Flower Etiquette at Workplace: Things You Must Know
Most of us spend 80% of the day at work and it is quite obvious to develop personal, professional and platonic relationship that needed to be rewarded. While a fresh flower bouquet coupled with chocolates and cake is sent by the company HR to its employees on birthdays, anniversaries and certain achievements, there is a fine line to send flowers as a business gifts to partners, co-workers, your boss who work there. This boundary needs to be respected and maintained. Especially, if you are sending flowers to someone special at workplace, you need to be extra careful and should follow the basic flower etiquette.
There is a fine demarcation for sending a business gift. What to send, when and to whom, these things should be considered to help you convey the right emotions and just the right message. Whether it is about just commemorating the occasion or for a special occasion, workplace ethics and flower etiquettes should be followed and respected.
Sending Flowers to the Team Members:
Companies nowadays have a policy to send flowers as a standard gift on business accomplishment and on their birthdays and anniversaries as well. While it is a grand gesture on a company’s part, it has been often observed that the quality as well as number of flowers also varies from cadre to cadre of an employee, which imparts bad reflection on the company. Don’t treat it as a bonus that is a variable and depends on performance. Take flowers as a special token of appreciation, which are sent to honor an employee’s time and association with the company. You can team up the fresh flowers bouquet with fresh fruit basket or dry fruit gift box too. A personalized message from the CEO or VP of the company along with flowers can do wonders to the morale and productivity of the employee.
Though, you would like to refrain from sending red rose bouquet to the employees. People can read between the lines even when there is nothing to say much. Staying steer clear of controversies is the perfect bet, so go for mixed flower bouquet made of yellow roses, tulips, peonies or daisies. There might be people allergic to flowers and their fragrance, hence it is better to send flowers with minimal scent or potted plants such as succulents or Lucky Bamboo.
Gifting Flowers to the Boss:
A birthday or anniversary gift to the boss should be from the team’s side always, unless you share personal relationship with him / her. Even if you do, don’t make it public as this could be seen as a desperate attempt to gain attention and favor from the superiors and it can overshadow your performance. Likewise, no red roses and anything that can be misconstrued!
Sending Flowers to a Client / Business Partner:
It is a very delicate association wherein you would like to tread very slowly and carefully. Whether you want to send flowers to the clients for congratulating them on a personal achievement, for accepting your business proposal or for a business expansion, don’t choose anything that could be deemed as a way to get personal. A bunch of daisies or orchids coupled with dry fruits gift pack or traditional sweets box is the ideal gift idea.
If you have been dealing with the client from long time and know his / her acquired taste, you can couple up the flowers with a gift voucher of his personal restaurant or shopping site.
Just make sure that you aren’t sending a specific bunch of flowers that convey particular message and feelings. For a safer choice, you can always go ahead with potted plants, sunflowers, daisies and orchids.
Maternity Gifts to Co-worker:
If you have a co-worker who happens to be pregnant or has delivered a baby, it is time to send flowers to the new mom. Any mild-fragrant flower with cake and chocolate is an ideal gift. Though, you may want to make sure to confirm the preferences. If the new mom is watching her weight, you can go for sugar free cake and dark chocolates. Baby books, bibs, a picture frame and baby clothing or accessories and soft toys can be your go-to option as baby shower gifts. While you can always send flowers and balloons at the hospital, but these turn out to be very uncomfortable for the lady and her family when they take all the things to home. So, it is always better to wait a day or two and send flowers to the new mother at home.
Conveying Sympathy at Work:
If you share a personal bond with the worker or his family, it is always better to attend funeral services. If you can’t do that for any reason, send sympathy flowers to the venue or at home after the services are over. Though, you might want to check with the family before sending the flowers as some families want people to contribute to the charity services in lieu of flowers. You can also contribute towards arranging a meal for the guests or handle a service while you are at it. You can also chip in some money with the co-workers for meals or services.
Get Well Soon Flowers:
Make sickness and illness go away with a cheerful fresh flower bouquet and a handwritten ‘get well soon’ card. If you don’t share any personal relationship and the recipient of the card is the member of opposite sex, it is always better to tread safely and chip in some money with other workers. If you share a platonic relationship with your colleague, don’t send flowers that convey love or romantic feelings. Usually, people send flowers online and the portals have clear classification of flowers under respective categories. So, you are safe on that part!
Birthday Flowers:
The same applies for birthday floral arrangement! Don’t go too overboard with the flowers and opt for tulips, orchids and subtle colors in flowers that are mild-fragrant also. Too large floral arrangements and flower bouquets won’t fit in an office cubicle and cause discomfort to the recipient.
Sending Flowers to a Guy:
There is nothing wrong with sending flowers to a guy but don’t get overboard with the size and fragrance. Don’t give flowers that speak of romantic overtures. It is better to add gift baskets, traditional sweet box and dry fruit gift pack to your bouquet.
It is always better to check the office policy on sending flowers. E-gift cards might look like a cheap way of expressing your feelings but are a big NO. They carry malware and virus, and often speak romantic messages out loud, causing severe embarrassment to the recipient. The malware and virus attachment can cause a great deal of inconvenience to the IT department of the company, even resulting in the firing or suspension. So, it is better to rely on non-fragrant or mild-fragrant variety of flowers and other gourmet gifts like chocolates and cakes. While sending flowers to your sweetheart at work is all about surprise, you may want to check if she / he is comfortable receiving flowers at work. Never send large-size floral arrangements and balloons to the workplace as they cause inconvenience.
