It’s that time of year again when the days get shorter and the nights get longer. It’s also the season when we all start to look forward to the holidays as a welcome break and a time to spend with the ones we love. With Thanksgiving creeping upon us I thought it would be nice to stop and recognize the things we are thankful for this year.
For many of us, it’s tradition for all family members to share what we are thankful for before enjoying our Thanksgiving meal together. It’s a simple but moving way to express our gratitude for the things that make our lives better and for the people who are important to us.
As managers or owners, our employees also play an important role in our lives. These are the people who help us through the ups and downs of business. When they do well, you do well, and vice versa. That’s why it’s a nice gesture to take this opportunity to communicate our appreciation for our team’s hard work throughout the year. However, while it’s relatively quick and easy to give everyone a gift card or something similar, it’s far more meaningful if we take the time to acknowledge each of your employees individually.
Here are 3 ways to show your employees that you are thankful for the work they do:
- Share with your employees how much they mean to you and your business. While we often think our employees know how much they are appreciated, it does not hurt to remind them.
- Hand out cards or thank you notes. Find a way to highlight things like achievements, great qualities, and times when people went above and beyond to get the job done.
- Organize an office holiday dinner or party. One of the nicest gifts we can give our team is some downtime to enjoy each other’s company outside of work. Decide whether our people will enjoy a dinner or a party most. At some point during the celebration, publicly thank each of your employees for his or her hard work. Acknowledging everyone in the presence of their peers can make people feel especially appreciated.
And on that note, I want to take the time to thank each and every one of you! Through this business, I have learned so much from each of you. You have included me in all your highs and lows and truly adopted me into your swim schools and personal families. We have had so many achievements together and I truly value the time I get to spend with each of you. I hope this season brings you joy and closer to the ones you love.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Andy Broido, Founder and CEO of Swim Consultant