You can tell a lot about a company, and their team, by what they decide to give as a gift.
Typically it's a stress ball, a branded grocery tote, a travel coffee cup. All things easily bought, all things that end up added to the pile of last year's gifts. I know what we call that pile, the junk drawer! I have one. You probably do too, and if you say you don't, stop lying.
I'm a person who loves little trinkets. I value a memento from an experience that was meaningful to me, and that's not uncommon. Anyone who enjoys their job feels valued and important, and at work, that looks like specific things. It looks like a written thank you card from Scott, which I still have. It looks like inside jokes turned into physical objects, like the fact that one bad autocorrect turned our whole team into "Chicken Faces," and now we have a sign that says "chicken coop" above our desks. Or Tony cutting me a little round piece of leather with a smiley face on it, just because.
In a small business, it's easier to hold onto those relationships. In a larger corporate setting, it's easy to let that distance grow instead. That's exactly where good gifting comes in. That doesn't mean expensive, it just means calculated.
These days, a lot of people care about standing by their shopping and sourcing ethics. It's a movement we all know, an effort to slow down and make more intentional decisions about what we use in our everyday lives and where it comes from. That matters. Feeling valued at work matters too, in a big company or a small one. Combining those two things can feel impossible. That's where ColsenKeane comes in. We combine small business, ethically sourced, handcrafted goods that make people feel seen. Gift giving is a love language for a reason.
I'll tell you, when I worked in corporate, getting a coffee cup, a stress ball, and some snacks made me feel like the message was "here are items to refuel so you can keep working like a machine." It did not make me feel seen or valued in the slightest. Dramatic? Maybe. Or just a different perspective. But can you really say I'm wrong? A great gift is something unexpected but thoughtful.
Here's what I actually use, the stuff that makes my workday easier: a ColsenKeane coaster with my initials on it that Scott gave me, a desk blotter for my other three drinks (don't ask), a computer portfolio case with a strap so I can carry my laptop on work from home days. It has my name on it. That's cool as heck. Add a planner and valet trays into the mix, because I like things organized, and you've got my actual desk.
These are all things we make. You can put a logo on them, a name, initials. And you can't tell me that saying "I got my employees a handmade leather journal with their names in it" doesn't make you sound like a boss that cares. At the end of the day, they'll appreciate the thought that went into it, because thought is the part that's actually missing from most corporate gifting. Some great questions to ask before shopping for your employees are: "is this overstimulating?" and "does this thank them for giving their time and effort every day?" An orange stress ball will annoy me more than being able to jot down some stress in a journal, I'll say that much.
So before you reach for another coffee mug or another recyclable tote, ask yourself what impression you're actually leaving. Because six months from now, one of those things is getting used every day, associated with something meaningful. The other one's already in the junk drawer and cursed with seething resentment. Which one will you be?
