SHOP BY TYPE OF COWORKER:
Let’s call it like it is; the office is a microcosm of personalities, quirks, and habits that make up your daily work experience. There are some co-workers you bond with instantly, others who keep you entertained, and a few who leave you scratching your head in bewilderment.
But whether you work in a super busy corporate office or a remote team spread across time zones, you’re bound to encounter a colorful cast of characters who bring their own unique energy to your day – like it or not.
Ever met the Office DJ who insists on curating the soundtrack to everyone’s day? Or the Serial Break-Taker who can somehow turn a 10-minute coffee run into an entire saga? And don’t forget the Meeting Addict, who believes that every issue—no matter how small—deserves a 30-minute “touch base.” Each personality comes with its own blend of habits, sayings, and Zoom quirks, making office life a little more unpredictable and, let’s admit, a lot more entertaining.
In this gift guide, we’re diving deep into some of our “favorite” coworker archetypes that almost all of us recognize. From the Overachiever who’s already three steps ahead of everyone, to the Snack Hoarder who has enough treats to stock a convenience store, to the elusive Ghost who is somehow “always online” but rarely seen—each one of these personalities has a unique way of brightening (or bewildering) our days. We’ll take a closer look at their defining traits, their signature moves, and even their Zoom call behavior, giving you all the insight you need to navigate any team dynamic with a smile.
And because the Christmas holiday season is the perfect time to celebrate each of these distinctive personalities, we’ve included a variety of, thoughtful, and sometimes hilariously on-point gift ideas for each coworker type.
Whether it’s a a portable coffee maker for the Serial Break-Taker, or a “tech neck prank box” for the Tech Wreck, these gifts are the ultimate way to acknowledge each personality with a wink and a nod.
The Office Complainer
Who They Are: Probably the most common worker found in the workplace, this is the co-worker who always finds a reason to be in a huff about everything. They’re quick to comment on everything from office temperature to why everyone has to be back in the office 2 days per week to “you know who” keeps burning popcorn in the microwave and believe they’re doing the team a favor by “keeping it real” and just “telling it like it is.”
Signature Moves
- Sighing loudly while making sure everyone hears.
- Turning minor inconveniences into team discussions.
- Sending passive-aggressive emails about “how things used to be done.”
Common Phrases
- “Why can’t we just…?”
- “Honestly, I’m going to start looking.”
- “This place would fall apart without me.”
Famous on Zoom For:
- Starting every meeting with “Can you all hear me? Ugh, my mic is acting up again.”
- Loudly complaining about the lag on Zoom, even if everyone else has a perfect connection.
- Often making a face at video quality, the volume, or random tech glitches.
Help them take their complaints down a notch by relieving that built up stress.
“Tell it like it is” sticky notes comes with 6 different pads containing 40 sheets each.
Get out some of their stress with a cute little desktop boxing gift set.
A fun gag gift for your favorite miserable coworker that you love to complain with. This 109 page comical book comes with 52 ways to let your coworkers known they’re stupid. All in good fun.
Whether your coworker is the dumpster fire or your entire office is, this cute desk pen holder is a lightweight dumpster that comes with 100 “fire” note cards as well as additional areas for other supplies.
Help turn that complaining coworker into a total zen and content manifester. This helpful daily prompt-based journal is something they can fill out each day to turn into the person they’re truly meant to be.
They might not have a vacation planned for a while (or at all), but that doesn’t mean they can’t take a little beach getaway each and every day right at their desk. Rake the sand, rearrange the set up and calm down.
The Serial Break-Taker
Who They Are: The elusive co-worker who’s “stepping out for a quick coffee” multiple times a day, often vanishing for prolonged periods. They can be found at the snack station, in the break room, or outside chatting with other serial break-takers. But, don’t be fooled! These break-takers can also be ghosts. Meaning, they usually don’t even announce they’re taking a break. They simply (poof!) disappear and no one sees them for a while. Are they in the bathroom? In a meeting? At lunch? No one knows.
Signature Moves
- Appearing with a new cup of coffee every hour.
- “Networking” by chatting with everyone in the break room, one cup at a time.
- Bringing back snacks or pastries as an alibi for extended breaks.
Common Phrases
- “Gotta keep the energy up, you know?”
- “Just clearing my head for a sec.”
- “Anyone want anything from the break room?”
Famous on Zoom For:
- Vanishing from the screen with their camera off for 10 minutes before reappearing with coffee, explaining they were “just refreshing.”
- Adding “BRB—coffee run!” to the chat mid-meeting.
- Usually the last one to join Zoom meetings, looking freshly caffeinated and ready for another break.
They’re giving the bare minimum effort so why not reward them with the funny t-shirt that describes them to a tee (pun). Color choices available.
They’re always leaving for a snack so you know they’ll love 72 bite sizes cookies from Mrs Fields Cookies. Maybe they’ll share with you?
Keep their coffee or tea nice and hot for hours on end while they roam the office and the parking lot throughout the day. Color choices available.
Keeps their lunch nice and warm until they’re ready to eat it (hopefully at their desk so they don’t leave!). The lid makes transport a breeze.
Since they’re always “on break” they’ll need a professional “out of office” sign so people know when to expect them back…if at all.
Perfect as a last minute gift, especially if you forgot, you can have this Starbucks gift card emailed to them immediately or scheduled.
If they WFH, they’ll love this mouse that jiggles on its own so it’ll always look like they’re actively working even when they’re not at their desk.
Get them to focus with their own small Bonsai Tree (4″ – 6″ tall) that they can take care of and help keep them grounded and stay put.
The Over-Sharer
Who They Are: Buckle up because you’re about to learn a lot from this coworker. With an endless stream of personal stories, from weekend escapades to health updates, they’re convinced everyone wants the full play-by-play of their life, down to the smallest details. Have they told this story before? Probably. Will they tell you again with all the details? Absolutely.
Signature Moves
- Launching into a story the minute they walk in, often lasting until lunch.
- Emailing everyone with “a quick update” on personal life events.
- Starting sentences with “I probably shouldn’t say this, but…”
Common Phrases
- “So guess what happened this weekend?”
- “This might be TMI, but…”
- “You won’t believe what happened to me.”
Famous on Zoom For:
- Accidentally unmuting and launching into a long story, not realizing the whole team is listening.
- Adding long-winded “background info” to work updates.
- Typing elaborate life updates into the Zoom chat, distracting everyone.
Big oversharer? Maybe they’ll take the hint and just write it all down in their daily hardcover lined journal.
Who doesn’t love Moira from Schitt’s Creek and her take on all things “gossip?” This 15 ounce ceramic mug is microwave safe.
The best selling book by Dr. Brene Brown that’ll help your coworker become their most authentic and vulnerable self.
When all else fails they can keep busy with a clapping monkey tape dispenser that comes to life!
The Meeting Addict
Who They Are: The co-worker who believes every topic warrants a dedicated meeting. Forget the emails or a simple Slack message, a meeting it is! Their calendar is perpetually filled with back-to-back sessions, and they’re constantly organizing more. They thrive on gathering everyone to discuss even the smallest of details. Let’s setup a quick 30 minute meeting to figure out all the meetings we have coming up this week, yeah?
Signature Moves
- Adding “follow-up” meetings that somehow last as long as the original.
- Scheduling “quick check-ins” that always turn into a deep dive.
- Sending elaborate pre-meeting agendas that include everyone’s name, talking points, and necessary materials.
Common Phrases
- “Let’s jump on a quick call to clarify.”
- “Can we do a touch base on this tomorrow?”
- “I’ll send a calendar invite so we don’t forget.”
Famous on Zoom For:
- Asking everyone to “take five more minutes” to wrap things up—20 minutes later.
- Frequently screen-sharing documents filled with bullet points and sub-bullet points.
- The first to arrive and the last to leave every meeting, insisting that “everyone gets their say.”
A 250 page stylish hardcover ruled notebook for your coworker to take all their notes all meeting long. Comes in 15 other colors too.
Personalized conference call BINGO card with some of the funniest and most common things your coworkers typically say.
Every office has one; the person who brings 40 ounces of water to every single meeting. Have them standout with their own lime green Stanley.
Keep ’em stylish with this set of 12 black ink gel pen set in chic and calming colors. Each pen writes soft, smooth, and glides along the page. Fun gift!
16 funny stickers that’ll keep every coworker grounded and deflate their ego a bit. Put them on their laptop, tumbler, or notebooks!
Never be late for a meeting with your own mini Keurig coffee machine right at your desk. This mini comes in 4 different colors to choose from.
An extra long USB charging cable they can bring with them to the meeting so they’re always charged up even if they have to reach all the way over the table.
Anker portable laptop charger that’ll give their latop juice even when they’re on the go or stuck in that long meeting. Works on multiple major brands.
The Office Mom/Dad
Who They Are: The caring team member who treats everyone as family, offering mints, cough drops, and shoulder pats. They check in on everyone’s well-being and ensure the group is well-stocked with snacks, tissues, and office supplies. Got an issue at home you want to discuss? This is the coworker you can always go to. What’s better than that?
Signature Moves
- Asking, “Did you eat lunch?” and offering snacks if you didn’t.
- Pulling random essentials from their desk—a Band-Aid, pain reliever, extra tissue pack—like a magic Mary Poppins bag.
- Organizing little team gatherings, often with cookies or homemade treats.
Common Phrases
- “Let me know if you need anything—I probably have it.”
- “Take care of yourself, okay?”
- “You look like you need a little break—go get some fresh air.”
Famous on Zoom For:
- Typing supportive comments like “Great job, team!” or “Thanks for sharing!” in the chat.
- Reminding everyone to take breaks or suggesting a “5-minute stretch.”
- Asking, “Are you all staying hydrated?” at least once per meeting.
Let them relax with fragrant and calming scents of lavender and green tea with a burn time of up to 80-hours. Perfect after a long work day and dealing with your shenanigans.
Steep your tea with this super cute “Baby Nessie” tea infuser that’ll help make the perfect cup of tea every time and is dishwasher safe. Get your coworker zen right at their desk.
This mini, yet powerful, waterproof portable bluetooth speaker with 5 hours of battery life is the perfect shower companion they didn’t know they needed.
This 4lb weighted heating pad with help calm them, soothe them, and massage them all at the same time – something they deserve! They have larger and heavier options as well.
Ahhh aromatherapy mist that fits on their desk and will run for 1, 3, or a 6 hour timer. It’s calm, uplifting, and will help zen them out each and every day. Just add water and a few drops of essential oils.
This 3D contoured memory foam based eye mask is actually made for those of us who are both back and side sleepers. It blocks out all light and doesn’t place pressure on your eyes. They deserve a good night sleep.
Let your emotional support coworker know that they have some emotional support too, in the form of a cute little knitted pickle. It’s a reminder that they’re really a big “dill.” Yep, puns.
Help keep their personal space clean as a whistle with their own mini personal portable air purifier that gets rid of 99.97% of dust, allergens, and odors in their direct area. Comes in additional colors too.
The Tech Wreck
Who They Are: The tech-challenged co-worker who breaks printers, freezes computers, and somehow finds every bug in new software. They’re constantly calling IT, and their desk often looks like a tech triage zone with abandoned cables, screens, and sticky notes reminding them of basic functions. They’re usually proud of themselves when they tell IT that they’ve already rebooted their computer, but that means they just shut off their screen.
Signature Moves
- Asking, “Why isn’t this working?” with a look of genuine confusion.
- Accidentally muting themselves mid-conversation and spending minutes to fix it.
- Calling IT with a panicked look every Monday morning.
Common Phrases
- “Does anyone know how to fix this?”
- “Oh, no. It’s doing that again!”
- “Is my screen frozen, or is it just me?”
Famous on Zoom For:
- Loudly announcing, “Can you see my screen?” every single time they try to screen-share.
- Frequently struggling to unmute themselves, leaving everyone awkwardly waiting.
- Often having grainy or pixelated video because they “don’t understand why it’s so bad.”
A genius invention that’ll help get all that nasty (and we mean nasty) dust, dirt, grime, crumbs – you name it out of their keyboard once and for all! You can also use it in your car, on your phone, speakers, and more.
If your co-worker is always losing their keys, their wallet, or even their work badge this AirTag can help them find it in a jiffy. Get them just one AirTag or go with a set of 4. Easy to set up and even easier to locate.
Perfect for the tech dork, this WIFI tee comes in a variety of colors and sizes for women and men and fits really well. It’s got that worn-in look that looks cool even though it basically has dork written all over it.
Let them zone out and go to their happy place with these comfy in-ear earbuds with 18 hours of battery life. They can listen to music, take and make calls, and even quick charge in 5 minutes. Comes in more colors too.
Don’t worry, it’s just a prank box. It looks like they’re getting a “tech neck” gift, but it’s empty inside so you can put whatever gift inside you want.
They can safely and wirelessly charge their iPhones (so many iPhone models) and even their AirPods, which will really come in handy at work.
Who doesn’t love the original Gameboy? This coffee mug “turns on” as soon as your favorite hot water beverage to it. Hi Mario and Princess!
Perfect for the coworker who’s always hot in the office no matter the temp. The wearable hands-free neck fan has 5 speeds and is battery powered.
