A Man's Guide to Flower Delivery at the Office

The following guide will save you many headaches, and potential embarrassments, when selecting flowers for a coworker. Most men probably think roses are always a safe bet, but depending on the situation roses may not be well-received. In fact, sending roses when the situation is not appropriate makes you appear a little too forward, especially at the office where overt displays of affection are generally unwelcome. Deciding when and what flowers to send is the hard part, so here are a few of the best flower selections for those you appreciate.

Employee Illness
In most large organizations it is customary to send a flower arrangement to a coworker who is seriously ill. It is a nice reminder to those feeling blue that their friends at the office are thinking of them, and wishing them a speedy recovery. An arrangement of sunflowers makes an uplifting bouquet. Be sure to check with hospitals before ordering as some have implemented strict policies on flower deliveries. If necessary, have the order delivered to the employee's home address.

Death of a Loved One
If a coworker suffers the loss of a loved one you should consider sending an arrangement of flowers to their home. Consider asking the flower shop if you can include a hand written sympathy card as this makes the gesture more personal. Irises and tulips in pale shades of blue, yellow and purple are good flower selections.

Birthdays
Sending a big bouquet of lilies to a coworker on their birthday will have the desired effect of drawing lots of attention and brightening the mood of the entire office. Tread carefully here. If you send a birthday bouquet to your secretary, but not the office receptionist, employees could cry favoritism and your entire plan of improving employee morale will backfire.

New Additions
If one of your employees has become a new parent send over an arrangement of flowers to the maternity ward. Don't worry about pinks for girls and blues for boys, just stay with bright colors of seasonal flowers such as tulips or hydrangeas in the spring and summer months.

Apology
If you are like most men admitting you screwed up is about as easy as asking for directions, but simply owning up to your goof is not enough. Sending a simple flower arrangement along with a handwritten card will go a long way towards healing hurt feelings. Don't go overboard here or else your flowers will look more like a bribe. Stick to something simple like orchids in a small arrangement.