We’ve all been there at work: A colleague is about to start maternity leave, or Milton is retiring after 79 years in the corner office. Obviously, a gift is in order. Right?

This process can be delicate, often because the funds for any gift must be collected from the office. The crew at OfficeTeam, a Silicon Valley-based temporary staffing firm for administrative professionals, offers a few guidelines on the topic:

¢ Ask selectively: The new person who has never met Mom or Milton would consider it unfair to be asked to donate. So keep the group you approach limited to the people who actually know the person being recognized.

¢ Keep it simple. Circulate a general e-mail so people can approach the funds collector. Buttonholing someone at the elevator, pitching for money like a TV preacher, can make some people uncomfortable.

¢ Bundle. If possible, consider periodic group gatherings for such events. Perhaps the company will even contribute to the more formalized approach, as a way to build cooperation and good will.