Tips on saying “thank youteam” forhard teamwork
Below are some of the most essential tips you may use to thank your team for their hard work:
- Reward employees based on their individual interests
- Provide sincere and consistent recognition
- Give them a shout-out
- Say thank you
- Bring in small surprises
- Involve other colleagues
Why saying thanks to team members is so important
Clearly showing your employees that you appreciate and value them is one of the most basic things you can do to make your business more effective.
Aside from this potential financial benefit, team appreciation is very important to your staff for the following reasons:
- Recognition of effort: Few things will demoralize employees more easily than feeling like they’re not being appreciated for their efforts. Making sure that employees who are delivering effort and results hear you express something along the lines of “thanks for your hard work” is vital. Even this basic action gives them recognition for their efforts, which becomes feedback to inspire even better team performance.
2. Stronger commitment to more effort: Thanking your employees when you think they’ve genuinely performed may boost their commitment to delivering more. If you tie your thankfulness to other incentives such as bonuses, prizes and special team dispensations for added effort, this will boost their commitment even further. More importantly, more than just material incentives, you want to foster a culture of emotional commitment to working hard for the team culture. Carefully applied praise creates this.
3. Trust and morale: When your team knows that you won’t be stingy with your praise when they’ve made extra efforts, they will trust you enough to go the extra mile without having to be pushed. A team or company culture in which everyone clearly knows that they will be noticed and appreciated for extra performance also means higher overall morale even during hard moments.
Ways to say thanks
Reward employees in a personalized way
Personalized rewards not only display your care and appreciation for employees but also show you pay attention and take a genuine interest in them and what they like beyond their work. Finding the right reward for team members can build lasting rapport and create a meaningful connection they aren’t likely to forget.
This may require you to go out of your way, but the results are well worth it. For instance, if you know a team member loves cats, you can give them a card or another item with cats on it.
Provide sincere and consistent recognition
If you have team members that consistently do a great job, then it’s important to provide them with consistent recognition. This motivates employees to continue doing their best work for a company that cares to pay attention and express gratitude. Each expression of gratitude can be something different, and they don’t need gifts each time you provide them with recognition. A simple “thank you” goes a long way.
Recognition should be often enough to make your employees feel supported and appreciated, but not so often that it feels routine and insincere.
Give them a shout-out in writing
Being publicly praised for your work or work ethic usually feels good. This doesn’t mean you must always publicly announce your team members’ accomplishments and pull them into the spotlight, however. You may make mention of their names and accomplishments on social media or in company newsletters.
Say thank you
Thank you’s are typically not heard as often as employees would like, and saying thank you can generate more overall gratitude and consideration in the workplace. Say thank you to your employees whenever it is applicable; for instance, after an employee stays late to complete extra work, a “thank you” lets them know you noticed their effort and time.
Bring in small surprises
Most employees like random surprises or treats at work. For instance, if you have a team meeting to go over goals for a new quarter, you may bring in donuts or coffee for employees to say thank you for their work in the previous quarter. These surprises can be small, but they can have a great impact on your team.
Involve other colleagues
If you want to send someone a personal thank you note or card, it can be meaningful to get other team members involved. Allowing them to sign the card or be involved in another way can establish a workplace culture that thrives on gratitude and praise. Employees are more likely to notice each other’s accomplishments and may want to thank their colleagues for their hard work. It may even encourage them to work harder to receive recognition for their work.
Three things to try
Here are three simple things you can try to thank your employees:
1. Write personal notes
Give your team members personalized thank you notes detailing the work they’ve completed that you’re grateful for, and wish them continued success. As a bonus, write the note on special paper or on a card with a theme or picture that they like.
2. Give gifts
Most employees appreciate gifts, especially gifts to local events, movies or gift cards to restaurants. Place the gift on their desk in the morning before they come into work with a note of thanks, and they’re likely to be appreciative.
3. Provide employees with professional development resources
Offer to pay for your employees to get a specific certification or take a class to enhance the professional capabilities related to their current job title or the job title they’re after. This shows that you care about their growth and development and wish for their success.
What to avoid when thanking your team
Offering praise and thanks to your team only works when they’ve demonstrated genuine performance and effort. Thanking your team too often, especially when nothing justifies it, can water down the effectiveness of the appreciation. It could also reduce the respect they give to those who are overly generous in their praise.
The bottom line for saying thank you to your team
Offering gratitude and expressing messages of thanks to your team can truly motivate your team members and improve the workplace. Pay attention to good work, and offer thanks whenever you identify a job well done. Continue to apply team appreciation and establish it firmly in your workplace culture.
This helps to create a more satisfactory work environment where your employees are more inclined to feel appreciated and happy. Doing so increases engagement, participation, self-esteem and can even positively impact your bottom line. You may also feel more effective as a leader and likely more connected to your team and what they’re doing.
Thank you team FAQs
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about thanking your team members that may provide you with more information:
What is the power of team appreciation?
Team appreciation sets good behavioral practices in the workplace and amplifies positivity across the organization. Regular team appreciation can influence job satisfaction levels.
What are some simple ways to say thank you?
The simplest ways to say thank you are to send an unexpected email, write a letter, give a greeting card or verbally express heartfelt gratitude. Some of these notes may also include a small token, such as a gift card.
Should I add extra financial compensation in my kudos to the team?
You absolutely should. Financial benefits don’t need to be extravagant for your team members, but moderate occasional bonuses or gifts will sharpen incentives.
Should I also apply criticism when taking the time to say “great work, team”?
It’s better to separate criticism from praise. However, delivering praise alone without also making sure that your team receives constructive feedback, especially when it underperforms, will not foster a culture of strong and effective feedback. This in turn may spoil mutual respect and commitment.
