It’s a tradition in many families to go around the Thanksgiving table and have each family member say what they are thankful for. Don’t let that tradition end around your table – bring those good feelings and sense of appreciation into your workforce, and show your staff you’re thankful for them.

In this age of flattened corporate structures and a more competitive job market, companies are looking to sustain cycle of gratitude between employees and management that boosts morale, reduces turnover and attracts top talent. One easy way to feed that cycle is to give thanks to your staff and have them convey gratitude to each other.

Getting everyone feeding into the sense of gratitude

When making it a point to express thanks during the holiday season, be sure to express gratitude to all your employees. Too often, the same top performers receive all the office accolades and acknowledgment, while the people who simply do their job day-in and day-out tend to get forgotten.

In addition to fostering mutual appreciation between management and employees, having employees express their gratitude toward each other helps to grow a sense of community and decrease tension among employees.

A few ideas on how to mark the season

Just walking around and expressing your sense of gratitude is one way to let your employees know how you feel, but – in the spirit of the upcoming holiday season – there are a few more creative ways to send that message.

One idea is to publicly post individualized thanks on a bulletin board in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. These postings should include some details on how the employee being recognized benefits the people they work with and the organization as a whole. Allow employees to post their own expressions of gratitude if someone goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Another good way to show employees you appreciate them is to take time around the holidays to meet with them individuals and engage in a meaningful conversation. Just like personal relationships, our professional relationships demand that you be attentive and receptive to what employees have to say in these one-on-one meetings. After hearing what they have to say, be sure to follow up on any actionable items with the goal of getting actual results. Not following through on these conversations will send the signal that talk of gratitude is merely lip service.

A recent survey from the employment site Glassdoor found employees, not surprisingly, would like to get time off around the Thanksgiving holiday or receive a bonus. Of course, these are perfectly fine was to show gratitude, but also consider tying these perks to a specific performance or steady long-term reliability.

Employees in the Glassdoor survey also said they would appreciate a company meal around the holidays. Treating employees to food is also perfectly fine, but make sure employees are allow to mingle and relax. A holiday lunch can also be a great time to look individual employees in the eye and express gratitude on a personal level.

At Cornerstone, we understand your employees are your most valuable resources and if your organization is looking for a high-quality talent acquisition solution, simply give us a call at (925) 426.6900.