Imagine completing a project and feeling proud of your hard work.
You rallied the entire team to go the extra mile, reached big milestones, and surpassed your boss’s expectations. When someone sends you a message of appreciation, you feel even better about what you’ve accomplished — motivating you to go even further next time.
Regardless of your work history, you probably know the difference between a workplace that gives employees recognition and one that doesn’t. Words of appreciation make it easier to get through difficult days and measure your progress and success.
When you work tirelessly toward a goal and don’t receive recognition, it’s hard to feel a sense of belonging or know whether you’re succeeding in your role.
Although you can’t influence how others express gratitude toward you, you can change how you treat others. Giving appreciation for good work messages to your colleagues and managers is an excellent way to celebrate their effort and contribution to your team.
The importance of recognizing employees’ effort
According to research from Deloitte, organizations that give their employees recognition see a 14% increase in productivity and performance. Offering appreciation and gratitude helps team members connect with the rest of the workplace, bringing a sense of community and a reason to engage.
And when team members don’t feel like leaders or coworkers appreciate them, they could be more likely to quit. Over 50% of employees between 18–34 view changing jobs as beneficial to their career, and without proper recognition from one workplace, they might feel like they’re better off switching jobs.
Whether you’re a manager, team lead, or colleague, showing appreciation encourages people to stay and continue growing.
Although outside factors like verbal validation, positive messages, and bonuses are great motivators, they sometimes aren’t enough to retain top talent. According to researcher Rajesh Singh, intrinsic motivation plays a more significant role in motivating employees than extrinsic factors.
Intrinsic motivation comes from team members’ own self-confidence and drive rather than external validation. And although appreciation messages don’t fall under that umbrella, they can help people understand their value and build a foundation of self-respect.
These are all positive reasons for sending an appreciation message, but you can also do so to make someone feel good without the promise of anything in return. By showing gratitude, you lend a helping hand in shaping a positive company culture where employees feel happy to come to work each day. And sometimes, that’s enough.
3 tips for giving impactful recognition
Knowing what makes an appreciation message meaningful makes it easier to craft one. Here are three tips for using your writing skills to create a thoughtful recognition message:
- Add a personal touch: Personalized appreciation is more genuine than a straightforward “Thank you.” It shows the recipient that you genuinely recognize their effort and value the skills they bring to the team. Touch on some of the employee’s unique qualities so they feel like you appreciate them for who they are.
- Be specific: Everyone appreciates receiving gratitude for particular achievements. Highlight your recipient’s personal accomplishments on team projects and describe how they add to the company’s success.
- Show appreciation regularly: Sending someone an email once per year likely isn’t enough to motivate them consistently. Make sure to show everyone continuous appreciation so they know they’re more than just one project or milestone.
Appreciation for good work messages: 9 types with examples
Like writing a holiday message or goodbye email, it’s not easy to put your thoughts and feelings into words in a sentence or two. Even if the recipient is a work friend or close colleague, it can be challenging to know how to praise someone professionally.
Looking at examples can help you beat writer’s block and find the right words. If you’ve noticed a team member’s great work and want to show gratitude, use these appreciation messages for inspiration:
1. Recognition for top performance
Regardless of your position, having a top performer on your team makes a huge difference. They’re filled with brilliant ideas, excel in their work, and motivate the rest of the group. Use these prompts to show your top performers the recognition they deserve:
- “I wanted to thank you for your hard work and dedication to the team. Your leadership and ability to constantly push the bar motivates the entire department and doesn’t go unnoticed.”
- “I’m grateful to have you on our team. Your results in your first year are impressive, and I look forward to your continuous growth. You’re a true asset to the department.”
- “We’re constantly impressed by your performance. The way you handled the [project name] is commendable. Thank you for always going above and beyond to ensure our team succeeds in everything we do.”
2. Acknowledgment for obtaining specific goals
A company’s success lies in the hands of individual and collective accomplishments. And when someone goes above and beyond to ensure their team reaches specific targets, acknowledging them inspires everyone to do the same. Here are some goal-specific appreciation messages:
- “Thank you, [employee’s name], for your help in the [project name]. We recognize the hard work it took to produce your numbers. As a result, we reached our quarterly target sooner than expected. Keep up the great work!”
- “I wanted to acknowledge your role in making [project name] such a success. I see everything you do and appreciate your tremendous work.”
- “I’m continuously impressed by your results. You play a crucial role in the department’s success, and with your help, we acquired the funding necessary to launch [initiative name].”
3. Attitudes and soft skills
Employees with positive attitudes and practical soft skills help boost morale and motivate the whole team. Use these prompts for inspiration when acknowledging an employee or coworker’s positive personality traits:
- “[Employee’s name], we’re so lucky to have you on our team. You bring everyone together with your teamwork abilities and positive attitude. Thank you for your excellent work and for being part of our team.”
- “Thank you for being such a great coworker. I appreciate that you’re always there to answer my questions and listen to my ideas.”
- “I want to thank you for all you do to keep our team together. Your positivity and problem-solving skills make such a difference in our fast-paced environment.”
4. Appreciation for team players
Teamwork isn’t always easy, so when employees go above and beyond to foster a positive collaborative environment, they deserve your congrats. Show your appreciation for a whole team or a single person with these thoughtful messages:
- “I want to show appreciation for you and everything you do to make our team successful. You always graciously help your team members and uplift everyone in the office.”
- “Thank you for being a fantastic collaborator. Having you on our team makes a huge difference, and we’re sure we wouldn’t have reached our success with [project name] without your help.”
- “It’s not always easy to lead a team with such different personalities. You make everyone feel valued for their work and help them reach their potential. Thank you for being an incredible team player and role model.”
5. Acknowledgment for a strong work ethic
Strong work ethics aid team productivity and engagement. Use these employee recognition examples to celebrate productive, organized team members:
- “[Employee’s name], we can always count on you to do a great job in everything you do. Thank you for continuously raising the bar for yourself and giving your best daily.”
- “It’s rare to come by employees who challenge themselves at work. I appreciate your work ethic and ability to exceed expectations to aid the company’s success.”
- “Thank you for your outstanding performance. Your involvement in your team’s success is admirable, and you’re helping the organization reach new heights through your dedication.”
6. Valuing unique skill sets
Employees with specialized training and unique skill sets are an asset to any team, especially when tricky roadblocks arise. Here are some words to say thank you and show appreciation for employees who are one of a kind:
- “You bring valuable insight to our team through your experience in [example of skill]. With your guidance and knowledge, we launched [initiative’s name], helping the company reach an entirely new market.”
- “I value your talent and view you as a true asset to our team. Your experience with [expertise] has helped bring your coworkers up to speed on the ever-changing digital landscape.”
- “I would like to recognize your ability to approach problems while thinking outside of the box. You’re helping to keep our brand identity new and exciting, and I know we’ll be able to bring more success to [company’s name] with your help.”
- “Your role in developing the [project name] and teaching your colleagues new skills is commendable. Your unique perspective brings so much value to our team, and we are thrilled to have such a hardworking teammate.”
7. Noteworthy creativity
Creative employees bring a fresh perspective to problem-solving strategies and help all types of innovation thrive. Try these two approaches when showing your appreciation for your team’s creative skills:
- “I appreciate the fresh perspective and creativity you bring to our team. Your ideas help [company name] stay ahead of trends and remain a leader in innovation.”
- “We thank you for your fantastic job on the [project name]. Your creativity has made such an enormous impact on [company name]’s visual identity. We believe the new branding and marketing materials you’ve developed will give us an edge over our competitors.”
8. Celebrating milestones
All employees count their work anniversaries, and so should you. Use these examples to congratulate employees accordingly:
- “I’m so grateful for having you on our team for the past [number] years.”
- “We’re happy to celebrate your [number]-year anniversary with you. Thank you for being a part of the company since day one and for your tremendous effort. We’re sure we wouldn’t have accomplished such great heights without you on our team.”
- “Congratulations on achieving your [number]-year work anniversary. We appreciate your loyalty to the company and feel grateful to have top talent like yourself join our ever-growing team. We’re confident that without your hard work, the [department’s name] wouldn’t be such a success. We’re looking forward to celebrating more years to come!”
9. Appreciation quotes for employees
Employee appreciation quotes are more straightforward than personalized messages. Say thank you to a whole group with teamwork appreciation quotes to encourage team building or celebrate an exemplary individual for their hard work.
Add these short quotes to the bottom of an email or send them as a Slack message to your team:
- “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” — Michael Jordan
- “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” — Halford E. Luccock
- “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” — Amy Poehler
Celebrate excellent performance with employee appreciation messages
The best appreciation for good work messages are personal and come from the heart. Although these letters have numerous organizational benefits, such as enhancing employee engagement and retention, what truly makes them special is how they make others feel.
High-quality and loyal employees are hard to come by, so send appreciation messages for good work and positive feedback when you spot a job well done.
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