Learn to Write a Thanksgiving Message

Learn to write a Thanksgiving message to employees without the same old clichés and platitudes — a Thank You letter that truly communicates your appreciation and embodies your unique company spirit!
gThankYou’s FREE eBook “Put the ‘Thanks’ in Thanksgiving” teaches how to do exactly that, with step-by-step instructions to guide you and lots of inspiring real-life examples.
With just a few weeks to go to Thanksgiving, now’s the time to craft a Thanksgiving message to employees to share in holiday cards or on your company intranet or website, or to share in person at the annual holiday party.
However you share it, the message it sends is important.
Showing gratitude to employees is finally getting the recognition it deserves as a tool for motivation and engagement.
Gratitude connects workers to the organization and its purpose. Gratitude lets them know why their hard work matters — and encourages them to keep it up.
Sharing and receiving gratitude is also good for our health, lowers stress and helps us get along better.
“As Thanksgiving approaches, our thoughts naturally turn to gratitude — at home and in the workplace. Studies suggest that expressing gratitude may focus your mind to notice gratitude more frequently,” TalentCulture founder Meghan M. Biro writes.
Quite simply, the more you express gratitude, the better you feel and the better others around you feel. And that, Biro writes, has a powerful effect in the workplace, where “expressing gratitude and being on the receiving end can be an effective morale booster and motivator.”
According to a Glassdoor study Biro cites, 80 percent of employees are willing to work harder for an appreciative boss.

4 Ways a Thanksgiving Message to Employees Improves Company Culture

A Thanksgiving message to employees is a heartfelt, effective way to build a culture of gratitude.
Here are four reasons why:
1. It Stands Out
In this era of instant messaging, tweets and Facebook comments, when was the last time you wrote someone an actual letter? A handwritten letter, or even thoughtful email, is rare nowadays — and that makes it all the more special, according to TalentCulture’s Meghan M. Biro:

“Don’t discount the value of a simple handwritten thank-you card. In this age of digital communications, old-fashioned correspondence really stands out. These expressions of gratitude may take some extra time, thought and effort, but is likely to make a huge impact on the recipient, providing a nice boost of motivation each time.”

2. It Promotes Civility
“Workplace incivility is taking over our organizations, professional relationships and everyday interactions,” according to a new study. Leaders can fight this trend and cultivate a more civil organization in several ways, the researchers found. Engaging directly with employees and reinforcing a company’s core values are vital, for example. A Thanksgiving message to employees is a great way to do both!
3. It’s Inclusive
Thanksgiving is the one time we treat everyone as family. A Thanksgiving message to all staff brings everyone together, especially if your company has a diverse workforce of remote or distributed employees. It could be particularly meaningful to employees who work off-site — a new study shows remote workers often feel disrespected and left out by their on-site colleagues.
4. It Says, “You Matter.”
Ultimately, thanking someone lets them know, “You matter.” And those two words are essential to employee engagement, according to Cheryl Rice, a leadership coach and founder of the global kindness- and community-building program You Matter Marathon.
“Thoughtful leaders are not just concerned with getting the job done, they are also concerned with the qualitative experiences that lead to exceptional performance —  experiences that enhance engagement, recognition and inclusion for all employees,” Rice writes for TalentCulture.
A powerful experience hearing “You matter” from a colleague prompted Rice to start the You Matter Marathon, a card-sharing initiative to “create positive connections between individuals and within communities by collectively sharing ‘You Matter’ cards” during the month of November. So far, Rice says almost half a million “You Matter” cards have been shared as part of the initiative.
Inspired to write your own “You Matter” Thanksgiving message to employees? Download the gThankYou eBook “Put the ‘Thanks’ in Thanksgiving: How to Write a Thanksgiving Letter to Employees” today — FREE!

A Turkey Gift: The Perfect Companion to Your Thanksgiving Gratitude

Turkeys are a practical expression of gratitude at Thanksgiving — it’s a gift recipients will enjoy with family and friends during a special meal.
gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates put gratitude first, too. Every order includes your choice of free customizable and personalized “Thank You” Gratitude Cards to help you express your message of appreciation.
gThankYou customers choose our Certificates for their Thanksgiving turkey gift because we make it easy for giver and recipient alike.
gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are easy to share, and recipients love the flexibility to choose the brand, size and preparation of whole turkey that’s right for their family, at virtually all major grocery stores nationwide.
To this day, a turkey is still a special gift for employees — and good for business.
Our “10 Reasons to Give Employees a Thanksgiving Turkey” page explains why. You can also download “10 Reasons” as a PDF-file brochure for easy printing and sharing at meetings with coworkers and leadership.