Photo Credit: iStockphoto/Yuri_Arcurs
Bosses give us reviews, make us better employees and hopefully, hand out raises once a year by going to bat for us. Show your boss you care by doing something nice on National Boss Day (or Boss’ Day) on Oct. 16, a day employees thank their bosses for being good to them all year. Can’t figure out what to do? Check out the suggestions below for traditional and unusual ways to reach out to your supervisor.
Think nostalgically. Find out where your boss is from and purchase something that reminds him or her of home. If he’s from New York, Yankees or Mets memorabilia (don’t confuse the two!) may do the trick, and if she’s from the Maryland/Boston/Virginia area, send her a box of crab chips. Check out this article on regional cuisine from all over the U.S. to determine what would send your boss down memory lane.
Think of office-friendly gifts. You can’t go wrong with buying your boss a nice pen, personalized business card holder, paperweight, mouse pad or desk clock. Go a step further and purchase a desk toy, such as this Decision Maker Desk Toy ($40), Solar Motion Bicycle Rider ($39.99), Desktop Bowling Toy ($27.99) or the classic Newton’s Cradle toy ($3.99-$39.99).
Take your boss to lunch – or happy hour. Your boss may always treat you, so why not return the favor? Find out what your boss’ favorite restaurant is in the area and offer to treat him or her. Make sure you give bosses plenty of notice so they can arrange meetings around your outing. Alternately, buy him or her a few drinks at a happy hour with just your team and his or her office friends.
Send your boss a surprise. If your boss is a woman, send a bouquet of flowers from your group or tickets to her favorite band. If your boss is a man, send a pair of tickets to a favorite sporting event, or leave them in an envelope on his chair.
Purchase a gag gift. Say you care with humor by bringing your boss a set of stress balls with angry faces on them, trashcan with an “In Files” label, custom bobble head doll or a heat-sensitive mug that changes as the mug is filled with hot liquid. Don’t go overboard and make a caricature of your boss, as the artist’s rendition of your boss’ features may offend him or her.
Be sweet. If your boss is a candyaholic, a fun motion-activated candy dispenser ($39.95) filled with his or her favorite candy may make your boss be “sweet” to you. Or, you could make your boss her favorite cookies – or purchase a dozen cupcakes from the best bakery in town.
Say it with a gift certificate. Have each person on your team pitch in $10 to $20 for your boss and buy them a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant, department store or shopping mall. Or, purchase a Visa, MasterCard or American Express gift card that they can use anywhere.
Go the extra mile. Offer to help your boss carry in his or her laptop bag, or finish a project early for them. You could also bring in really good coffee and doughnuts to your group to boost morale, which a boss always appreciates.