The Power of a Simple "Thank You"

A SIMPLE “THANK YOU” CAN GO A LONG WAY TO MAKING YOUR TEAM FEEL RECOGNISED

In the early 2000s, Laszlo Bock was a senior leader at Google responsible for building and managing the company's world-class HR team. One of the teams he oversaw was a group of administrative assistants who provided support to executives across the company.

One day, one of the administrative assistants, a woman named Donna, received a handwritten thank-you note from Laszlo. The note expressed his appreciation for all of her hard work and the important role she played in keeping the company running smoothly.

Donna was so touched by the gesture that she kept the note on her desk for months, showing it to her colleagues and even her family members. She later wrote about the experience in a blog post, saying that it was one of the most meaningful moments of her career at Google.

But the impact of Laszlo's simple act of gratitude didn't end there. Word of the note quickly spread throughout the administrative assistant community at Google, and soon other executives began following Laszlo's lead, sending thank-you notes to their own administrative assistants.

The practice caught on so quickly that it became a bit of a phenomenon at Google, with administrative assistants proudly displaying their thank-you notes on their desks and sharing stories of the impact that the notes had on their morale and motivation.

The lesson here is that small gestures of gratitude can go a long way in making employees feel appreciated and valued. By taking the time to recognize their contributions and express your gratitude, you can build stronger relationships with your team members, boost morale, and inspire them to continue doing great work.

A FEW ADDITIONAL STORIES ILLUSTRATING A SIMPLE GESTURE OF GRATITUDE

According to an article featured in Forbes, during a particular holiday season, Walmart store manager Melissa Trippy wrote a heartfelt letter of appreciation to her entire team. She personally thanked each member for their hard work and dedication, and the letter ended up going viral on social media. The gesture had a huge impact on the team, with many employees feeling more motivated and appreciated than ever before.

Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh has made it a priority to show gratitude to his team on a regular basis. One of his favourite ways to do this is by sending handwritten thank-you cards to employees who have gone above and beyond. This simple gesture has helped to create a culture of appreciation and recognition at the company.

Southwest Airlines is known for its fun and friendly culture, and part of that is due to the company's emphasis on gratitude. For example, each year the company hosts a "LUV Classic" golf tournament, which is designed to show appreciation for the hard work of the airline's employees. The tournament is just one way that Southwest thanks its team for their dedication and commitment.