Thanks vs. Gratitude

Every year, resources are leveraged, budgets are spent, and efforts are made to ensure clients feel important. It’s part of fostering a long-term relationship through these annual expressions of gratitude. However, most of the time, organizations miss the boat when thanking internal associates.

It’s a question of giving thanks versus expressing gratitude. Here are four ways to show employees how grateful you are for their efforts in the past year:

1. Be Personal – If gifts or branded merchandise are going to be given, why not have them delivered to each employee’s home? Receiving a gift of appreciation at home will feel far more meaningful. If you really want to score points, have it delivered with a personal – not generic – handwritten note of thanks from the CEO. Any gift of food, flowers, wine, or even branded merch will have extra meaning when delivered to the door of your employee’s home.
2. Stop the Potluck – Having an office party with food is great, but it tends to diminish the positive impact when they are expected to prepare the munchies themselves. Believe it or not, employees will feel quite a bit of pressure to deliver the perfect dish – not to mention that they will spend their money on the groceries and their time preparing it. Instead, have an internal office party catered or use the local grocery store to prepare the food if budget is a concern. Your associates will appreciate the gesture.
3. Time to Educate – Show employees you value their continued success by offering them opportunities to attend professional events and pay for their registration. Encourage them to earn professional designations and pay for the study materials and the test. This gives your staff more expertise to do their job, benefiting both the individual employee and the company. Invest in your employees, and they will pay you back tenfold.
4. Give Back – Close your company for a full day to support a local charity and pay the employees as usual. Think of the impact you and your organization can make on a food pantry by working to stock or distribute much-needed groceries to those who are less fortunate. This type of activity shows employees that you not only care about the community but feel it’s also vital for them to participate. Paying them as if they have worked will make them feel part of something much more significant. Additionally, share with your clients the day you will be closed and why you will be closed – they will also view you in a different light.

It’s essential to give thanks to the ones who pay the bills. However, it’s equally important to express gratitude to the ones who allow you to partner with those clients in the first place. This is where thoughtful, intentional, and creative promotional merchandise can provide a fantastic bang for your buck.

Remember: give thanks to your clients, but express heartfelt gratitude to your employees. We are ready to help you express that gratitude – just drop us a line at info@paydenandcompany.com.