What a Simple Thank You Can Do for Your Company

What two little words have massive power to motivate, bond and delight?

Thank you. Expressing gratitude to someone goes beyond simple appreciation. It also says you take the time to consider who adds to your happiness and that you place a high value on their contributions. It shows you care.

One recent study finds people who consistently give a sincere “thank you” to others in the workplace receive 50% more help from them in the future. The same researchers also note when the director of a company thanks their sales staff personally, the salespeople make 50% more sales calls in the following week.

Lawyer John Kralik wrote a book about sending daily, heartfelt thank you notes for a full year. At the start of the project, he feels depressed and resentful toward many people in his life. After writing 365 thank you’s, he discovers he not only feels more appreciative toward friends, family and clients, they feel the same for him in return. He credits the project for reshaping his outlook and his relationships.

Genuine Words of Thanks

Mr. Kralik’s experience shows the huge effect of being appreciative – a result that scientists attribute to important receptors in your brain. Hearing genuine words of thanks from other people causes a burst of happiness-inducing chemicals like dopamine and serotonin.

Do you catch the word “genuine” in there? That’s because authenticity is a key part of appreciation. Psychologists say when a thank you is perceived as inauthentic, it actually has the opposite effect and creates psychological distance. When someone says, “Thanks a lot” sarcastically, it can put people off.

Physical Symbols of Gratitude

Sometimes a simple “thank you” doesn’t feel like enough for a special person. Maybe you’re grateful for an act of bravery, a charitable donation or an employee’s decades of service. For these times, show your appreciation with something greater – things like thank you cards, gift baskets, wine, flowers, plants, gift cards, employee bonuses, or thank you plaques.

Objects of gratitude add a note of fanfare that takes a genuine thank you to a higher level. This is particularly important in times of celebration, like a public ceremony or retirement party. You can award a thank you plaque on stage, before an appreciative audience.

Does someone in your life deserve a big thank you? Here’s a quick list of ideas:

● Beloved teachers and instructors

● Business mentors

● Employees and bosses

● Parents, grandparents and guardians

● Foster and adoptive parents

● Law enforcement officers and EMTs

● Charitable donors

● Young philanthropists

● Community heroes

Create Easy Design Thank You Plaques at PlaqueMaker

We have everything you need to say thanks, including thank you plaques, employee of the month plaques and recognition awards. Each pre-designed thank you plaque allows you to personalize your thank you by choosing from different materials and adding custom information to make them your own. Once you submit your order, a no obligation quote and free proof is emailed to you within one business day. Typically, your order ships from our warehouse two days after you approve your final design.