A small gesture goes a long way… saying thank you

My husband came home from work on the Easter Monday public holiday with a bigger than usual smile on his face. He couldn’t wait to show me the thank you gift he had been given by his manager.

What made this so special wasn’t the box of chocolates, although anyone who knows him knows he is a chocolate lover from way back, it was the simple handwritten card attached. 

Shaun, Thank you for always being available to work & your consistently neat (& always signed) paperwork!! You are very much appreciated. Happy Easter! Lyvia

Shaun has worked for this company for just over 18 months and this is the third time his work ethic and capability has been recognised with a small gift and a handwritten card. What I find most remarkable is that it’s such a simple gesture, yet one that few employers make. The flow on from this is that he was more excited than usual to go to work today, and given he is in a customer service role, this happiness will be passed on to all the customers he comes in contact with.

You might think so what? There are so many benefits of saying thank you to your people, including:

• gratitude increases job satisfaction (read the research)

• saying thank you makes people feel valued

• productivity increases

• practising gratitude for as little as 30 seconds a day can reduce your stress hormones, increase the flow of oxygen to your body and make you happier.

I once had a manager say to me “I shouldn’t need to say thank you, I pay you”. Let’s just say I quit that job soon after THAT enlightening conversation. #notvalued

As well as saying thank you to your team, also say thank you to your members. A few times you could say thank you are when:

• new members join

• members refer their friends and colleagues

• people answer your questions on social media (or elsewhere)

• you are given feedback (good or less good!)

• you get new followers on social media

• people attend your events

• people contribute content to your newsletters, magazines and social media accounts.

You don’t need to buy a gift to say thanks. Take the time to write a personalised note or card, or to make a phone call, or to send a personal email. However, let me tell you, the handwritten card has the biggest impact.

How have you said thank you today?