Most Unusual Holiday Gifts Exchanged at the Workplace

It is beginning to look a lot like that awkward time of year in the office when workplace holiday parties and gift exchanges can make for some pretty awkward moments between co-workers. For CareerBuilder’s annual holiday survey, workers across the nation shared the most unusual gifts they’ve received from a co-worker during the holiday season.

While many gift-bearing workers stick to more traditional holiday offerings, such as ornaments, candy and gift baskets, others get a little more creative with their definition of the word “gift:”

• A squirrel toilet seat decal.
• A pair of Christmas socks that look like elf feet.
• A roll of duct tape.
• A bell on a string.
• A mystery bag with a coat in it.
• A giant heart shaped box of candy … from Valentine’s Day.
• A picture of a bear.
• A bowling ball.
• Homemade sausages.
• A ceramic sheep you can dress up seasonally.

The national survey was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder from Aug. 12 to Sept. 2, 2015, and included a representative sample of 3,602 full-time workers (of which 3,321 are in the private sector) and 2,326 hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes.

Twenty-one percent of workers say they plan to buy holiday gifts for co-workers (the same proportion as last year), and nearly the same proportion (20 percent) plan to buy a gift for the boss. Of those who plan to buy gifts for their co-workers or bosses, the majority (80 percent) expect to spend no more than $25 on each gift, 36 percent will spend no more than $10, and 9 percent will cap themselves off at $5.

More Employers Getting Into the Holiday Spirit

Employees aren’t the only ones in the giving spirit this year. According to the survey, a higher percentage of employers plan to offer holiday perks in the form of parties, bonuses and gifts this year than in years’ past.

Parties: Two thirds (66 percent) of employers say they plan to throw company holiday parties this year, up from 63 percent in 2014 and 59 percent in 2013. Though nearly 2 in 5 workers (38 percent) say they plan to attend the office holiday party, the overwhelming majority (93 percent) say they would prefer a holiday bonus or time off, while only 1 percent prefer a party, and 6 percent have no preference.

Bonuses: Some employees, however, may get their bonus wishes after all. More than half of employers (54 percent) plan to give employees a holiday bonus this year, up from 47 percent in 2014. More than 1 in 10 employers say they will give a larger bonus than last year (14 percent).

Gifts: Many employers’ seasonal goodwill doesn’t stop at parties and bonuses. Forty-five percent of employers will give employees gifts this year (up from 40 percent in 2014), and 47 percent will give charitable donations.