Find the Perfect Presents for Internal Communicators

Whether you’re looking for items to add to your holiday wish list or want to find a great gift for your communication colleagues, we have the ultimate gift guide for you. We’ve created a list of practical and interesting gifts that are perfect for any internal communicator.

Books
“Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Die and Others Thrive,” by Chip and Dan Heath — While this book isn’t new (it was released in 2007), it’s perfect if you’re looking for ways to create more effective messages for your internal communication campaigns. The Heath brothers give an easy-to-use guide to creating sticky messages and use entertaining and enlightening case studies to prove their point.

“Strategic Internal Communication: How to Build Employee Engagement and Performance,” by David Cowan — Want to take an innovative approach to internal communication? Look no further. This book looks at the traditional silos of internal communication, employee engagement and HR and introduces a new model — the Strategic Dialogue box — that can help you break down barriers and build engagement.

“Contagious: Why Things Catch On,” by Jonah Berger — What motivates people to share and inspires them to take action? This book dives into what makes content or ideas “go viral” and gives six principles that can help ensure your content is a huge hit with employees.

“From Cascade to Conversation,” by Katie Macaulay — Macaulay argues that, in this increasingly digital and fast-paced world, the top-down approach to internal communication is no longer effective. This book examines what the shift from cascade to conversation means for employee communicators — for the content you write, channels you build, measurement you undertake and the skills needed for leaders and practitioners.

Technology
Subscription to Focus@Will — Need to focus for a few hours on developing a communication plan or drafting that blog post you’ve been meaning to write? This website and app contains playlists with scientifically optimized music guaranteed to increase your productivity.

Touch-screen gloves — Make your life a little easier this winter with touch-screen gloves. Now you can keep your hands protected from the cold and respond to emails while on the go.

Headphones — In a world of cubicles and open offices, it’s sometimes difficult to concentrate without being distracted by outside noise. Use these noise-canceling headphones to stay focused throughout the work day.

AP Stylebook online account and mobile app — Whether drafting an internal announcement or an intranet article, you need a way to quickly and easily reference AP Style anytime, anywhere. Access the AP Stylebook by purchasing an online subscription and downloading the app so you have AP Style advice at your fingertips.

In and Around the Office
Word of the day calendar — Want to expand your vocabulary in the new year? A word of the day calendar is the perfect gift for you. It allows you to learn new vocabulary that you can seamlessly integrate into future communications.

Grammar coffee mug — Calling all grammar nerds! Purchase this mug to let people know you’re silently correcting (and judging) their grammar usage.

Parts of speech poster — This hilarious pop-culture poster is the perfect addition to your office/cubicle wall. It uses pop culture figures — like Walter White from “Breaking Bad” — to illustrate the parts of speech.

Whiteboard — Internal communicators are always making to-do lists and brainstorming ideas for the next big campaign. Hang this whiteboard in your office so you can stay organized and easily capture your best ideas at a moment’s notice.

Other
Commas save lives t-shirt — If your biggest pet peeve is comma misuse, this t-shirt is perfect for you. It’s great to wear on office casual days to remind your colleagues about the importance of proper punctuation.

There, they’re, their poster — Tired of seeing people confuse there, they’re and their? Hang this poster in your office and use it as a fun, educational tool.

Exercise studio gift certificate — Communications can be a stressful job and, when you’re juggling so many responsibilities, it can be hard to prioritize your health. Stay healthy and happy in the new year with a gift certificate to a local exercise studio.

Which items are on your holiday list? Tell us below in the comments.

Jennifer Detweiler is a account supervisor with Employee Engagement.

Originally published at www.edelman.com on December 19, 2016.