5-Minute Guide on Human Resource Management - The Lost Art of Thank You Notes to Employees.
5-Minute Guide on Human Resource Management - The Lost Art of Thank You Notes to Employees.
Intended Audience:
Business Owners, Managers, Supervisors & Human Resource Professionals.
The Problem:
Thank you cards were once an important means of social & business communications.
They have decrease in importance in recent times for a variety of reasons to include:
Non-essential business communications can be seen as a waste of time.
A more fast-paced business climate dominated by rapid communications.
A preference for electronic versus in-person communication.
The importance placed on courtesy & work etiquette has declined.
Many people view handwritten notes as time consuming and arcane.
Some managers can see expressing gratitude as a sign of weakness.
A person who hasn’t received such a note is unlikely to send one.
Occasions to Send Employee Thank You Notes:
Accepting an employment offer with the organization.
Non-routine or critical overtime work.
Meeting or exceeding production goals.
Upon the completion of a successful meeting or business deal.
Work anniversaries.
Suggestions that Improve the workplace, workflow or the organization.
Team efforts.
College degrees, technical schools or professional certifications completions.
Civic, charitable or community work that reflects well on the individual.
A successful return-to-work from a serious Illness or Injury.
A successful transition into a new assignment or promotion.
Employee departures under good terms.
Retirements.
Tips for Writing Employee Thank You Notes:
Select the Appropriate Format: Usually, either Email or Handwritten.
Be Timely: The quicker the delivery time after the event, the more the personal impact on the individual.
Make a Visual Impression: Avoid plain, generic email formats & cards.
Be Specific: State in simple terms what the employee accomplished & why it matters.
Use Their Name: Address them by their preferred first name to establish a closer or more intimate communication.
Write Conversationally: Imagine that you were meeting them personally rather than communicating to them remotely.
Stay Sincere & Genuine: Keep focused on the accomplishments of that person and avoid overly fancy wording & terminology.
Say How Their Efforts Helped: Simply state how their accomplishments will help the organization both in the short & longterm.
End Positively: Remember that the closing comments of the note will probably leave the most lasting impression with the worker.
Sample of an Employee Thank You Note:
Subject: Thank you for a an important assignment well done.
Joe:
I wanted to take a moment to personally thank you for your commitment to the improvements in the QC Department. Your efforts have made a real difference in helping us to meet our product reliability goals.
Your perseverance & attention to detail hasn’t gone unnoticed by management, and you have set a rock-solid example for your co-workers to follow.
Thank you for being such an important part of the Wilson Team and keep up the great work!
Best regards,
Tim Boyle
Vice President, Manufacturing
Email Versus Handwritten Thank You Notes:
Email Thank You Notes:
Pros
Convenient & fast.
Good for remote workers and remote teams.
Appropriate when timing is important.
Easy to share with others.
Cons
Can seem routine & less personal.
Can be overlooked in a crowded inbox.
Hand Written Thank You Notes:
Pros:
More memorable & savable than an Email.
More personal & direct than an Email.
Can build a strong connection between between worker & management.
Cons:
Time consuming to write & deliver.
Difficult with large teams & remote workers.
Difficult to share with others.
Precautions to Take with Employee Thank You Notes:
Such notes should be a special occasion and not become commonplace.
The note should be in-sync with that person’s upcoming performance review.
Avoid notes that maybe premature when failure is still possible.
Don’t imply things like promotions or pay raises that can’t be guaranteed.
Avoid potentially sensitive topics like missed holidays & family time.
Avoid favoritism that might cause resentment with coworkers.
Main Takeaway:
One of the frequent regrets express by longtime corporate leaders is that they did not make a greater effort at expressing their appreciation to the workers who had “gone the extra mile”.
About the Author:
Rob Brooks is the Loss Control Manager for Centurion Insurance Services in Charleston, West Virginia. He has over 40-years experience in his profession having worked for some of the leading insurance carriers and brokers. Rob has professional certifications in both human resource management (CHRS) and workers compensation (CWCP) from Michigan State University’s School of Human Resources & Labor Relations.
Disclaimer:
This publication is intended for general educational purposes only, and not to be considered as business, financial or legal advice.
Centurion Insurance Services and the writer makes no guarantees or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the reliability, completeness or suitability of the information contained herein.
Readers should consult with appropriate professionals before making any decisions based on the content of this newsletter.
We will not be liable for any losses or damages arising from the use of the information provided.
