If your coworker is leaving because of retirement or a new job, you might want to get them a gift to say goodbye in a meaningful way. But shopping for a coworker can be really difficult (or really easy)… it just depends on how well you know them. Lucky for you, we’ve made this great list of going away gifts for a coworker. Read on to get inspired!
Best Going Away Gifts for Your Coworker
Benchmark Fresh Cut Bouquet
Nothing says thank you like a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Plus, who doesn’t love receiving flowers? The Benchmark Bouquet is a beautiful bouquet of fresh-cut flowers. It even comes with a vase, so your coworker can easily store them. These flowers will surely put a smile on their face.
Thank You Pop-Open Cards
This is a great gift to give someone from the whole office. The Thank You Pop-Open Cards contain 30 different pop-open cards with an inspiring message or quote on them. On the back of each card, there is space to write a personal message. This way, every person in the office can write a message on a different card. Your coworker will love all the different messages they’ll get to read and how personalized this gift is!
These cards are in the theme of “Thank You.” But you will find all sorts of themes when you head over to the link. They’ve got “You’re Awesome”, “Carpe Diem”, and “Trust Your Crazy Ideas” themes as well, just to name a few.
“Going Places” Compass Necklace
Saying goodbye is hard. But it’s a reminder that the person is moving on to the next step in their life; and for them, that’s exciting! Get your coworker this “Going Places” Compass Necklace to remind them that this is not the end. Rather, it is a new beginning full of possibilities that they can control!
Hallmark Goodbye Card
You can never go wrong with a card signed by the whole staff. This Hallmark Goodbye Card is simple and beautiful. It will let your coworker know how great they were and how much you are going to miss them. Feel free to stuff a gift card to their favorite restaurant for an added little gift.
Framed Farewell Guest Book
A step up from the traditional gift card, this Framed Farewell Guest Book lets you add signatures in a bigger way. She can frame this memory on the wall in her home or her new office space. This is a great gift that she’ll cherish for years.
A Great Coworker Tumbler
This Great Coworker Tumbler is the best gift to get anyone who likes drinking on the go. Yes, it’s made for wine, but you could use this for any beverage. The best part is the message across the front that reminds your coworker how great they were to work with and how much they will be missed. This tumbler comes with a sealing lid and works well with hot or cold beverages.
Sotania Engraved Pen
This gift is super fancy and super cool because it’s customizable. Really, who doesn’t want a high-quality pen with their name etched into it? The Sotania Ballpoint Pen comes in different colors and allows you to choose exactly what you want to be engraved into the side of it. This will be a beautiful gift that is useful and brings great memories.
Thanks For Leaving Me Notebook
The Thanks For Leaving Me Notebook is a great gift that will make your coworker laugh. This is a good gift idea for someone who enjoys writing or taking notes. Your coworker will enjoy using this gift to keep notes or write down their daily thoughts. You might even decide to write a message to them on the first page to tell them how much they mean to you.
Personalized 20 oz. Tumbler
A Personalized 20 oz. Tumbler is a great gift for a coworker who’s always hydrating with coffee, tea, or water. The extra-large tumbler holds up to 20 ounces of liquid, so it will last them a while before they need to go for a refill. You can order it in several different colors and even include a personalized design to put on the front. For those who are extra thirsty, there’s even an option for a 30 oz. tumbler!
SimpleHouseware Desk Organizer
For the coworker who’s always organized (or the one who could use some help organizing), this SimpleHouseware Desk Organizer is the perfect gift. It comes with plenty of room for your coworker to store their folders, files, pens, pencils, notepads, and more. It has a sliding drawer for easy hidden storage and 5 slots for papers, folders, files, and notebooks.
Retirement Candle Set
Retirement is a huge milestone and one that should be celebrated with gifts and lots of love. We really like this Retirement Candle for a brand new retiree. It’s made with 100% natural soy wax and this set comes with two candles, a 9-ounce and a 16-ounce. You can even personalize it with a message!
Good Luck You Traitor Keychain
Sometimes the sarcastic, funny gift is the best one. Especially if you’re going to be missing your coworker a lot more than you’d like to admit. This Good Luck You Traitor Keychain is a great gift if you or your coworker don’t really like to get emotional. It will show them that you will miss them without making them cry. Plus, it’ll be a useful way for them to store the keys for their next job!
Retirement Countdown Clock
Some people work their entire lives just dreaming of retirement. If your coworker is approaching the big day, why not get them this Retirement Countdown Clock? They can put it on their desk or their nightstand as a way to remind them that soon they’ll be enjoying sleeping in, watching daytime TV, and doing whatever they want.
Under Desk Pedal Exerciser
The dangers of excessive sitting are real, and anything that can help prevent those dangers is a great gift in our book. Any fitness freak will love this Under Desk Pedal Exerciser as a going away gift, especially if they’re moving to a desk job. This exerciser is a great way for them to stay active while they’re at their desk. It could also be a great gift for a coworker who is interested in getting more involved in fitness and working out.
Personalized Notepad
There’s just something so fun and personable about putting someone’s name on office supplies. This Personalized Stationery Pad is a great gift for any coworker who is going away. It will be perfect for them to use for writing quick notes, taking messages, or setting reminders. Plus, they’ll love how professional they feel with their name printed on to each note. No need to sign these!
Funny Jumbo Wine Glass
Any wine lover will love this Funny Wine Glass. They can fill the huge glass with wine depending on the type of day they had. If it’s been relatively easy, they can stick with the first line. A terrible day, however, deserves the full 20 ounces.
Friends Photo Frame
They say that a picture is worth a million words, and there’s a reason why. Photos remind of us of some of our happiest moments with our favorite people. If you’ve got a great photo for your coworker, think about putting it in this Friends Picture Frame as a going away gift. This way, they will always be reminded of the great friendships that they made.
Fruit Infusion Water Bottle
Drinking water is key for good health and probably something that not everyone actually achieves. Help your coworker make their water taste better with this Fruit Infuser Water Bottle. This water bottle is easy to use and easy to clean. Your coworker will have so much fun testing out the flavors of different fruits with their water.
The Adventure Begins Mug
Moving on from an old job means a step towards something exciting and new…towards an adventure! Get your coworker this Adventure Begins Mug as a going-away gift that celebrates the new change in their life. They will appreciate this gift amidst all the emotion of having to say goodbye. It will remind them that they are making the right choice and that adventure awaits them!
Golf Club Pens Desk Toy
A good desk toy is always a great gift. They can help a stressed-out worker relax and provide a bit of distraction from a hard or boring day. We really like this Golf Club Pen Set for any coworker who likes golf. They can take it with them to their new job and practice their putting for business meetings. The clubs are also pens, so it’s got a double function!
SCStyle Stationery Kit
Once they leave, you may want them to keep in touch. And even though emails, texts, and calls are faster, there’s nothing quite like a handwritten letter from a dear friend. Gift a departing coworker this Stationery Set so that they can keep in touch after they are gone. You might even buy yourself one as well and write them letter #1. Don’t forget to include stamps!
Custom Gold Star Trophy
Who doesn’t love a good trophy? This Gold Star Trophy is a great gift to give a coworker who is going away. You can put whatever you want in the text to commemorate their time working with you. Feel free to make it a funny or sentimental award. Either way, they’ll love keeping it as a great memory.
Not Working Here Anymore Glass
Funny gifts are great for any coworker. They aren’t super emotional, but they’ll still mean something and get a good laugh. This Goodbye Pint Glass is great for anyone who is moving to a new place of work or retiring. They’ll be able to use it as a drinking glass or as a fun decorative memory.
New Job Candle
Getting a new job is really exciting, even if it means leaving behind your old one. Celebrate your coworker moving on to bigger and better things by gifting them this New Job Candle. It smells like leather and cinnamon with notes of cedarwood, clove, vanilla, and Tonka bean.
Craftmix Variety Pack
Any celebration deserves a nice drink. If your coworker loves a good cocktail, you should get them this Craftmix Variety Pack. It comes with 12 different mixes that they can use to make Mai Tais, Margaritas, Mules, and Palomas. All they’ll need to do is stir the mix in with booze and water and sip away.
Under Desk Foot Rest
Sitting at a desk all day is definitely not the most comfortable thing in the world. For coworker leaving to a desk job, you might want to get them this Under Desk Foot Rest. It uses an ergonomic design to deliver maximum comfort. It will be perfect for them and will make sitting at their desk that much more comfortable.
The Perfect Planner
Someone organized could always use a planner. And this is The Perfect Planner, so it’s got to be top-notch. This planner is undated, so your coworker can fill it in however they like. They’ll love using this to plan their days at their new job or during retirement. It’s a great going away gift indeed.
Gourmet Chocolate Gift Basket
Nothing celebrates a person more than a gift basket filled with delicious sweets and treats. Any chocolate love will be amazed when they receive this Chocolate Gift Basket. It will show them that you care about them a lot. It will also help them get their daily fix of delicious chocolate!
Morris The Donkey Note Dispenser
We are firm believers that you always need to have a bit of fun on your desk. Morris The Donkey provides just that fun. Any coworker who is moving on to a new job at a desk will love using Morris to hold their notes and reminders. Not only will it be a fun addition to their desk, but it will also provide a great memory of the great person who gave it to them.
Foot Spa Bath Massager
We all know that working is hard. After working at your organization (or anywhere, for that matter) we’re sure your coworker deserves a foot massage. Why not get them a massage they can use every day? This Foot Spa Bath Massager uses heat bubble vibration and 14 massage rollers to give a super relaxing foot massage. Your coworker definitely deserves it!
Bye Traitor Mug
Funny gifts like this are always perfect for a coworker who’s leaving. Even though it seems a bit mean, this sarcastic mug is actually a great way to show someone that you’ll miss them without getting overly sentimental. Get a coworker this Bye Traitor Mug as a farewell gift to tell them exactly how you feel…without actually saying it!
Coconut Spa Gift Basket
Similar to the spa foot massager, this Coconut Spa Gift Basket contains five luxury items that will make your coworker’s bath life absolutely amazing. They will enjoy using this great gift basket to relax. They can use it in their upcoming days of freedom!
I Wrote A Book About You
This is by far the most personal gift that we can recommend for a coworker who is leaving. If this coworker was a dear friend of yours, they’ll love the I Wrote a Book About You. This book comes with pages that you will fill with memories about your coworker. You’ll tell them all your best memories and favorite things about them. This is a truly sentimental and personal gift that your coworker will love before saying goodbye.
How We Selected Going Away Gifts for Coworkers
Put Yourself In Their Shoes
What would you want if you were leaving behind your office? Thinking about something you might like to receive can help you get into the mind space for picking out the perfect gift. Some things are easy to think of like goodbye-themed cards or picture frames. But other ideas will require some creative thinking on your end. Luckily, we’ve done a lot of that work for you. All you need to do is scroll through our list of great going-away gifts for a coworker.
A Balance Between Sentimental And Funny
Sometimes we want to get someone a going away gift even if we don’t know them that well. With coworkers, it can be difficult. It may be that you’re going to miss someone a lot but you don’t know too much about their personal life. With the gifts that we’ve suggested, we wanted to strike a healthy balance between emotional gifts and funnier ones. Both can be used to show how much you’ll miss them.
General and Customizable
When you don’t know someone on a deep level, it can be hard to think of what gift they might like. Any general gift like a pen or a mug can be customized by putting someone’s name on it or adding in some detail about work. These are great gifts for coworkers who are going away. It shows more thought than a plain object because it means you took the extra time to add something special just for them.
FAQs – Going Away Gifts for Coworkers
What is a good going away gift for a female coworker?
Any of the gifts on this list could be given to a female or a male coworker. Gifts don’t really have genders, so feel free to get her anything that we’ve listed above. If you’re looking for a more specific answer, try thinking about her as a person. What does she seem to like or show interest in? Would she appreciate a funny gift or a more sentimental one? These are the kinds of questions you need to be asking to select the perfect going away gift!
What are some good inexpensive going away gifts?
Most of the items that we have listed are not very expensive. We understand that not everyone has the budget to spend a lot of money on a gift for a coworker. Generally speaking, things like mugs or cups aren’t too expensive. Neither are little trinkets such as key chains. Most books are relatively inexpensive as well.
When should I give my coworker a going away gift?
If your workplace is going to throw a party to bid your coworker farewell, that is the perfect time to give them your gift. If there won’t be any sort of send-off, just give it to them on their last day! You might think they’ll be overwhelmed with things to do on their last day, so feel free to do it in the days leading up to that if you think that’s better. On the other hand, if you’re very close with this person, you might even consider inviting them out for a coffee or for lunch and giving them the gift there.