Expressing gratitude to your employees can feel awkward or uncomfortable. But celebrating your team members, especially around important holidays, can be a powerful, generous, and motivating gesture. Try writing a card or email that goes beyond a simple thank-you note.
To write an impactful note of appreciation, focus on your employees’ strengths.
Start by highlighting a specific characteristic that you admire about them. Then, explain why you value that attribute, and provide a real-world example of how it positively impacted the team. For example, you might write: “I value your ability to creatively solve problems, turning challenges into opportunities for growth. This ability routinely helps our team unlock innovative ideas.
For example, you found an opportunity to create an entirely new product when our subscription numbers were down.” Notes like these will help your team members see their own abilities through your eyes. They also focus your employees’ attention on what’s going well and signal to them that they really matter.