised and ready to embrace retirement.
Gifts are a marvellous way to celebrate this exciting milestone. A retirement gift is a meaningful way to recognise their impressive work efforts, express your appreciation and bid farewell as they exit the workforce. When in retirement many have free time in their hands, so a great gift option for retirees is an experience. An experience is a wonderful way to get them out and exploring the beauty and wonder of the world.
An exciting getaway is a fun way to kickstart your coworkers transition into retirement. Whether it’s a day, a week or a month, a getaway can symbolise a fresh start and a new beginning. An overnight stay in a luxury hotel is a fantastic option. It will give them a small taste of the world around them and leave them feeling refreshed, re-energised and ready to embrace retirement.
If your employee already has a big trip planned, another excellent option is to gift them an experience in their holiday destination. Not only will they experience more excitement, fun and adventure to their getaway, it will also create cherished memories that will last a lifetime. If one thing is certain, it's that they sure won't miss that office cubicle!
Whether they like action-packed adventures, culturally rich sightseeing tours, phenomenal food experiences or charming wildlife encounters, Gifting Owl’s is the best place to find your experience gift. With thousands of activities in over 100 countries at every price range, Gifting Owl experience gifts are a phenomenal, customisable gift option.
Maternity / Paternity Leave
Having a baby is a life-changing experience. It’s the start of an amazing love-filled chapter in life and certainly cause for celebration! Although they won’t be out of office forever, gifts are a great way to support and encourage your colleagues and remind them that they are a valuable part of your workplace.
Often the days and weeks leading up to the due date can be a stressful time. For this reason, a fantastic gift option is a luxurious spa package. A spa package is a great way for your employee to relax, unwind and take some much-needed time for themselves. Whether it’s a relaxing soak in hot springs, a tranquil massage, a pamper filled facials, or soothing mud wrap, a spa experience will have them transcending into a calm state of pre-baby blissful.
Another fantastic gift option for expecting parents is a couple’s experience. With the due date drawing closer, the opportunity for your employee to spend quality time with their significant other is quickly disappearing. A couple’s experience is a terrific way for your employee to make the most of some alone time before the baby comes.
Whether it’s a peaceful R & R experience like a couple’s massage or a romantic dinner date at an award-winning restaurant, Gifting Owl offers an exceptional range of experiences perfect for the expecting couple.
Moving Overseas
As the world opens its doors to international travellers and the working world moves more online, many people are packing their belongings and heading overseas. If your employee has decided to leave and move abroad, say bon voyage and happy travels with fabulous travel-inspired gifts.
When it comes to choosing gifts, it is important to remember that the last thing a budding traveller wants is a big, bulky item. So instead of adding to their pile of things to pack, a great option is a gift experience voucher. An experience gift voucher means your employee can embark on a phenomenal experience in their new hometown. It is a great way for them to see and explore their new city and learn more about what makes it so special.
Career Change
Career changes are becoming more and more common in the rapidly evolving working world. Recent studies suggest that the average person will change careers 5-7 times during their working life. So, if your employee is about to embark on a new career, don’t take it personally. As the saying goes “it’s just business.”
When a colleagues leave, a leaving present is a wonderful option. It is a great way for you to bid farewell, recognise your employee for their dedication and contribution and wish them well is to give them a gift. Leaving gifts are a simple gesture that can make an enormous impact.
When selecting gifts, we recommend thinking about the new role your colleague is about to take on. If they are heading for a desk job in an office environment, nifty gadgets and office equipment such as laptop cases and headphones are useful, as well as desk tools / stationery. If they will be travelling a lot for their job, how about a handy travel mug or travel wallet to ensure they are well equipped for moving around?
If you are unsure what their new role will entail, a fun and meaningful alternative is to give a present that is symbolic of new beginnings. No matter the details, new beginnings can often be daunting for people. They involve stepping away from the familiar and facing new people, new places, new responsibilities, new tasks. Gifting your colleague an exciting, new experience is a wonderful way to show them that they can handle this world of new things. Activities such as white-water rafting, abseiling and skydiving are nerve-racking and exhilarating experiences but will show your employee they are equipped to handle everything.
Bushwalking, bike riding and cruising are other great options. These will see your employee exploring new destinations, terrains and settings. As they head out and explore these foreign environments, they will learn that new things are not as scary as they initially seem and that there is a hidden beauty in new beginnings.
Whether you're a small business or a global company, Gifting Owl is here to help!
We hope this list of leaving gifts inspired you on your gift giving journey.
Good luck and happy gifting!
