“Hey – Thank You.”
“Thanks!”
“Thank you – I really appreciate it.”
Do you take the time to say Thank You in your workplace?
Or are you in such a rush that when someone does something that is part of their job description, that you just run away without saying a word?
Research reported in The Wall Street Journal states that saying Thank You can “increase productivity, enhance collaboration among employees, make managers more effective, and improve corporate performance.”
Who knew that having good manners could payoff so well!?! (Answer: Your Mother).
When you thank someone, they feel more valued. This then improves the quality of your relationship with the person. And high quality relationships are golden for many reasons.
Here are some tips for showing gratitude well:
*A Little Thanks Goes a Long Way. You don’t have to schedule a “Thank You Party” every time you want to express gratitude. It can be a simple text or email. Even better, take a short detour on your way back to your office to stop in to say “Thanks” to someone in person. That just took a minute.
*Focus on the Other Person. This is also known as “putting the you in Thank You.” Rather than explaining how you benefitted from what someone else did for you, focus on things like their excellent work or how they went out of their way. So instead of “I would have been lost without your support,” go with “The quality of that report was superb and you obviously put in a ton of time.”
*Be Sincere. Do you truly care? If the rest of your behaviors don’t represent that you are a caring and respectful person, then your “thanks” will ring hollow.
*Thank People Publicly. Thanking people in a public setting or a group email has multiple positive effects. It is positive for the person who does the thanking – since this is seen as something a good person does. It is positive for the person who is being thanked – as others see that they have stepped up. And it sends a positive signal to the community that stepping up is valued.
Say Thank You! It is the right thing to do and is the smart thing to do.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Algoe, S. “Why It’s Important to Show Gratitude at Work – And What’s the Best Way to Do It,” The Wall Street Journal, April 16, 2023.
