Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday for many individuals. The majority of employers close their business on the fourth Thursday of November each year to allow their employees a chance to spend quality time with their families. A time of year to remember what we are thankful for, Thanksgiving doesn’t only have to be celebrated at home with friends and family members. Thanksgiving in the workplace can be a powerful tool when employers use this holiday as an opportunity to express gratitude towards their employees. Building loyalty, helping with retention, and ensuring productivity, consider using this Thanksgiving holiday as an outlet to let your employees know how thankful you are to have them.
- Give a genuine “Thank You” – Your employees will be able to tell the difference between saying “I appreciate you” because you have to, and genuine professions of gratitude. Sincerely telling your employees how grateful you are to have them as a part of your organization will make you more approachable as a manager, which will help build rapport between you and your employees.
- Accept thanks graciously in return – Many individuals struggle accepting gratitude and compliments and will brush off these statements, quickly changing the subject. Though often out of shyness or embarrassment, employees may view this as your not caring about what they are saying and it may discourage them from reaching out to you in the future. Learn to accept thanks and compliments, and let your employees know that you appreciate the sentiment.
- Use different methods to show appreciation – Each employee is different. Some employees like being appreciated publicly, at a staff meeting or in a company newsletter. Others prefer monetary signs of thanks like a gift card, gift basket, or sporting tickets, and others simply want the words. Even learning what your employees want and need with regards to appreciation will let them know that their wants and needs matter.
- Spread appreciation – Clients, customers, and vendors that come in and out of your place of employment each day are important, too. They are the reason you are in business, after all! Let them know how much that means to them. Little acts of thanks goes a long way in the retention and loyalty of your customers and clients.
Be genuine, accept thanks and appreciation in return, mix up how you show your appreciation, and try to extend your gratitude and thanks to individuals beyond your employees to make this Thanksgiving as rewarding as it is productive. And remember, don’t reserve thankfulness for this one holiday each year; genuine acts of appreciation and should always extend past the fourth Thursday of every November.
HRCentral wishes you all a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
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