When you count your blessings on Thanksgiving, I’m betting you’re thankful for friends, family, food, and a roof over your head. Those are all awesome things to be grateful for, but we have other people in our lives, too; people we don’t think much about over the holidays: our staff and co-workers.
So, while you take the day off to eat pie and watch football, don’t forget to give thanks at work this month. Here’s why and how.
Thankfulness changes you. Gratitude requires and fosters a positive mindset. This way of thinking encourages you to solve problems, rather than complain about them. It’s also infectious—think about it. Would you rather work with positive, grateful people or pessimistic complainers? And it only takes one thankful person to infect everyone else, so let’s show our thanks in the following ways.
Find positive traits in each of your employees or coworkers. Maybe they write accurate and detailed memos, come up with out-of-the-box solutions, are friendly and polite with everyone or never miss a meeting. When you thank your employees, be specific. Point to a specific action they did and thank them for it. Not only will this help you appreciate your employees, it will also help them appreciate you and become more productive.
Let them know that you’re thankful. There are several ways to do this. You could walk over and tell them. You could send an email. Or you could give a personal note; handwriting your thanks takes time and effort, showing the recipient you value them. You can also personalize your appreciation on an emotional, non-work level. Your staff have lives outside of the office, so you could give gifts that reflect each employee’s personality, hobby or family. Whichever you express your gratitude, make sure it’s genuine.
Finally, Entrepreneur.com advises, “It’s easy to remember to recognize the people you work with directly every day. But it’s also important to give thanks to the often-overlooked crew that helps your business run smoothly.” Try these suggestions: “Leave a thank you note for the trash collector, give the mailman a gift certificate to a local restaurant, or get a dozen cupcakes for the UPS guy. Most people don’t thank these hard-working people. So, a little effort will make you stand out and can go a long way toward getting great service from these folks.”
Here at ASJ, I’m thankful for the staff who deliver marketing solutions to our clients, and for our clients who trust us with their business. Remember, it’s never too late to start thanking your staff. And it’s never too late to win more, sell more, grow more and be found more with ASJ.
