The Best Gifts for Every Type of Boss
Hit that perfect sweet spot of just personal enough.
Photo illustration by Slate
This article originally appeared on the Strategist.
Buying a gift for your boss can be a potential minefield. Spend too much and you risk making her feel uncomfortable. Spend too little and you might as well not get anything at all. We went and found gifts for every type of boss there is, all of which hit that perfect sweet spot between too personal and just personal enough.
For the Frazzled Boss
Don’t try to get them to bullet journal (not happening). Instead, try a productivity planner with inspirational mantras and proven organizational techniques.
For the Frazzled Boss Into Florals
If your boss needs a reason to get into a 17-month planner, what better one than this gorgeous illustrated version from Florida company Rifle Paper Co.?
For the Boss With a Sad Office Desk
Zhuzh it up with an optimistic succulent in a neat, clean-lined terrarium.
For the Boss With Office-Chair Posture
Those cheap desk chairs do a number on your back, but the BackJoy forces you to sit better (here’s another chair add-on we love for better chair posture, too).
For the .0001 Percent Boss
If your boss is megarich (and has a sense of humor), a tongue-in-cheek take on the very moneyed class, in the vein of The Official Preppy Handbook.
For the Thirsty Boss
Our very favorite water bottle—and coffee thermos and beach beverage holder—is something your boss won’t even know they needed.
For the Extra Thirsty Boss
When your boss needs something a little stronger than coffee, you can’t beat the original Stanley flask (throw in a mini bottle of bourbon for good measure).
For the Boss Who’d Rather Be Golfing
We get it—something about the back nine and par and a birdie or whatever. Now they can putt in the office.
For the Fit Boss
The new super-slim Fitbit tracks steps and sleep patterns but is also swim-proof—for the triathletes who have to clock in.
For the Youth-Obsessed Boss
Save this for a boss you’re chummy with (it can come off as, um, insulting), but the power of retinols for reducing fine lines and wrinkles is undeniable.
For the First-In, Last-Out Boss
Not subtle by any means, but gifting them Arianna’s book on the importance of work-life balance may be the best gift they (and you) every get.
For the Boss Who’s Obsessed With Luke
A lot of Stars Hollow–themed gifts are too cheesy to use in real life—this mug is actually cute, even if you’re not a Gilmore fan.
For the Boss With Low Blood Sugar
Healthy(ish) snacks from Today show health expert Joy Bauer.
For the Yoga-at-Lunch Boss
A gym bag doesn’t have to look like a gym bag—this one from Baggu’s cool enough for work, weekend, and even a night out.
For the Boss Who’s Always Cold
Help them regulate the temperature with a cozy Pendleton wool blanket.
For the Boss Who’s Stressed
Our favorite stress-relief toy: a rubbery sand mixture that’s a tactile delight. Just squeezing and releasing the sand clears the tension.
For the Boss Who’s Really Stressed
When Kinetic Sand just won’t cut it, a Shiatsu kneading massager for head, back, and feet may be the big-ticket item that does the trick.
For the Boss Who Packs a Lunch
Make it fun and stackable with a dishwasher- and microwave-safe set of bento boxes.
For the Boss Who Needs a Reading Light
A desk lamp that doesn’t look like a desk lamp, this Scandinavian mixed-media version could belong in a museum.
For the Boss Who’s Better Than the Supply Closet
No generic No. 2’s for them! The Japanese-made Midori brass pencil case gives everything they write extra gravitas—it saves pencils that are down to their last nubs, too.
This article is published through a partnership with New York magazine’s the Strategist and Select All. The partnership is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected by New York magazine. If you buy something through our links, Slate and New York magazine may earn an affiliate commission.