Help - gift for 21 year old employee

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peemac

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I've a part time employee who is 21 next week.
One of the best you can get and she's been with us for 3 years. (one more year left of her college degree)

What do sensible young girls like these days?

Budget about €200.
 
In my company at Christmas we get a One4all or Me2You gift voucher. You can use it for buying clothes, treats for yourself dining out or necessary stuff in Boots Tesco etc.
Especially as this is an employee you don't know too well I think that would be a safe option.
 
peemac said:
Nope, that's a cop out.

A gift should be something they would love but would not buy themselves.
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Something they'll love?! I think you're way overthinking this :)

As per the other replies above, vouchers or the raw cash is the simplest and safest option. Anything else IMO is unnecessary.
 
Bring the person out for a nice meal. That might work for you as everything else seems a cop out in your eyes and that way you'll get to enjoy the present as well;)
 
Thirsty said:
Inappropriate in an employer / employee relationship.
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But, but, that might be the very thing that's not being said, hence my reply. Anyway, nothing wrong with it at all, we're talking about adults after all and too much of this "inappropriate relationship" stuff being spouted.
 
Thirsty’s response is perfectly reasonable. I don’t know whether the OP is male or not. However, I’m male, and to say that I’d be wary of offering to take a 20 year old intern out for dinner to “celebrate her birthday” would be putting it mildly. They say you “live and learn”, and I’ve certainly learned from the last eight times I’ve done it.

In all seriousness, personally I’d get a €210 One-For-All voucher and present it to her in front of people to avoid any confusion. People often bemoan the fact that vouchers are not personal, but it’s hard to buy a personal gift for someone who you don’t really know, and there’s often an element of forcing one’s own taste on someone when you choose a gift for them.
 
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If you give cash, you have to give it out of your own pocket as a present.

If you want your company to pay it, wouldn't it be seen as taxable? You can, however, give her a voucher valued up to €500 tax free. A one for all voucher or Dundrum Town Centre voucher will do the job. Something that can be spent on as big a choice of things as possible.

You're her boss, not her best friend. Don't try to get something meaningful that she'll always remember. And certainly don't bring her out for a meal, what 21 (or older) year old would want a present of dinner with their boss (never mind the trouble you could get yourself into).
 
noproblem said:
Anyway, nothing wrong with it at all, we're talking about adults after all...
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There is something wrong with it.

These are not adults of equal standing.

One is an employee, the other an employer.

It is also likely that there is a significant difference in age.

Whilst it is reasonable to give an employee bonus, a personal gift or 1:1 dinner would not be appropriate

Birthday card and cake for all the staff at tea break would be a better idea.
 
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