As days, weeks, and months elapse, it’s easy to get caught up in the deadlines, the dilemmas, and the stress. The holidays are a great time to slow down, and make the time to appreciate the efforts of every single person that contributes to the success of your company, regardless how minute their input. A thank you starts with you. Here are a few ways to encourage graciousness.
Be gracious towards your employees:
- Give them the gift of time. If it doesn’t affect your company, give them an extra day off or end a work day earlier than usual.
- Write specific thank you’s; Highlight each individual person’s strengths! Thank them for that PowerPoint they put together or that sale they landed.
- Give them the means to treat themselves! A gift card to their favorite morning coffee spot would be sweet!
How to Cultivate Thankfulness amongst Your Co-Workers
- Organize a potluck! Coming together and getting all to contribute creates new found appreciation for one another.
- Create a thank-you wall where coworkers write what they appreciate about one another. This encourages thoughtfulness and promotes team spirit!
- Have the team collectively donate to a charity or participate in a volunteer outing. People learn by practice. If events like these are planned, coworkers will get into the habit of being thankful and generous.
Remember to be Gracious to outside stakeholders! (This includes everyone from the maintenance guy in your office building to the biggest investor in your company! Show your gratitude for them.)
- Invite them to a company holiday party. They will feel included.
- Send them an update on company operations. Ex. Share an internal newsletter with them. People appreciate being in the loop.
- Be generous. Buy them a gift card to a supermarket to contribute to their family Thanksgivings! They will be touched that you’ve remembered them.
Moments and gestures like this won’t be forgotten when the going gets tough!