How To Give Thanks For Coworkers and Colleagues Featured
- Written By Annie Cooper
Thanksgiving is a time where we reflect on what we are most grateful for, spend quality time with our family and loved ones, and a time to embrace what we most value. Our clients and co-workers are part of our everyday lives, and while spending well-deserved time with our friends, let's not forget to show gratitude for the professional relationships in our lives.
It can be tricky to figure out the best ways to celebrate holidays with co-workers and clients, so we have complied some meaningful, sincere and budget-friendly ways to share the season with your professional family.
1. Handwritten cards
In our busy lives, taking a few hours to sit down and hand write cards to your colleagues and clients shows that you care. Find some sophisticated cards, or include your family and make some casual ones, and share your well-wishes for the holiday season. Be sure to send these out in advance!
2. A gift card to a grocery store
Most people are either cooking Thanksgiving dinners or attending dinners as a guest, so a small token toward that leaves a wonderful impression. For $15 or so, the recipient can purchase a bottle of wine, a delicious pie, or flowers for their table.
3. Homemade treats
Even if you aren't a whiz in the kitchen, making some simple chocolate chip cookies or marshmallow squares is easy! If your co-workers are local, make them each a little goodie bag with treats from your kitchen. If you're a jam or jelly maker, it's the perfect time of year to share your talents. Include a card with the recipe so they can recreate the snacks on their own.
4. The gift of time
If you have employees, consider giving them an additional day off to spend with their families. By making it a floating holiday, you won't need to worry about an empty office and your team will appreciate the flexibility and consideration of their personal lives.
5. A stress busting surprise
It can be relatively inexpensive to book a professional masseuse for a day at your office. Look around for a local service and pick a day to have them treat your team to 10-15 minute massages. Consider adding a tea sampler for each employee to encourage them to take time for themselves to rest and recharge.
6. Sharing a memory
If your clients and co-workers are email based, take a few hours to compose a thoughtful holiday wish. Include a copy of your favorite holiday recipe or tradition, and ask them to share with you. This is free and sincere, and allows you time to connect with your colleagues over special moments. For example, sending out your great-grandmother's perfect pumpkin pie recipe along with your hopes and well-wishes is a kind gesture that shares of yourself.
7. Happy Hashtag
Coordinate with your office manager and set up a hashtag for all of your employees to use on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for their holiday celebrations--that will allow everyone to participate, and can even be shared with your clients to see how your team ushered in Thanksgiving.
8. Leftover buffet!
Help your employees and colleagues get rid of their extra food by hosting a post-Thanksgiving buffet. Take a few hours for lunch and let everyone gather over their dishes. Spring for a few bottles of sparkling cider or champagne and some personalized Tupperware dishes for each employee to take home some of the extra goodies.
9. Baking contest
Invite your employees and co-workers to showcase their mad kitchen skills in a sugary showdown. Select some fun categories, such as cakes/pies, cookies, bars/brownies, and best in show, then have your team bring in a baked good or two. Either nominate a panel of judges, or allow the other employees to vote, and award the winner of each category with a prize (such as a gift card to a cooking store, a paid day off, etc.)
10. Decoration challenge
No matter if you're in an open floor plan office, cubicles, or private offices, rev up your team's competitive motors with a holiday decoration challenge. Assign teams based on office layouts, and give everyone one week to deck their halls in the season's finest. For a little extra fun, pick a theme, such as White Christmas, Holidays Around the World, Babes in Toyland or The Grinch's Invasion. Treat the winning team/individual to lunch, or simply award bragging rights and authority over next year's contest.
11. Food drive
Many local food banks will provide barrels for on-site donation collection. Why not host a few for your office and also schedule a day where everyone can go volunteer as a team? Not only will this give back to your community, but it's a great way to keep you (and your people!) focused on the giving spirit of the holiday.
No matter how you choose to celebrate Thanksgiving, we hope it's a happy, memorable day for you.