gTY Archives

Take a moment to consider how you can improve workplace communication in honor of Better Business Communication Day!

Effective communication has always been integral to organizations’ success. And with today’s increasingly distributed workforces, it’s more challenging too. Luckily, there are more ways to stay in touch and in the know than ever before with today’s high-tech tools. Read on to learn the latest tools to help workplace communication!

(more…)

Does your company have a “Thank You culture”?
A company-wide culture of appreciation has a profound impact on the everyday lives of employees, the quality of your products and services, and the satisfaction of your customers.
You’ll find evidence of a strong Thank You culture in the way entry- and mid-level employees interact with each other and customers. You’ll see it in how the CEO talks publicly about the company. You’ll see it in employee innovation, retention rates, mentorships, Glassdoor reviews and in how empowered your HR department is.
In short, a Thank You culture is powerful company-wide.
But building that Thank You culture doesn’t take a blanket, company-wide approach. It grows on a specific path, starting from the top. Think of it like a tree: the roots need to take hold before the branches can grow. The CEO and senior management team need to be on board before others in the company will adopt appreciation practices.
Read on for tips on growing your Thank You culture from the top.
(more…)

Great workplace cultures embrace diversity. These companies understand the advantages of a diverse workforce – one that offers a range of work, education and life experiences and perspectives. All valuable in meeting diverse customer needs in today’s fast-moving economy.  And, it’s smart business as the candidate pool available is now more diverse than ever.  That’s right, effective diversity management is a strategic advantage. Read on to learn how to embrace workplace diversity!

(more…)

This year, make goals that naturally build and sustain a happier workplace culture!
Define, refine and re-energize engagement goals to be clear, simple and fast-working — employees aren’t waiting around to get happy.
More than two-thirds of U.S. workers still aren’t fully engaged. A Gallup statistic that remained stagnant in 2015 hasn’t budged much in more than a decade.
“Speed and simplicity” are the top HR priorities, according to Altisource’s Bradford Wilkins, a 2015 Workforce Game Changer. Things like employee feedback and performance evaluations need to keep up with changing needs and expectations.
“Complex performance reviews that require a nuclear physicist to decipher won’t be tolerated,” Wilkins recently told Forbes.
Employees of all ages, not just Millennials, need more timely employer feedback to help them advance their “3 C’s” — career, compensation and contentment. In pursuit of better employee support and professional development, Wilkins encourages employers to set goals in five areas (CLEAR):

1. Career Paths
2. Learning Objectives
3. Expectations
4. Accountabilities
5. Rewards

If employees don’t get the feedback they need in those five areas, they’ll leave! “Or even worse, they might stay,” Wilkins says.
Don’t over complicate your goals for a happier workplace culture! Even simple changes can have a big impact, according to Wilkins.
“Shifting your mindset, discovering a new way to approach a problem, or making difficult decisions aren’t always comfortable but they are usually easy,” he says. “Avoid the status-quo and phrases like ‘I can’t do that’ or ‘We’ve always done it that way.'”
Read on for ideas to help you define your unique 2016 goals, boost employee engagement and guide everyone to a happier workplace culture!
(more…)

The focus on workplace wellness is here to stay. Healthy employees are more engaged, more productive, and help lower health care costs, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to promote workplace wellness. But did you know that technology and social networking are dramatically changing how we think about and support wellness in the workplace?

Read on to learn more about these important trends!

The Impact of Technology and Social Networking on Workplace Wellness

It’s the combination of technology and social networking that creates healthy employees says Alan Kohll, founder and CEO of TotalWellness. Group support, peer coaching, and social accountability are proven success factors for workplace wellness. Fitness technology allows for immediate feedback and social connection, and it’s that connection that encourages us to keep going and accomplish our goals.

Dr. Rajiv Kumar, founder and CEO of ShapeUp, notes that technology advances are revolutionizing workplace wellness. In “The Future of Workplace Wellness is Mobile, Social, and Wearable,” he writes that the revolution needs to happen faster.

“Most corporate wellness programs are still Web-based with no mobile access and rely on old-school tracking devices, such as digital pedometers. But employees themselves are leveraging smartphones, mobile apps, wearable and wireless devices in droves.”

To be successful, company wellness programs have to get in front of this trend, he writes. Kumar uses his own company—which he’s pleased has many healthy employees—as an example.

In 2013, ShapeUp rolled out a new wellness platform that enables participants to connect their own mobile apps and devices such as RunKeeper, Fitbit, Bodymedia and Fitlinxx to the company’s wellness platform. The data from their apps and devices automatically goes to a central site so they can view progress, participate in challenges, receive personal feedback, and earn rewards.

The program provides flexibility—employees can use the apps and devices they prefer—and promotes team-building—people can collaborate in their wellness efforts. And that’s the key, Kumar believes. Technology is a tool to create connections and it’s the connections that keep us going. It’s actually the combination of technology and social networking that will drive the future of success of workplace wellness programs.

“It’s what we’ve found to be the most powerful ingredient for engaging, effective and sustainable wellness programs.”

Alan Kohll shares with Evans his tips for creating that winning combination:

• Create fun team challenges—encourage employees to form teams and use their apps and devices to work together toward a common goal. 
• Provide incentives to participate—it could be lower health premiums, paid time off, work from home time, or even a free healthy lunch.
• Make wellness part of company culture—allow breaks for a walk outdoors, or up and down stairs, or just to stretch. Remind workers to set alerts on their devices to remind them.
• Share results—a board in the break room could post accomplishments, for instance.
• Keep it voluntary—some employees might not want to join, and that’s their right. Providing wearable devices and making it fun will encourage participation, but it’s not for everybody.

Furthermore,  Entrepreneur Magazine contributor Lisa Evans, in “Using Wearable Devices to Help Promote Employee Wellness,” writes that ABI Research reports 13 million wearable devices will be integrated into corporate-wellness plans over the next five years.
Technology and social networking form the future of workplace wellness and innovative employers are on board. Businesses that aren’t, Kumar notes:

“may find that their employees are already 10,000 steps ahead of them.”

Don’t fall behind. For healthy employees and a healthy workplace, embrace the new world of workplace wellness!

And for more information about how to engage, recognize and retain employees from HR experts, download our FREE guide to “The Top 20 Employee Engagement Blogs You Should Be Reading”.

About gThankYou, LLC
Turkey Gift Certificates and Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificates by gThankYou! are two of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any brand (Turkey or Turkey Or Ham), at virtually any grocery store in the U.S.
gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime. gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and our free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo. And, nearly all orders ship same day.
gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin. Contact: Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-609-2234.
Follow the Company Blog — “Celebrating Work”.
Join the Conversation @gThankYou
“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

Chances are, many of your employees made New Year’s resolutions to exercise more, lose weight, or eat healthier – good news! You can support these healthy habits through your workplace wellness programs. It’s a great opportunity to show workers you care about their well-being, and they’re bound to appreciate your support.
(more…)

How’s your holiday office etiquette? Holiday cheer can be harder to come by as we enter the end of the holiday season.
Seasonal activities that sounded so exciting a month ago — gift-giving! decorating! holiday parties! — may now feel more like obligations than joys. (“And why exactly did I promise to host a New Year’s party?”)
Holiday fatigue breeds bitterness and ingratitude, emotions that spread quickly in a workplace and bring down everyone.
Holiday office etiquette that was once kind and compassionate can sour if management doesn’t encourage season-long positivity and gratitude.
Maintain great holiday office etiquette all season, especially under stress. Read on for tips to keep everyone’s manners good and spirits up — right into the New Year!
(more…)

There’s nothing like a delicious ham at the holiday table. With the help of our free Holiday Ham Cookbook, yours will be perfect!

From purchase to presentation, this downloadable Holiday Ham Guide offers the details you need to serve a fantastic holiday ham with all the fixings.

Choose city or country ham, smoked, baked, fried, grilled—you name it! Our holiday ham cookbook has you covered. Even if you’ve prepared ham many times before, skim the intro! You’re sure to find new, creative ideas for serving the best ham meal ever.

Here’s what you’ll find in the gThankYou holiday ham cookbook:

(more…)

Holiday work parties go one of two ways — something the employer has to do, or wants to do, according to writer Jake Kilroy in his Entrepreneur article, “The Nicest Party I’ve Ever Been To: A Christmas Story.”
Kilroy reflects on one holiday work party he attended years ago while working for a uniform and screen-printing company in California. It was a formal affair at an upscale restaurant. The lavish presentation, expensive dinner and generous open bar totally wowed Kilroy and his coworkers, most of whom were young and accustomed to a casual environment.
But what stood out most to Kilroy was how much his employer wanted to throw the party.
The company owners “welcomed us like family” at the door and asked employees to write down their favorite holiday memory on a piece of paper. Later, after dessert, employees took turns reading aloud a coworker’s name and favorite memory. As an employee’s favorite memory was shared, the company owners invited the employee to get up and choose a wrapped present underneath the Christmas tree in the dining room, in addition to a $50 gift card.
The company owners worked hard to make it a special party, and it was effective. Kilroy writes, “I had never had such warmth and respect at a job before.”
We’re in the peak season for companies throwing a holiday work party for their employees — most parties happen before the New Year, but for many in the service industry, the season continues through the end of January.
How can your company replicate the warm experience Kilroy had? Read on for tips to make your holiday work party a meaningful and appreciated event your employees will want to attend.
(more…)

There’s something about workplace thank you notes that really make employees feel appreciated. A verbal thank you is helpful as well, but when you take the time to put pen to paper, it carries more weight and becomes a memorable keepsake.

People often show workplace thank you notes to others and post them at their workspaces. That means your recipient feels valued, and others see that hard work and achievement are appreciated at your company.

Workplace thank you notes are so important that entire businesses are dedicated to them—Cover Letters and Resumes provides diverse samples you can customize. Letters of appreciation and gratitude aren’t just nice to do; they motivate employees and improve productivity. They also encourage behaviors that you want people to continue.

(more…)

Successful employee gift-giving is a skill and an art! A well planned, thoughtful holiday gift communicates you care and makes employees feel valued. But what you give and how you give it determines whether your employee gift-giving is a hit or a miss. Let’s take a look at holiday gifting best practices.

(more…)

The holiday spirit is in the air and Christmas is just a couple of weeks away.  You want an affordable, yet meaningful way to thank employees for all their contributions to your year’s success.  The boss likes the idea of contributing the centerpiece of the holiday meal – a Christmas ham.  But how do you order 1,000 hams to distribute in time?
gThankYou can help! We offer Ham as well as Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificates that can be ordered today for delivery as soon as tomorrow.
gThankYou! Ham Gift Certificates are good for any Brand and any preparation of a half or whole ham. Certificates can be redeemed in any major grocery store in the U.S. that honors Manufacturer Coupons. Recipients buy what works best for their family, at the store they want.

How to start? It’s easy as 1, 2, 3.

How to Buy 1,000 Ham Gifts

1. Order online at www.gThankYou.com or call us toll-free at 888-484-1658.
2. Customize Certificates with Giver and Recipient names. Select your free Enclosure Card design and customize it with your holiday message of thanks and even your company logo. All personalization and Enclosure Cards are FREE!
3. Tell us when you need your Certificates. We can ship them as fast as you need them – even for tomorrow morning.  Virtually all orders ship the day they come in.
4. Determine how you will distribute your Gift Certificates – in person or via payroll or a holiday mailing.
5. Smile! Everyone will love the thoughtful gift of a Holiday Ham to share with family and friends.

Check out our Catalog of free Winter Holiday Enclosure Card Designs Below:

gThankYou is ready to help you celebrate your employees and customers – holiday time or anytime!
Happy Holidays!
The gThankYou! Team
About gThankYou, LLC
Turkey Gift Certificates and Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificates by gThankYou! are two of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand (Turkey or Turkey Or Ham), at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S.
gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime. gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and our free Enclosure Cards are customizable including incorporating your company logo. And, nearly all orders ship same day.
gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin. Contact: Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-970-6773.
Follow the Company Blog – “Celebrating Work”.
Join the Conversation @gThankYou 
“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

‘Tis the season to share your appreciation with employees who work hard for you all year long. Finding a gift that works for everyone and fits your budget is challenging. Everyone appreciates the gift of food during the holidays, especially one that’s the centerpiece of their holiday celebration. This season, delight your colleagues with the gift of a Christmas ham! gThankYou makes it easy to plan any size of ham gift program – even last minute!

(more…)

Want a more productive organization with high morale, teamwork, and employees willing to go the extra mile? Build workplace community! You’ll likely find that workers care enough to stick with your company, even when times are tough.

In “How to Create a Workplace Community,” Demand Media’s Mika Lo points out a crucial step for leaders: hire — and retain — the right people! Look for candidates who fit your business’s values and objectives. Provide training and coach those who need a little help. It’s about both proactive onboarding and on-going employee engagement! 

Read on to learn specific steps to building workplace community and how to cultivate a company culture of gratitude starting today!

(more…)

Today, Giving Tuesday, recognize the amazing power of workplace generosity!
In Fort Wayne, Indiana, a strong sense of workplace generosity has rallied coworkers around a good cause.
The local United Way reports a significant increase in donations over last year at this time, with several workplace charitable giving programs doubling or tripling their gifts from previous years.
For the workplaces that saw big jumps in their charitable giving to United Way, what made the difference? Support from management and communal generosity fostered through peer-to-peer conversations.
“They demonstrate what can be accomplished when we all work together towards a common goal,” David Nicole, president and CEO of United Way of Allen County, told the Journal Gazette last week.
In previous years, employee giving to United Way at one company had been handled anonymously through a lobby drop box — truly a missed opportunity to build community through workplace generosity!
That’s what Giving Tuesday is all about: building community. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday are for scoring deals. Now it’s time to give back. Giving Tuesday the final unofficial post-Thanksgiving holiday and kicks off the spirit of generosity through the December holidays.
This Giving Tuesday, consider the benefits of building a culture of workplace generosity — and why it matters all year, not just during the holidays.
(more…)

Thanksgiving is a holiday most of us spend with friends and family and away from work, but the workplace is a great place get a head start on celebrating Thanksgiving — with benefits that last all year!
The workplace ranks last among places people express gratitude, even though everyone wants more appreciation on the job. A persistent but false perception that gratitude makes us appear vulnerable or “weak” keeps too many people feeling ungrateful and unappreciated at work.
In fact, gratitude feeds a thriving, happy and productive workplace culture. And what better time to promote workplace gratitude than at Thanksgiving?
Does your company have a plan for sharing workplace Thanksgiving gratitude? Whether you’re sharing gifts or hosting a pre-Thanksgiving lunch for employees, it’s a great opportunity to promote gratitude in action.
Read to find out how you can make your workplace Thanksgiving gratitude count even more — yes, even now at the last minute! — and one very specific technique for telling employees “Thanks” this Thanksgiving.
(more…)

Thanksgiving is a time to gather and enjoy family and friends. It’s our uniquely American holiday focused on giving thanks for the bounty of our lives. The focus is on celebrating sharing a feast with a much-loved turkey centerpiece…but what if you are not sure how to handle or cook the bird?
gThankYou is pleased to offer our free downloadable Thanksgiving Turkey Cookbook designed to take the stress out of preparing your holiday turkey.  Everyone can enjoy this easy-to-use resource that answer questions from shopping to cooking and serving your holiday turkey centerpiece. This book is full of helpful tips for novices and seasoned pros!
Your workforce will find our free turkey cookbook helpful, too. Why not share the link with employees and coworkers, along with a Thanksgiving greeting? Everyone is sure to appreciate its helpful tips for preparing the perfect bird!
(more…)

As the holidays approach, the challenges to workplace wellness increase. Time for self-care shrinks (waistlines do the opposite!), and holiday stress and pressure piles on. Work-life balance is thrown off kilter. Now more than ever is the time to support your employees with workplace wellness opportunities and activities!

Workplace wellness has surprising benefits, especially during a stressful holiday season. Focus on others’ well being and you employees, business, community, and even you will feel its reinvigorating impact!

Read more to learn about the power of workplace wellness during the holidays.

(more…)

In a brave and brilliant move, REI President and CEO Jerry Stritzke is closing all 143 REI stores on Black Friday and starting a new Thanksgiving tradition for his outdoor apparel and gear company: encouraging employees and customers to spend the day enjoying the outdoors.
It’s called #OptOutside.
Why the change? Stritzke decided it was time to draw a line against the excess commercialization of Thanksgiving.
“It’s an act where we’re really making a very clear statement of our values,” Stritzke told USA TODAY.
According to USA TODAY’s Hadley Malcolm, REI will not have any Black Friday promotions — even online orders will wait for Saturday processing! Just a small handful of REI’s 12,000 employees will be on call, while the rest get a paid day off.
#OptOutside is a bold and authentic statement that exemplifies the REI company brand. REI is putting the thanks back in Thanksgiving!
The gThankYou! team believes that Thanksgiving is an enduring tradition because of its focus on family, expressions of gratitude, and time spend counting the good things in life. In the workplace, Thanksgiving is about appreciating the importance of employees, customers and suppliers to us and to our company.

Will YOu be Putting the Thanks in Thanksgiving this Year?

What can you do to put the thanks in Thanksgiving in your workplace?
It’s not hard! Simply support your community and involve others:

• Contribute to local food pantries
• Volunteer to serve the Thanksgiving meal at a shelter or deliver Meals On Wheels
• Pack donation baskets for local distribution at your church or community center
• Provide employees with holiday time off

Most importantly, thank everyone who helps your business succeed every day. Emphasize your gratitude by sharing the centerpiece of the holiday meal with employees: give gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates.
It’s not too late to share the thoughtful gift of a turkey this Thanksgiving!
To order your gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude today, visit our website — gthankyou.com — or call 888-484-1658. We would be honored to help you thank your workplace this holiday season.
———
About gThankYou, LLC
Turkey Gift Certificates and Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificates by gThankYou are two of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand (Turkey or Turkey Or Ham), at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S.
gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime. gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and our free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo. And nearly all orders ship same day.
gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin. Contact: Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-970-6773.
Follow the Company Blog – “Celebrating Work”.
Join the Conversation @gThankYou 

Redeeming your gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificate is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
Redeem (and enjoy!) your Turkey Gift Certificate today — or whenever works for you. Your holiday gift is good through the end of April of the following year. You choose when you want to enjoy your gift and where you want to redeem it.

Step 1: Shop Where You Want

Choose any grocery store chain store that honors Manufacturer Coupons — anywhere in the United States!
Your Turkey Gift Certificate is a Manufacturer Coupon, just like the cents-off coupons you’re used to — it’s just higher in value. As long as the store honors Manufacturer Coupons, they have the ability to accept your gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificate. All major grocery chains that accept coupons, honor gThankYou Gift Certificates.
The only stores that do not honor gThankYou! Gift Certificates are those that do not accept any Manufacturer Coupons such as Costco, Sam’s Club, specialty stores such as HoneyBaked Ham, and the Aldi chain.
We do not recommend discount general merchandise stores such as Walmart or Target.
If your favorite local market doesn’t accept coupons but wants to honor yours, have them call us and we’ll be happy to redeem it for them. Each gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificate has sophisticated safety features built into the paper that allows them to be validated easily over the phone.
Want a one-page guide to redeeming your gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificate that you can print off and take with you to the grocery store? Click the images below to choose English or Spanish:
 

English

       

 

Spanish

 

 
Quick Tip: If this is your first time using a gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificate, you can always visit customer service on your way into the store. Please ask the store to call us if they have any questions; we are happy to help! Our toll-free number is on the coupon.

Step 2: Select Any Brand, Any Preparation

Your Turkey Gift Certificate is good for any brand of whole turkey, any size and any preparation — that includes fresh, frozen, heritage breed, cooked, smoked, free-range and more. Your choice!
Your Certificate is a Manufacturer Coupon so if you choose a turkey that’s more expensive than the face value of your Certificate, that’s OK. You just pay the different at the register. If you choose a turkey that costs less than the value of the Coupon, you receive the gift of the turkey and do not receive change.
Need help deciding which kind of turkey is right for your family? Read our blog post “5 Tips to Find Your Perfect Holiday Turkey.”
If you have other plans for Thanksgiving and won’t be cooking, no problem! gThankYou! Gift Certificates have long expiration periods, so you can use your Turkey Gift Certificate at your convenience, all the way through the spring holidays.

Step 3: Enjoy!

We hope you enjoy your turkey gift with friends and family!

Check out our FREE downloadable “Ultimate Thanksgiving Turkey Guide” to guide you through choosing, preparing and serving a memorable turkey feast! Whether you’re a novice cook or a seasoned professional, this handy cookbook and guide makes it simple to prepare a delicious celebration centerpiece — no matter what brand or preparation style of turkey you choose.

 

gThankYou Customer Service

If you have any further questions about how your Certificate works, check out our FAQ page.
You can also call us at the toll-free number on your Certificate. We have long Customer Service hours and during the holiday shopping season also have Spanish language assistance.
We are always happy to help with as store if the store you choose has any questions.
gThankYou Customer Service Hours are: Monday – Saturday, 8. a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Central Time)

(more…)