How to thank your team

As children we’re brought up to say ‘thank you’. It’s a little gesture that makes a big impact. When someone thanks you, it instinctively makes you feel good and wanting to do well again.

 

According to Gallup, saying ‘thank you’ could increase wellbeing by as much as 66% and that counts for a lot in the workplace. It has benefits for both giver and recipient. In fact, regularly showing your gratitude can lead to:

• Reduced stress
• Stronger teamwork
• More optimistic and happier employees
• Better physical health, leading to lower absenteeism
• A more positive and helpful workplace.

So when it comes to work, gratitude goes a long way. Simply saying thank you to your team at the end of the working day will help them to feel respected, motivated, and wanting to do a good job again tomorrow.

 

And with hybrid working becoming the norm, it’s even more important to show remote workers that they are appreciated, helping them to feel engaged and positive.

 

But how do we do that? How do we show our thanks in a way that means something? From awards ceremonies to social posts, employee recognition comes in all shapes and forms. Here are some ideas that might hit the spot with your team.

 

 

Small gestures and random acts of kindness

 

In the charity sector, we give a lot of ourselves. Showing appreciation to colleagues can be a challenge, with limited budget to spend on vouchers or gifts. But sometimes it’s the small gestures that mean the most.

 

In our digital world, a simple hand-written card sent through the post can feel much more personal, thoughtful, and genuine than a shout out on social media.

 

You could up the ante with unexpected chocolates, coffees, or a packet of their favourite snacks. It doesn’t have to cost much at all to put a smile on someone’s face. 

 

 

External employee recognition schemes

 

Companies with formal recognition programmes have 31% lower turnover, and are twelve times more likely to have strong business outcomes.

 

So if you have the budget, you may want to consider one of the many organisations that run employee recognition schemes.

 

Take, for example, The WOW! Awards which works with Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The programme allows people both within and outside of your organisation to nominate employees who’ve done a great job.

 

An added benefit of having externally judged awards is that they are unbiased and inclusive. Nominations can also be aligned with your organisation values.

 

This is an easy way to show employees how your values live out in day-to-day work and encourage them to copy those behaviours.   

 

 

Peer-to-peer recognition

 

Peer-to-peer recognition is a great way to build a culture of positivity and cooperation. It shows people the impact they have on each other, which in turn can help to strengthen team relationships and engage them in the wider organisation.

 

Recognition could be as simple as thanking someone on the intranet, or more involved written nominations that feed into formal awards.

 

 

Awards ceremonies

 

Award ceremonies give everyone the chance to celebrate individual and team successes. That could mean a monthly stand-up to hand out certificates and read out positive feedback over a cup of tea.

 

Or it could be a full-blown annual awards event such as those held by the Royal College of Nursing (complete with celebrity presenters).

 

Either way, it’s a chance to bring people together to celebrate their wins and raise morale.

 

 

Personal word of thanks

 

It’s helpful to remember that everyone is different. While one person will adore being in the spotlight of an awards evening, another might shrink at the thought of it.

 

Sometimes a personal call of thanks or private message will be more appropriate. And it’s essential that when you give thanks it doesn’t feel tokenistic.

 

Make sure anything you say is genuine – it will mean so much more.

 

 

Shout outs on social media

 

Some organisations share internal successes on social media – which is great for the person you’re thanking and shows the outside world that you don’t only care about your cause, but also your staff.

 

Kate Collins, Chief Executive of the Teenage Cancer Trust, uses social media to motivate her staff by sharing their achievements – one of the reasons she was the overall winner in the Social CEOs awards.

 

You could also give shout outs on internal platforms. This helps to build an attitude of gratitude into your culture, which is particularly motivating during stressful times and when people have gone above and beyond.