Tips for Saying THANK YOU to Your Team

Happy Employee Appreciation Day! Perhaps your organization is celebrating with team gifts or by hosting an organized event. Or maybe you’re opting out if you celebrate year-round with other activities and recognition opportunities.

Today we’re thinking about the simple notion of how to thank your team, no matter how your organization takes part in Employee Appreciation Day. When it comes to saying “thanks,” your delivery is just as important as the message itself, and communication is essential to giving authentic and well-received recognition.

Don’t miss the chance to get your message across! Here are some tips for saying THANK YOU to your team today and throughout the year.

Be specific

While simple “thank yous” are excellent ways to regularly give recognition, there should always be a clear reason behind the thanks, so be specific. Whether you’re thanking an individual, a team or the whole company, WHY are you thankful for their contribution? Bring it back to the company’s goals and culture so people can see how they’re part of the bigger picture. If you’re thanking an individual, circle back to how their specific role or good work ties back to the company as a whole.

Be timely

Wait too long to deliver recognition and it can lose its relevance to the recipient, so aim to say thanks in a timely manner. For a calendar observance like Employee Appreciation Day or Administrative Professionals Day, give your thanks and hold any related events or activities on that day. For individual merits of standout work, give your recognition as soon as you can after the instance so it’s relevant and still fresh in the employee's mind. Don’t miss the boat.

Be inclusive

For a company-wide observance like Employee Appreciation Day, double-check that you’re including the whole team. If it’s an event, make sure it’s something that everyone can participate in. If it’s a gift or reward, make sure it’s accessible for everyone to redeem, and that it’s something everyone would want as a reward. If you have a remote team, look for ways to include them in some other special way if they can’t be there to join the celebration in person. And as far as the actual "thank you" message, give shout-outs to all who were involved in the effort or celebration at hand.

Be authentic

Speak from the heart, and be genuine in giving your thanks. Even the simplest “thank you” means so much more when it comes from a place of sincerity. Acknowledge and speak to your team like they are truly your teammates, and remember you are all in this game together — so express your pride in your team, and don’t be afraid to even be a bit cheesy if it comes from the heart!

And by the way, thank you for reading our blog and staying connected with us!

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