Culture of Gratitude

Hopefully you are already aware that July is National Ice Cream Month! This is the month to celebrate our love of all things ice cream, including sorbet, Popsicles, sundaes, floats, shakes — we could go on and on. It’s a lot like a good employee engagement program: it brings people together, makes everyone feel happy, and is endlessly creative.

That doesn’t mean you can drop off a tub of vanilla in the break room with a scoop and expect magic. But this tasty treat as a vehicle for employee engagement is powerful. Not only is it just plain fun and delicious, it reminds us of happy memories that we share with other people — our parents, kids, siblings, or maybe a special date night with our significant other. It’s special. It’s a treat. It speaks a language of happiness.

Let’s look at how ice cream (and its dairy-free alternatives) can be a great team-building activity, reward for hard work and overall boost to employee satisfaction.

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Some of the most effective, easy ways to thank employees can be done on the fly, or with just a few days’ notice – just remember to keep the message of gratitude in mind!

Try it! You have your chance coming up with a holiday that’s easy to celebrate in the workplace: the 4th of July.

Independence Day has themes that bring people together — patriotism, community, family — plus it has traditions everyone loves: fireworks and sparklers, parades, neighborhood barbecues and events for kids.

Some businesses shut down over the 4th of July weekend, giving their employees some well-deserved time off. Many companies have no choice but to stay open, particularly those in the service industry.

If you have employees working on 4th of July or over the 4th of July weekend, take the opportunity to acknowledge that they’re working over a popular holiday and let them know how much you appreciate their valuable time (grocery gift certificates are always a good choice).
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Organizations often shy away from celebrations when on a tight budget. We’ve all been there! But a small budget shouldn’t impede employee appreciation and recognition. Never forget that a “thank you” is free! But there are many ways to share gratitude that don’t end up costing a fortune. We have many ideas for how to celebrate with little time or money.

Volunteer Together

A wonderful idea is to organize a service opportunity for teams. By partnering with a nonprofit, there is often very little prep work to do but to bring people to help! Public Service Day is June 23, providing an excellent reason to start thinking about community relations. Not only is it usually good PR and goodwill, but the act of service really brings people together.

“America’s Charities Snapshot Employee Research found that 71% of employees surveyed say it’s imperative or very important to work where culture is supportive of giving and volunteering.  When strategically integrated with your company’s business goals and values, involving employees in a mix of volunteer work, skills giving, workplace giving programs, and matching gift opportunities gives employees a sense of purpose, and makes them feel more connected to the community and your company-wide social responsibility efforts.”

Build Experiences

A tight budget is an excellent reason to focus on spending TIME together. Tap into talented employees to offer special experiences for others. Ask staff with strong skills to share their gifts with the team. For example, arrange an employee talent show, art exhibit, origami demonstration or guided meditation session. The possibilities are as endless as your team’s talent and enthusiasm.

Quick, Easy & Impactful

For a quick solution, instead of focusing on fancy gifts, put what’s already at your fingertips to good use:

1. Praise people early and often on email and on your collaboration platform.
2. Submit a LinkedIn recommendation or skills endorsement for a stellar employee.
3. Gather your team together. Thank them and lead a hearty round of applause.

PRO TIP FOR A TIGHT BUDGET

For inexpensive gifts that keep on giving, consider buying subscriptions for information, services, entertainment and more, such as:

• Online music
• Books
• Videos
• Training
• Industry publications
• Personal productivity apps

Check out our Big List of Employee Appreciation Ideas for ANY budget, any season, any industry, any time!

Learn More About gThankYou Certificates of Gratitude:

• Check out our Home Page
• See all our Gift Certificate Choices
• Watch our ‘About Us’ Video
• See what customers say in our Case Studies
• Look at our FAQ
• See our FREE customizable ‘thank you’ cards
• Reach us at 888-484-1658 or via info@gthankyou.com

Everyone loves this time of year — wrapping up school, planting flowers, planning summer trips and simply enjoying the outdoors. The last few summers weren’t as carefree, so we want to help YOU make summertime at work FUN again! Here are some creative ideas from our 2022 Day-to-Day Employee Celebration Calendar to help.

Top 10 Ways to Make Summertime at Work Special Again:

• Celebrate LGBTQ+ Month with free flags and T-shirts for employees.
• Host an ice cream or food truck once a week.
• Present employees with a summer-themed gratitude journal.
• Host a family day at a local park with food, games, and music.
• Rent out a public pool or amusement park.
• Organize a few morning walks with leadership — exercise AND good one-on-one time.
• Have a summer reading program with incentives at the end of the summer. Remember that? Everyone loves to read for a personal pizza! Bonus points for books on business, leadership, and personal development.
• Incentivize employees to volunteer hours, walk miles, donate clothing, or do something else positive. Offer grand prizes that will bring on the heat of competition.
• Take a poll on what would make casual Fridays cool again. What do your employees crave?
• Give everyone gift certificates for ice cream, groceries or candy!

It’s important to remember that employee appreciation is a year-long endeavor. It’s a long time until the holidays, and it’s best not to wait to say, “thank you.”

If you haven’t downloaded our FREE calendar, it’s never too late. We have a variety of resources to help keep employee recognition and workplace well-being front-and-center every single month of the year.

Learn More About gThankYou Certificates of Gratitude:

• Check out our Home Page
• See all our Gift Certificate Choices
• Watch our ‘About Us’ Video
• See what customers say in our Case Studies
• Look at our FAQ
• See our FREE customizable ‘thank you’ cards
• Reach us at 888-484-1658 or via info@gthankyou.com

Nurse appreciation is the focus of National Nurses Week, which begins May 6. Plan your Nurses Week celebrations now!

According to Gallup, nursing is among the most highly regarded and trusted professions, ranking higher than military personnel, doctors and teachers.

So why aren’t nurses feeling the appreciation?
One major factor could be the overall lack of employee recognition across all industries. General respect and trust for a profession doesn’t automatically translate into concrete acts of appreciation.

First Step: Raise Awareness

In the fast-paced, hectic environments nurses work in — hospitals, nursing homes, urgent care, hospice — appreciation can get lost in the shuffle, or be reserved for doctors.

In a classic HuffPo article “Why Every Week Should Be Nurse Appreciation Week,” Brian Secemsky, M.D., writes, “Throughout history, the culture of medicine has revered the role of a physician as the core to patient care and medical recovery. Yet in my personal work experience, absolutely no care would be delivered without the critical role of a nurse.”

Simply raising awareness of the special job nurses have is a big part of nurse appreciation.

“Nurses are often quick to say, ‘I am just doing my job,’ and to some degree that is correct,” Mary Jo Andre, chief nursing officer at Texas Children’s Hospital told the Houston Chronicle. “However, it is not the task of passing medications that makes their role special. Their role is special because they are in the position of being present with (and for) our patients and their families when they are experiencing their most challenging times.”

Nurse Appreciation Week continues May 6 through May 12. Read on for nurse appreciation ideas to inspire your workplace celebration. Even if your organization doesn’t have nurses on staff, Nurse Appreciation Week is a great opportunity to engage employees in community outreach and gratitude-building!
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Looking for a team bonding activity that gets people talking, laughing and learning together? Share stories that inspire teacher appreciation! Stories about the teachers we appreciate are a window into our own values and aspirations, and telling and listening to these stories with coworkers helps us connect and builds a culture of gratitude. A broad interpretation of “teacher” can include anyone whose knowledge and influence had a lasting impact.

Broadening the Definition of Teacher

In an older, yet still extremely relevant, newspaper article in the LA Times, members of the newsroom shared their thoughts on teachers. Journalist Dexter Thomas calls for a broad interpretation of “teacher” to include anyone whose knowledge and influence had a lasting impact.

“We seem to view ‘teacher’ too narrowly. A lot of the people who made me who I am today didn’t have teaching credentials. Some of them I’ve never even met,” Thomas wrote. “So as we were talking about teachers in the Los Angeles Times newsroom today, I realized —  we’ve all been influenced by a variety of people. You’ve probably got a favorite childhood teacher or coach. You probably owe your sense of fashion, or music sense, or interest in a hobby, to some influential person.”

Workplace mentors also count! We all have a coworker, boss or other influential person in our life who teaches us new skills, motivates us to do our best work and keeps us on track in moments of doubt.
Read on for three great stories to inspire teacher appreciation this week.

Who are you going to reach out and thank for changing your life?
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NEWS ALERT: The work world has shifted. Priorities have changed, hybrid and remote working has become status quo, and flexibility is key. Collectively, we are figuring out how to navigate new ways of working.

What’s really keeping HR people up at night is how to RETAIN talented and hardworking staff. If we thought retention was important before, we have a tighter grip now. But what is the secret sauce to keeping employees happy, healthy and gainfully employed by you? Appreciation and recognition go a long way. Here are some ways to navigate new ways of working:

Pay attention equally to employees regardless of their location.

With a shift to remote and hybrid workplaces, it is important to “spread the love” to those who may be working elsewhere. “Out of sight, out of mind” is the wrong approach. Be sure to show appreciation equally for people across town or the globe.

Focus on wellbeing.

There are staggering statistics on COVID-related stress and its impact on mental and physical health. It is extremely wise to take a look at how your organization addresses wellbeing and fosters an environment where people can thrive — or at least ask for help. Here is a great resource on this topic from the folks at Achievers Workforce Institute.

Ask questions.

When status quo drastically changes, it’s an excellent opportunity to shake things up. Ask questions about what the workplace can and should be — not just what it’s historically been! Use pools and open forums and conversations to reveal new ideas for this new world of work. Employees are your subject matter experts!

Communicate effectively.

While this phrase can seem obvious or trite, now is a critical point to audit your internal communication practices. Are you reaching employees? Is there 2-way communication? Are you being creative in ways to inform, educate and involve team members? Consider new ways to communicate and forgo the methods that don’t work.

Show gratitude at every turn.

At gThankYou, we are passionate about gratitude! We believe employee recognition and appreciation is at the heart of a sound organization. Fostering a workplace filled with personalized appreciation blooms into a happy, productive workforce. Try gift certificates as a company-wide thank you. Grocery gift certificates are always well-received.

While no one asked for the challenges that we’ve collectively faced, we may as well be positive. We’ve made great strides and can apply these lessons to improve. Our organizations can — and should be — stronger than before. Let’s take our newfound agility and continue to be grateful, productive and resourceful as we rebuild the workplace and navigate new ways of working.

Learn More About gThankYou Certificates of Gratitude:

• Check out our Home Page
• See all our Gift Certificate Choices
• Watch our ‘About Us’ Video
• See what customers say in our Case Studies
• Look at our FAQ
• See our FREE customizable ‘thank you’ cards
• Reach us at 888-484-1658 or via info@gthankyou.com

 

 

Two of our favorite events are coming up and we want to help you celebrate: Employee Appreciation Day and Pi Day! You still have time to rev up the fun engine and plan ahead for these excellent opportunities to recognize employees.

EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY (MARCH 4)

Let the tone of appreciation ring loud and clear! Celebrate with a team activity and message of gratitude, or use the occasion to kick off a new appreciation program.

Some activities can include:

• Tell your team about Action for Happiness’ “10 Days of Happiness,” a free, research-backed coaching program that “guides you through daily actions for happier living.”
• Facilitate an (optional) book club or group that gives employees 30 minutes a week to connect and talk about something that has nothing to do with work. The relationships they build will be a net plus for your company.
• Give your team gratitude journals. When you give out the journals, share research on their benefits and talk about your own experience. That’s more likely to inspire workers to try it themselves.
• Have a yoga instructor come in a few times a week to do short classes for employees who could use a break that’s both relaxing and revivifying.

PI DAY (MARCH 14)

When it comes to gratitude, we can keep it going forever! Serve up some delicious pie to celebrate the mysterious mathematical constant known as pi, or 3.14159….

Some activities can include:

• Host a breakfast with pie and coffee! Invite everyone to come indulge in a slice of pie and fresh coffee, allowing team members to mingle and chat.
• Ask for pie recipes ahead of time and distribute a digital or printed pie cookbook including employee names, photos and notes.
• Hand out pie gift certificates to all employees as a fun thank you to go pick up a pie to enjoy at home! We offer same day shipping for orders received by 3PM (CT), Mon-Fri. Our pie gift certificates are good for any brand of pie, cake, cheesecake or similar items — fresh from the bakery section or frozen. Redeem at virtually any U.S. grocery store chain. Your organization’s name will be printed on the gift certificates for free and Enclosure Cards with your custom message and logo (if desired) are FREE.

Ideas and Resources

2022 Day-to-Day Employee Appreciation Calendar

Our work world has been transformed by the pandemic – bringing both challenges and opportunities for recruiting, nurturing and retaining employees. Employee engagement, wellbeing and appreciation have become mission critical for all organizations. In our 2022 version of this popular resource we presume social distancing and remote work remain the norm.

Inside this one-of-a-kind resource you’ll find the inspiration, creative ideas and current examples to help you keep employees feeling valued and important to the success of your organization in the year ahead. Why wait? Download Your Free eBook Now!

BIG List of Employee Appreciation Gift Ideas

This hefty gratitude resource offers ways to support and recognize the people who make your business work. It’s simple to download, share, print and use when you are planning ahead or need quick ideas.

The BIG List of Employee Appreciation Gift Ideas is broken down into helpful categories so it’s easy to find just the right gift or concept for whatever your objective or occasion may be:

• Support new ways of working
• Encourage employee wellbeing
• Reinforce teamwork and organizational values
• Celebrate holidays with flare
• Acknowledge milestone moments in work and life
• Recognize people anytime with simple gestures

We guarantee you can find something for everyone, regardless of their position and your budget. From free to extravagant, recipients will be wowed by your sincere acts of gratitude. Read to learn more here!

Learn More About gThankYou Certificates of Gratitude:

• Check out our Home Page
• See all our Gift Certificate Choices
• Watch our ‘About Us’ Video
• See what customers say in our Case Studies
• Look at our FAQ
• See our FREE customizable ‘thank you’ cards
• Reach us at 888-484-1658 or via info@gthankyou.com

We honor Random Acts of Kindness Week every February (Feb. 13-19 this year) to celebrate small acts of goodwill. We all know that every day is a good day to build workplace gratitude through kindness. But how often do you think about random acts of kindness? How often do you actually do it? It’s a great reminder that little gestures go a long way.

Where Did Random Acts of Kindness Begin?

The phrase “random acts of kindness,” is believed to have been coined by the writer Anne Herbert in the early 1980s. Apparently, she scribbled on a restaurant placemat, “Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” The phrase uses language of war (“senseless acts of violence”) in a call for the opposite.

Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation was started in 1995 with the mission of spreading kindness and compassion with education and publicity campaigns. This nonprofit organization is a fantastic resource of research literature on kindness, ideas for spreading kindness and ways to celebrate the people who practice kindness.

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has a wealth of ideas at www.randomactsofkindness.org for building goodwill at work and in the community. You can even nominate an employee or coworker as a “RAKtivist” and earn public recognition for their good deeds. (more…)

 

January is full of forecasting, goal-setting and looking forward to a successful new year. It’s also National Thank You month, which is why it’s the perfect time to plan ahead for acts of gratitude and appreciation. Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered! Check out these gratitude resources that will inspire and help you build and maintain a culture of appreciation and employee celebration ALL YEAR LONG! Using these resources, you can build your own employee engagement calendar.

We have a wide variety of FREE RESOURCES to help you
build your own engagement calendar.

2022 Day-to-Day Employee Appreciation Calendar

It is our tradition to publish a day-to-day appreciation calendar tailored to people who are committed to celebrating employees. This popular guide helps you plan for holidays as well as your own anytime celebrations; it offers a plethora of ideas to keep employee appreciation front-and-center all year long.

The 2022 Employee Appreciation Calendar is chock-full of awesome information: party ideas, case studies, resources and much more!

This how-to guide walks you through planning for seasonal engagement and a wide variety of holidays, organized by month. You’ll also find important statistics, mini case studies, “anytime recognition” ideas, and tips for building a happier workplace through engagement and fun.

By planning ahead, you’ll lessen any stress and the recognition, enjoyment and positive responses will ensue.

Peruse this gorgeous resource and think about how you can implement ideas every month, every season. Employee appreciation best practices focus on frequent recognition and appreciation. Don’t wait for the holidays next year – your employees deserve so much more!

Download and share this free Calendar with colleagues, friends, and executive, social media and benefits teams and start planning 2022!

BRAND NEW! BIG List of Employee Appreciation Gift Ideas

This hefty, new gratitude resource offers ways to support and recognize the people who make your business work. It’s simple to download, share, print and use when you are planning ahead or need quick ideas.

The BIG List of Employee Appreciation Gift Ideas is broken down into helpful categories so it’s easy to find just the right gift or concept for whatever your objective or occasion may be:

• Support new ways of working
• Encourage employee wellbeing
• Reinforce teamwork and organizational values
• Celebrate holidays with flare
• Acknowledge milestone moments in work and life
• Recognize people anytime with simple gestures

We guarantee you can find something for everyone, regardless of their position and your budget. From free to extravagant, recipients will be wowed by your sincere acts of gratitude. Read to learn more here!

Download your free copy now and use it to inform your appreciation planning now and in the future!

Appreciation Planning Checklist

Don’t let the name fool you! Our Appreciation Planning Checklist is a helpful two-pager that serves as a terrific kick start to your employee appreciation and recognition conversations.

Here are some examples of when appreciation is key:

• Celebrating achievements
• Embracing seasonal activities
• Highlighting milestones
• Supporting core company values
• Encouraging smart behaviors

With this planning checklist you’ll be sure to both be inclusive and proactive! Download your free copy today.

Guide to Writing Meaningful Employee Thank You Notes

The foundation of having employees feel valued and appreciated is sincere gratitude. One of the easiest and most meaningful ways managers can share gratitude is with a heartfelt note of thanks. Thank you notes should be part of any employee appreciation plan. They are low cost, easy to do and make both recipients and givers feel good.

A written thank you note that can make someone’s day can be as simple as “Thank You! You are Awesome :)” on a post-it note or “You are a Life Saver” on a roll of Life Savers.

At gThankYou, we are big believers in the power of a meaningful “thank you.” We believe managers should be trained, held accountable for and given resources to share thank you notes with employees, customers and other vital constituents. Senior managers should model the behavior and peers encouraged to share their written gratitude through gratitude boards and appreciation stations.

Thank You Guides

As such, we have created two guides to writing thank yous for workplace leaders. Be sure to download and share one or both with your appreciation planning team.

The first is our Writing Thank You Notes Employees Will Treasure.

This resource is your go-to for writing an employee thank you note.

Inside this book you will learn:

• The anatomy of a memorable thank you note
• What is the difference between recognition and appreciation and why that’s important
• Practical tips for writing great thank you notes
• How to build a culture of gratitude with written notes of appreciation.

Download and share your free copy today!

The second resource is our ever-popular, Put the Thanks in Thanksgiving; How to Write to Write a Thanksgiving Letter to Employees.

While we just closed out the holiday season, this book is really a year-round reference for how to write a company-wide employee letter of appreciation holiday-time or anytime, or a longer-form individual letter of thanks.

Inside this book you will learn:

• Real-life examples of well-written company-wide Thanksgiving letters from bosses in a variety of industries.
• Best practices for thanking employees and ideas for brainstorming your own unique approach.
• How-to details on crafting a meaningful and memorable employee letter of appreciation.
• Tips on how to share your Thanksgiving letter.

Plan ahead! Download now and share with your team.

Plan Ahead and Everyone WINS!

Let gThankYou be your ally in winning the workplace appreciation game. An employee engagement calendar is a GREAT way to start! Plan ahead so you can focus on what’s really important, engaging with and personally appreciating employees. These gratitude resources will help you make employees feel valued, save time, lessen stress, build loyalty, and foster a culture of appreciation and gratitude.

We hope these resources bring creativity and inspiration to your employee engagement and appreciation planning this year and in the future.

We want to hear what ideas you implement! Shoot us a note any time to: info@gthankyou.com.

The Transformative Power of Gratitude

To learn more about the truly transformative power of gratitude – check out our free eBook, Transforming Your Workplace with Gratitude.

This resource is perfect for doing a deeper dive into understanding how gratitude works and why it is so powerful in the workplace. This book provides the foundation for understanding why workplace appreciation is vital. If you have leaders who still struggle with the need for frequent and sincere employee appreciation, share this eBook with them. If you want to become smarter about harnessing the power of gratitude and building a culture of gratitude, this book is for you.

Download and share your free copy now!

Good luck creating your own employee engagement calendar — your employees will thank you!

Learn More About gThankYou Certificates of Gratitude:

• Check out our Home Page
• See all our Gift Certificate Choices
• Watch our ‘About Us’ Video
• See what customers say in our Case Studies
• Look at our FAQ
• See our FREE customizable ‘thank you’ cards
• Reach us at 888-484-1658 or via info@gthankyou.com

gThankYou 2022 Employee Appreciation Calendar

It is our tradition at gThankYou to publish an annual employee appreciation calendar for all the hard working managers and staff trying to engage and appreciate employees and build vibrant, loyal workplace cultures. This 2022 Day-to-Day Employee Celebration Calendar helps you stay ahead of the game with holidays, celebrations, and monthly ideas to keep employee appreciation front-and-center. It’s the ultimate resource to inspire and help plan employee engagement and celebration activities for the new year!

After all, do you have the time to remember when to honor your admins, drivers’ fleet or the scientists in your workplace? We do! Do you know for sure when Employee Appreciation Day is? (Hint: it’s Friday, March 4, 2022.) Download this free Calendar resource and know for sure.

 

Dates and SO MUCH MORE…

Do you think we’d just give you a list of dates? Of course not! The 2022 Employee Appreciation Calendar is packed with valuable how-to information including monthly “Ready-to-Go-Celebrations” and “Don’t-Miss-Celebrations”, party ideas, examples, case studies, resources and more!

gThankYou’s Calendar is designed to include everything you need to keep you current, inspired and focused on day-to-day employee appreciation.

Take the time to flip through this gorgeous gift that is all yours! Share it with your colleagues and other leaders. Print it out or save it to your desktop! Share it with your social media gurus and the benefits team. Encourage everyone to think ahead for how to illustrate employee recognition in proactive and creative ways.

Excerpt:

If there were ever a “one size fits all” approach to appreciation and recognizing workers, there definitely isn’t now. Too much has changed.

That’s why we’ve designed this calendar eBook. We want to inspire you to super-charge your engagement and find the recognition tactics that work best for your organization. After all, you know your company best.

This how-to guide walks you through planning for seasonal engagement and a wide variety of holidays, organized by month. You’ll also find important statistics, mini case studies, “anytime recognition” ideas, and tips for building a happier workplace through engagement and fun. (However things go this year, everyone can use more happiness and fun.)

This isn’t a novel that needs to be read front to back. It is intended as a year-round reference — so skip ahead, go back, reread, and return to it whenever you need a little creative juice. This is “choose your own adventure” engagement!

 

Happy New Year from Us to You!

Let us celebrate YOU! You’ve had a long, hard year and deserve a BIG thank you and inspiration heading into 2022. We sincerely hope this colorful, jam-packed, helpful resource makes your life easier — and more fun!

Be sure to check out our other resources for building a workplace culture of appreciation and gratitude – all FREE on our website!

With appreciation,
Your Friends at gThankYou

 

January is National Thank You Month!

We hope you are ringing in the new year with optimism and excitement! It is a fresh new start and there is no better way to look forward than with gratitude. January is National Thank You Month and it is at the perfect time to invest in new activities to nurture gratitude and kindness in the coming year.

Here are 5 ways to embrace gratitude and thanks all month long in life and in the workplace, setting the stage for a year full of these habits.

5 Ways to Embrace Workplace Gratitude Now

1. Make thank you note writing an accessible and fun activity for the year.

After the holidays, parents often sit their kids down to write thank you notes for gifts. However, we don’t often practice what we preach. January is a perfect time to think of the gifts not only received during the holiday season but in life overall. What are the intangible gifts that you receive from others that make life better? Take the time to ponder who deserves an extra thank you and write a special note to them.

In the workplace, share gThankYou’s how-to guide “Writing Thank You Notes Employees Will Treasure” to managers and provide supplies. Be sure senior management models the thank you note behavior they want from the rest of the staff to make sharing written appreciation part of your workplace culture.

Commit to providing an “Appreciation Station” in the new year where all employees can grab a thank you card, fun pens and stamps. Make it easily accessible and regularly encourage team members to write notes to each other, customers, business partners, significant others and whoever else!

2. Start a gratitude journal and gift them to your team.

Gratitude journals may seem trendy, but for good reason. The act of written acknowledgement can be key in embracing gratitude. It puts words around feelings and can serve as a great reminder of all the positives in life when times are challenging.  There are volumes of research on the science of journaling and the wonders it does for our brain and how it impacts not just us, but also the people around us.

If you are a leader in your organization, we highly recommend starting a gratitude journal and giving them out as gifts to your team. Once you experience the joy that ensues, it will likely feel very natural to want employees to also embrace the act. It serves as a thoughtful, productive gift that may resonate deeply with others.

Consider offering journaling classes with an expert – an easy online offering that provides wellbeing benefits both personally and professionally. And, a great supplement with the gift of a gratitude journal.

3. Embrace tech-based appreciation sharing.

We are huge fans of written thank you notes (see #1), but there are also many ways to get the gratitude flowing through other platforms. In honor of national thank you month, try something new. As you know, tech can take may forms, so what works for you? What would employees’ appreciate? Not sure? Ask them!

• A group text sharing thanks can be a high point of someone’s day – it’s quick and easy!
• A shout out on an internal message board can make a team or individual feel like a VIP.
• A social media spotlight can express thanks to a wide audience with some imagery, a video or a link to a success story.
• A digital showering of “thank yous” when an employee is recognized by peers, customers or managers.

 

Organizations that have collaborative platforms, message boards, internal communications channels and social media tools should embrace gratitude in tech-savvy ways. Check out the success of Thnks. Don’t forget the #gratitude #YouAreAwesome #thankyou hashtags!

4. Reach out and thank those who deserve extra appreciation this year.

This has been a time of uncertainty for everyone. Rules are consistently changing. Agility is not only helpful but critical for survival. Everyone has made sacrifices. So whether your team has worked extra hours, gone the extra mile to make things work, worked the front lines, or kept the company running from the back room, be sure to say thank you!

We always think a Grocery Gift Certificate is appropriate – the gift of food is universal and always appreciated.

Looking for creative yet meaningful thank you gift ideas? Check out gThankYou’s The Big List of Employee Appreciation Gift Ideas and be inspired!

5. Find a quote and make it visible.

Read it, say it, live it. Find a quote about gratitude that speaks to you and put it somewhere in your line of sight. It can be a sticky note, a screen saver, a note pinned to the wall. Let this visual item be a constant reminder that you are grateful. Encourage other to do the same, and watch how contagious gratitude can be. Here are some gratitude quotes to get you started.

Consider updating the office with a culture wall and provide a budget for employees’ remote offices to choose gapingvoid inspirational artwork. Categories including: gratitude, appreciation, collaboration and much more!

Commit to Gratitude in the New Year

Let the new year inspire you to focus on nurturing gratitude in your personal and work lives. To go deep into understanding why gratitude is so powerful and how to harness it for the workplace, download our FREE eBook, “Transform Your Workplace with Gratitude“.

 

 

Happy New Year! May it be a comeback year full of happiness and success!

Your friends at gThankYou

 

2-4-6-8 – Who do we appreciate? Our hardworking employees!!

Just in time for the holidays, gThankYou has released our Big List of Employee Appreciation Gift Ideas! This book is perfect all year for inspiration for ways to support and recognize the people who make your business work. Best yet, it’s FREE to download and share with colleagues.

Still looking for the perfect holiday workplace gift? Check it out! Although here’s our suggestion!

The eBook is broken down into categories and lists so it’s easy to read, get inspired and apply. It’s the perfect go-to resource as you brainstorm and think through employee appreciation planning now and in the coming year.

As you skim this guide, you’ll find something for everyone. Some gifts are costly or come in a big box. They always leave a big impression. Others are more modest, but they’re just as meaningful, especially when combined with your sincere gratitude.

 

Browse high-impact ideas in every category, including gifts that can help you:

• Support new ways of working
• Encourage employee wellbeing
• Reinforce teamwork and organizational values
• Celebrate holidays with flare
• Acknowledge milestone moments in work and life
• Recognize people anytime with simple gestures

 

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This time of year, employers often struggle trying to think of the perfect employee holiday gifts. What does everyone want, need and love? Food. What’s a thoughtful gift that can be shared with others over the holidays? The gift of food.

At gThankYou, we have an easy way to share the holiday gift of food with your team. gThankYou Grocery Gift Certificates allow recipients to buy any combination of food items – at the time and grocery store of their choosing. They prohibit any non-food items. such as alcohol or tobacco.

If you wish to give recipients the ability to choose the holiday meal they want for their families, choose gThankYou Grocery Gift Certificates.

If you prefer to provide the specific gift of a Christmas ham or a choice of Turkey Or Ham as a gift, we offer that too.

“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” – James Beard

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Believe it or not, the holidays are just around the corner. Planning ahead is key to avoid scrambling and making the season more hectic than enjoyable. The good news is that we have the tools to help you succeed! Our new holiday appreciation planning checklist can be used year-round, offering ideas for ways to celebrate your employees.

This time of year, we highly recommend ordering your Turkey Gift Certificates and free Enclosure Cards NOW so you can cross it off your to-do list.

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On the topic of “reboarding” employees, take advantage of being outside for social events to celebrate employees returning to the workplace or who have been there all along! Outside, it’s easier to socially distance and still have fun – perfect for summer reboarding activities.

Who needs workplace fun? We all do after more than a year of COVID, societal tension and volatile politics. Social events are great for workplace culture and morale which are as important as ever right now.

Parties and team building exercises may not look exactly like they used to, but with some creativity and agility, the fun committee is back in session!

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Research shows that Americans are facing a mental health crisis. At gThankYou, mental health wellness is close to our hearts. We hope to help organizations make strides in sustaining a safe, welcoming environment. It will be noticed and appreciated.

The Olympics has highlighted how pervasive mental health challenges are when even elite athletes are not immune. Michael Phelps reminds us in a recent article in support of Simone Biles that “…If we’re not taking care of both [physical and mental health], how are we ever expecting to be 100%?” True for all of us, not just the elite few.

As leaders of organizations, we need to understand the poor state of our country’s mental health at this time. Then we can offer ways to help. It’s that simple. Every employee experienced some level of uncertainty and fear that surrounded the pandemic. Current mental health struggles are often related to loss, isolation, or hopelessness. But we CAN collectively address these issues.

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If workplace well-being isn’t on your priority list, now’s the time to put it on the top. Worksite wellness initiatives have been gathering steam for quite a while, but the pandemic wreaked havoc on health in a wide variety of ways. To truly appreciate your team members, be sure to provide a healthy environment where the whole being can thrive.

According to a recent report by Gallup,

“Organizations are responsible for the wellbeing of their employees — alleviating burnout is the right thing to do. And, it is essential for engaging and retaining top talent.”

Burnout is real. And it’s costly. Intelligent leaders are in-tune with the signs are offer ways to address the problem.

An article from SHRM states, “Unsurprisingly, employee burnout levels in 2020—the year of the pandemic—were high, with one major shift from previous years: Fully remote workers are now experiencing more burnout than onsite workers. Before the pandemic, the perks of working remotely—either part- or full-time—led to lower levels of burnout compared with employees who were onsite all the time.

“Burnout has effects on the micro and macro levels. If employees’ well-being suffers, they may turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms. They may also become less productive and unfocused.”

Workplace well-being is THE priority to keep — if you want to keep employees.

Want to keep your employees during what’s being called by NPR and others as “The Great Resignation”? Not only is workplace well-being a driver of employee happiness and productivity, it helps employees cope with the effects of burnout. In addition, bedrocks of workplace well-being like fitness, healthy eating and financial literacy actively repel the stressors that cause burnout.
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As you reboard, it is a fantastic time to check your overall culture. It is important to welcome back employees back with intention and positivity. But does employee appreciation take center stage in your workplace? If you feel tentative about your answer, this is your chance! Building (or rebuilding) a culture of gratitude begins when employees are valued and appreciated.

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Workforces are trickling back into office buildings and teams are rejoining in person after a long pandemic-related hiatus. It feels a bit like starting over, doesn’t it? While safety is the number one priority, it’s also critical to view this period as an opportunity for employee appreciation.

What is Reboarding? According to HR Daily Advisor,

“Reboarding is the concept of bringing individuals back who were previous employees but away for some period of time. The idea is to modify onboarding for someone who is already familiar with your company but has been away.”

Here at gThankYou, we are extremely optimistic about the potential for reboarding across all industries in businesses of all sizes. While there will be the necessary burden of policies, daily minutia, schedule conversations and so much more, there is also the gift of a restart — and employee appreciation.

What if NOW was the perfect time to shift your leadership mentality? What if you lead all efforts in the “return to normalcy” with a mindset of employee appreciation? We recommend welcoming employees back with a few things in mind that could shape or reshape your culture for years to come.

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