Tis’ the season for showing all those in your life how much you care and appreciate them, including your coworkers! After all, these are the people you are spending quite a large portion of your daily lives with, and the people who help you make it through the day-to-day (and sometimes larger) stressors that a job can cause. But what is the best way to show your coworkers you appreciate them? Of course, there is always the good old fashioned thank you which is not to be discounted. However, when it comes to the Holiday Season, many of you may want to go above and beyond a traditional verbal thanks. So, to help you find the right way to show your appreciation, we’ve put together a list of our top ways to show your coworkers you care!
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1. Give your coworker a gift they'll be able to enjoy and use (and may even make their lives easier).
An oldie but a goodie – giving a thoughtful gift to your coworker shows you appreciate them enough to have gone out of your way to get them something you think they’ll enjoy! A few ideas might include getting a special mug and box of tea for your coworker who enjoys an afternoon cup each day. Or perhaps a new desk plant for the coworker with a green thumb. You could also take the more practical route and opt for aesthetically pleasing leather cord organizers. Or better yet, a set of high-quality pens and maybe a new special note pad for the coworker who loves to be organized and prefers paper over electronics. Really, the options are endless, but if you need some additional help, check out this article “35 Thoughtful Gifts To Get Your Coworkers This Holiday Season” by House Beautiful.
2. Give your coworker a gift card to one of their favorite local spots!
Gift cards can be a great way to show your appreciation, without having to find the perfect specific gift! You just need to know where it is they like to go. Do you have a coworker that comes into the office every morning with a Starbucks coffee? Perfect – get them a Starbucks gift card! Do you have a coworker who orders lunch from a food delivery service often? Great, how about a Grub Hub or Door Dash gift card!? And of course, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention our Enterprise Coworking gift cards as well! Perfect for a co-worker, freelance friend, or busy business person! These gift cards can be used for anything at Enterprise Coworking, including parking passes, meeting room hours, day guest passes, and even all the goodies, treats, and coffee drinks from Rise Cafe!
To purchase an Enterprise Gift Card head to our member's site HERE, click sign up, select a location, and choose the Coworking Gift Card Purchase option! You don't need to be a member to take advantage of this awesome offer!
3. Perform random acts of kindness!
One of the simplest things you can do to show your appreciation for your coworkers is to perform random acts of kindness towards them! According to Positive Psychology, a “Random Act of Kindness is giving your best self to others without requests or promise of return on investment. It's simply doing something nice for someone else, without them asking and without you doing it for anything in return”. Here are a few random acts of kindness we think are great!
- Give a specific shout out in a meeting or nominate a coworker for official recognition when applicable.
- Leave a coworker’s favorite beverage on their desk for them to find.
- Surprise a coworker with lunch!
- Practice active listening and follow up on coworker’s stories about their lives.
- Share a book you’ve recently read with someone else (bring it in and let them borrow it without them having to ask).
- Leave a handwritten note of appreciation on your coworker’s desk for them to find the next day.
- Leave a sticky note with an inspiration message on a coworker’s windshield.
- Brush the snow/ice off a coworker’s car in the parking lot when you leave before them.
- Get a few coworkers together and make a video about how awesome your shared coworker is, then send it to them.
- Help with a little work task. Do they need backup to finish up a project before a deadline? Do they need to organize some files or laminate documents you can help with? In essence, is there a task you can easily take off their plate? Help them out by doing just that!
4. Treat your coworkers to treats - sweet treats that is!
A great way to show your coworker’s you care is to bring in a box of homemade goodies for them! Bake some cookies or whip out your family’s secret fudge recipe and bring them into the office for everyone to enjoy! Don’t have a secret family fudge recipe? Not to worry! We found a delicious recipe you can follow – click HERE for details!
5. Write handwritten holiday thank you cards!
The key here is not only to wish your coworkers a Happy Holiday Season, but to include a note about what exactly you are grateful to them for. Be specific. Let your coworker know how much you value them by laying out moments they really came through for you, as well as why you love working with them. The more details you can give, the more thought it shows you put into the note and the more your gratitude will be appreciated!
6. Give back and/or volunteer as a group!
Okay, while this may not be specifically about showing a coworker how much you care for them individually, it is still a great way to grow gratitude and care as a whole, while bonding with your team! And there’s no shortage of ways to give back around the Holiday Season. Need an idea for how to give back? Enterprise member company American Neighborhood Mortgage Acceptance Company, Team Peyton is putting on their annual Stocking Project! This year, they are donating to the Denver Housing Authority. These items will be brought to the elderly, low income, and the disabled.
There are two ways to donate:
1.) Scan the QR code on the above graphic to purchase directly from the Amazon wish list
2.) Bring in any of the items listed below and put them in the drop box located in the lobby
Accepted items for donation:
- Small/travel size hygiene items
- General stocking-stuffer sized items: candy, coffee, tea, silly items, etc
- Adult diapers / underwear
- Mental Health related items such as: puzzles, journals / pens, adult coloring books/colored pencils, Crossword Puzzles, Playing Cards, Sudoku, Bath Bombs
If anyone has children, they love to include hand-made Christmas cards from kids. the elderly recipients also absolutely love the cards. DONATION DEADLINE IS 12/16
There are an endless number of things you can do to show your coworkers you care and that you are appreciative of them. The key with whatever it is you choose to do is simply to make sure it is genuine. No matter the gesture, big or small, if it comes from the right place, it will show you care. And finally, a reminder that showing your thanks and care should by no means be exclusive to the Holidays. By practicing these suggestions all year round, you can help to ensure nobody ever feels taken for granted and help to create a culture of care that lasts throughout the year!
