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Posted on 5 January 2022

The Great Recognition: 25 reasons to say thank you at work

3 minute read

Our recent article covering 2022 employee engagement trends highlighted how companies need to make bold changes to make employees feel valued and comfortable in their roles this year. To say ‘thank you’ at work goes a long way.

People are motivated differently, but the positive impact of a simple “thank you” is often under-utilised to inspire and empower employees.

To say thank you at work seems like a simple favour, but many employers struggle to do this effectively. Whether you’re a chief executive, a middle manager or an entry-level graduate, showing a colleague you appreciate them or their work can be difficult to do consistently and creatively to have a lasting impact.

And let’s not forget why employee recognition is important. Showing appreciation for our peers drives an authentic sense of belonging, increases motivation, boosts productivity and reinforces positive behaviour across teams. There’s a reason why 82% of employees feel happier when recognised at work – and happy teams create even happier businesses.

To give you some inspiration, we’ve come up with a simple list of 25 reasons to say thank you at work. Plus, some lovely ideas for how to phrase your thank you.

You could thank a colleague for…
1. Giving you their time (helping on a project, lending an ear, explaining something)
2. Leading by example
3. Being committed to a difficult task or project
4. Demonstrating company values
5. Being incredibly kind or thoughtful
6. Injecting fun into the workplace
7. Showing confidence in your own abilities which has helped you achieve something
8. Being flexible
9. Giving you the opportunity to work on something outside of your normal remit
10. A nice comment made in person or virtually – something that made you feel valued
11. Their swiftness when dealing with something
12. Sharing their opinions when others held back
13. Working outside of what’s expected/going above and beyond
14. Getting great feedback from a colleague, customer or supplier that’s positively impacted the business
15. Reaching a milestone at work, e.g. completing training or reaching their 10-year anniversary
16. Achieving or getting close to their targets
17. Showing personal support to you or your colleagues
18. Providing helpful advice or feedback
19. Offering training or information to colleagues
20. Standing by you in a challenging discussion with a customer or colleague
21. Doing something outside of their usual job remit
22. Organising a work or social event
23. Volunteering their help with being asked
24. Being organised or well-prepared
25. Having initiative in work-related projects

And some handy phrases for those who struggle to put feelings into words!

“I just wanted to say thanks for….”
“Thank you for [what they did], it really meant a lot to me.”
“Thank you for [what they did], the team and I are really inspired by your actions because [reasons why it was special]”
“It’s great being part of your team – when you [what they did] it really helped me with [ways it helped you].”
“A massive high five for [what they did], you’re clearly demonstrating [company value], and I just wanted to show appreciation for that.”
“I really appreciate you for [what they did].”
“I want to express my gratitude/appreciation/thanks for [what they did].”
“I really value [what they did], so thanks a lot!”
“I can’t thank you enough for [what they did].”
“[What they did] really means a lot to me.”
“Thanks for being in my corner!”

To deliver appreciation at-scale, to deskless, disconnected or dispersed teams is where the power of technology comes in.

Rippl’s recognition, reward and benefits platform revolutionises employee engagement and delivers a world-class experience where your people feel empowered to unleash their potential. Chat to us or book a free demo to explore how Rippl can transform your People strategy through the power of saying ‘thank you’ everyday.