3 Tips for Writing the Perfect Employee Appreciation Note

Mature man working in  home officeBehind every great organization is a team of hardworking, loyal employees. But with continued success, comes strain and burnout. To avoid turnover or loss in growth, an organization needs to focus on what matters most—their employees. One proven way to do that is to recognize the importance of your team through acknowledgment and appreciation. In fact, overall job satisfaction is directly linked to employee appreciation.

According to BambooHR, 75% of employees who receive recognition at least once a month are satisfied with their job. With the correlation between recognition and satisfaction, it’s important for companies to let their employees know how much they mean to their organizations. And one way to do that is to put the praise to pen. Check out these five tips for writing the perfect employee appreciation note!

Be Specific

Whether a team member has done one thing exceptionally well this year or you have seen an employee stand out from the crowd by going above and beyond their job duties, be specific in your praise. Pointing out how one specific act has affected the morale and success of the entire company can turn seemingly insignificant work into a vital component to your organization, which can actually cause employees to work even harder. The 2016 Workplace Index by Staples found that a quarter of Millennials say recognition motivates them to do their best at work. Likewise, by mentioning specific events or moments, you fool proof yourself from making a major thank-you note faux pas—like being too generic.

Focus on Strengths

According to the VIA Institute, “78% of employees feel they are making a difference and appreciated when managers focus on their strengths over their weaknesses.” This is especially true when writing a note to a team member. Because of the non-perishable and special nature of a hand-written note from a supervisor, your employee may keep it at his or her desk or work station for years to come. Stay positive and praise your worker for the traits, strengths, and talents he or she brings to the table. In some instances, your employees may not realize what their strengths are. By sharing what you and others around them notice about a particular person, you may open the door for more confidence in those particular areas.

Be Genuine

There are several different ways to show your appreciation in written form, but one attribute is in all of them—genuineness. Regardless of length and content, a note given to an employee that isn’t genuine sticks out like a bad apple—and can do more harm than good. Before you write the note, brainstorm about what your employee has done that sets him or her apart, take a moment to gather your thoughts about what this particular teammate means to your organization, and then put it to paper. Remember, a hand-written note goes a long way in showing your employees how much they mean to you and your organization.

For more idea’s on showing appreciation to your employees, check out these articles:

How have hand-written thank-you notes helped motivate your employees? What are other ways you show appreciation to your team? Let us know in the comments section below!

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