As we approach this seasonal time of year, don’t rush to put up the Christmas Trees but instead give thanks to Thanksgiving.  A holiday that does not require you to run around shopping for every person you know, but instead a reflective time spent with family, friends and of course food. It soothes the soul to reflect and show gratitude for all the things we are thankful for in our lives. These acts of appreciation should certainly spill over to our work lives. It is a great opportunity to say thank you to your teams, the employees who tirelessly work to support the goals of your business all year long.

Here are some creative ways that you can say thanks!

• Let Employees Know You See Them and not just their work product but them. Take the time to see what unique contribution your employees bring to the team. It can be anything from a sense of humor that lightens the tense moments, an employee’s willingness to always help out or maybe their really impressive spreadsheets. J
• Say it in a Card- Do people even send thank you cards anymore? Well they should. Taking the time to write something sends a message that this exercise of saying thank you is important and not just a way to increase productivity or some other business metric.
• Do not encourage the Pot Luck, but bring in lunch for your teams. Maybe it is just me, but potlucks just require me to cook, and navigate a lot of casseroles. Instead as workloads increase in our industry this time of year, say thank you with food. You can hardly ever go wrong.
• Give up that parking spot- Parking spots are such a thing in offices, maybe give up your prime parking spot to an employee for a week.
• Employees love a good upgrade to their work space. Check out the conditions, maybe new chairs or lighting is in need.
• I once worked for a company that every year gave employees a gift card for a turkey around Thanksgiving. I always thought that was a thoughtful little gift this time of year. Who doesn’t love a turkey.
• Take a break, maybe allow your employees to do something fun together. Duck out early for a happy hour, Top Golf, Bowling. Options are endless
• Participate in a Charity together- Doing something charitable as a team is a great way to bring employees together; and help those less fortunate in our communities.

However your company decides to give thanks, just make sure that the exercise is genuine, otherwise it is just a waste of time.

Happy Thanksgiving!