How to Show Your Co-Workers You’re Thankful for Them

With the start of the holiday season, things tend to get hectic. You have work projects to wrap up before you take some much-needed time off to celebrate with friends and family, you have to prepare for friends and family to come visit, or travel to go see them. Regardless of your situation, the holidays are a busy time for just about anyone.

But don’t forget about the people you’ve been sitting next to all day, every day for the better part of a year — your co-workers. They’re the people that you vent to when something goes wrong, help you celebrate a big win, and are always down to grab a cup of coffee when you need to get out of the office.

It’s easy to focus on family this time of year, and friends that you’ve known for much longer, but your co-workers shouldn’t be overlooked. Here are a few ways you can show your co-workers you’re thankful for them this holiday season.

Bring in Treats

Everyone loves a little bit of sugar to get them through the afternoon slump. Whether they’re homemade or store-bought, treating your team with an unexpected snack is a great way to show them that you care.

If you’re not a baker and you can’t swing buying something for your whole team, think about one or two people that really helped you out this year. Maybe they stayed late to prep you for a big meeting or offered you advice for landing a new client. Whatever the situation was, reciprocate by bringing them their favorite morning drink before an important pitch or buying a round at happy hour after a long week.

Organize a Get Together

With the holidays comes the inevitable onslaught of party invitations. Instead of adding another thing to everyone’s personal calendar, talk to your manager about organizing a get together during work hours. Maybe it’s a small team lunch outing or free coffee on a Monday morning.

Putting even 30 minutes on the calendar as a built-in break for the people you work closest with is a low-stress way to remind everyone to slow down and enjoy each other’s company. You don’t need a big to-do.

Write Notes

If invitations, gift giving and too much sugar has you feeling overwhelmed, remember words can mean a lot. Write your closest co-workers or teammates a note telling them how much it meant to you when they supported you this year, offered you great advice on a tough project, or coached you through a career move. Everyone loves to be recognized for situations where they went above and beyond. Even if you thanked them in the moment, reminding them how much it meant to you and how much it helped is a sure-fire way to brighten someone’s day.

So, as the holidays approach remember, a little goes a long way and it really is the thought that counts.