18 Easy Ways to Say 'Thanks'

More than two-thirds—67 percent—of people surveyed by Boston-based Globoforce said they were motivated by praise from a manager and 78 percent said they’d work harder if their contributions were recognized. So, thanking folks isn't just a social nicety. It boosts the bottom line.

“Even in this climate with higher unemployment, people can change jobs,” cautions Victoria Krotzer, PHR, an independent HR consultant with Maximum Business Consulting in Pennsylvania. “You want to encourage loyalty, and appreciation from the manager and the company can do that.”

Consider these 18 ways folks in the trenches recommend doing it, be it during the Thanksgiving season or year-round. For even more ideas, check out Bob Nelson’s 1,501 Ways to Reward Employees (Workman Publishing Co., 2012).
How does your company recognize its workers? Tell us at llacina@entrepreneur.com.
1. Give to give. Giving to charity is a personal decision, and even well-intentioned efforts to make a donation in someone else’s name fail. Opt for a giving card like those offered by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Using this gift card, the recipient can give to the cause of his or her choice.
2. Ask what they want. Not all employees have the same goals, some want more education, others flex time that enables them the chance to see their kids' soccer games. “If you recognize people with things they don’t want, it doesn’t work,” says Charlie Ungashick, chief marketing officer at Globoforce.
3. Upgrade the coffee. Still using that ancient coffeemaker to brew a cup of Joe? Invest in a quality coffee program to keep them in the office, looking forward to their coffee break.
4. Make time fly. You can't add more hours to the day, but you can give an extra day (or afternoon) off to someone whose work has been exemplary. Make sure the workload is realistic so that folks won't be working on their day off. Bonus days can be taken in the new year if the holidays are too crazy.
5. Issue hall passes. No, this is not junior high. But a novelty hall pass (like that offered at Boulder, Colorado’s Cloud 9 Living) that rotates through your staff is a fun way to convey extra perks (such as an extra-long lunch break) to workers.
6. Give up the good parking spot. Consider offering the best spots in the lot employees for a job well done. If most of your staff takes public transportation choose a transit pass for the employee of the month.
7. Make life easier. Alleviate the pressure of everyday errands. Offer on-site dry cleaning drop-off and pick up or other services that get rid of those time-sucking errands.
8. Praise often. “You have to recognize people as soon as it happens,” says Globoforce’s Ungashick. “Otherwise people forget and they think no one is paying attention.”
9. Value wellness. You probably can’t offer an on-site gym, but picking up the tab for a nearby yoga studio or YMCA may be feasible, and healthy employees are productive workers.
10. Have fun. After an important launch, plan something fun -- a rock climbing outing, a hike or paintball session -- to show people you know they accomplished something special. Ungashick suggests picking something that fits with your corporate culture.
11. Free food. A meal or snack is a great way to show your gratitude. Track orders on Google Drive for easy ordering or open an account at a local food delivery company so staffers can order on their own when they are working through a busy period.
12. Cubicle comforts. Upgrade the office. Do folks have ergonomic chairs and decent lighting? If not, upgrade to keep things comfortable and efficient.
13. Write a note. A hand-written thank you note—on real stationery—is appreciated. Krotzer suggests mailing it to your employee’s home address, where his or her spouse will also see it and know that the time away from home is valued.
14. Recognize good work. Give credit when it is due. When someone makes a project go smoothly, tell the whole team at a meeting or in a group e-mail.
15. Go up the chain of command. Make sure higher ups, board members and others know of the standout accomplishments of your staff. Send an email and CC your staffer. Ungashick says a letter from the CEO has more value for employees than something with an actual price tag.
16. Pay attention. If you offer tangible rewards, ask staffers what they’d enjoy. One employee may love a gift card for a manicure while another may bite her nails and not care, Krotzer explains. “I tell people to get to know their staff, their likes and dislikes and offer rewards they want.”
17. Consider cash. No one has ever been disappointed to get an unexpected year-end bonus. If it is in the budget, consider rewarding people monetarily.
18. Just say it. Finally, the easiest way to make people feel appreciated? Make a habit of looking staffers in the eyes and say those two words: “Thank you.”

Why Wait Until Saturday? Small Businesses Seek Black Friday Buzz

Predictions for Black Friday and 2013 holiday sales range from tentative to lackluster, thanks partly to a drop in consumer confidence following the government shutdown. But one thing is certain – major retailers aren’t taking chances. That means stores opening at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving, holiday ads before Halloween and aggressive layaway programs and discounts through Cyber Monday.

With Black Friday turning into Black Weekend, there’s some fear that Small Business Saturday – a nationwide campaign launched by American Express in 2010 – may get lost in the blitz, along with the small businesses that can’t afford to slash prices.

But there’s a unique opportunity for small businesses, according to Ronald C. Goodstein, Associate Professor of Marketing at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, who specializes in retail and consumer behavior.

“With consumer confidence down this year, people will give fewer gifts but more meaningful ones,” he said. “The competitive advantage for small businesses is the ability to provide personalized service. They can help customers pick that thoughtful, relevant gift in a way that Macy’s, Walmart or Target can’t.”

The best way for small businesses to win customers, he adds, is to join forces.

Thinking little and local

Power in unity is what drove Betsy Cross and Will Cervarich to launch Little Boxes, a two-day post-Thanksgiving shopping event in Portland, Ore., that rewards consumers who shop the city's local retailers.

Little Boxes was born in 2011, after Cross saw a Black Friday ad for a big-box store opening on Thanksgiving night.

“It struck me that you never think about small shops on Black Friday. I thought, ‘There has to be a way we can band together and be more powerful,’” said Cross, who co-owns the Portland boutique betsy & iya with Cervarich, her husband.

The campaign now unites over 170 businesses, which offer discounts and raffle prizes to customers. It’s also boosted bottom lines, with some store owners reporting as much of a 50% increase in Black Friday sales since joining Little Boxes.

Cervarich adds that the goal isn’t to compete with Black Friday or Small Business Saturday, but rather harness existing buzz. “There's no question that AmEx’s Small Business Saturday has helped focus the spotlight on small businesses. But one of the reasons we started Little Boxes was because it didn't seem right that shopping locally should come only after you've shopped big boxes.”

There are a number of similar initiatives brewing nationwide, including Seattle’s Gift Local Pledge and Dallas/Ft. Worth’s Spend and Win campaign. But even smaller communities are getting big benefits from building their own shop-local holiday campaigns.

The city and Chamber of Commerce in Fallon, Nev., created the Live Local Fallon campaign this summer to encourage residents to spend locally, rather than driving to nearby Reno. They’ve recruited 155 businesses to participate in a campaign where shoppers get stamps in a “passport” that makes them eligible for raffle prizes for every $15 spent. There’s a special push around Black Friday, during which incentives for shoppers will be tripled.

“We’ve been very concerned about the leakage of dollars getting spent outside Fallon,” said Rick Gray, executive director of the Fallon Convention and Tourism Authority. “We tried educational campaigns and ads. But until we came up with this tangible way to reward residents, we didn't feel the message was hitting home.”

But other non-retail small businesses prefer to avoid one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Visit Myrtle Beach is launching Travel Saturday this year. For 24 hours after Black Friday, gift-givers and deal-seekers can book discounted travel, lodging and entertainment for 2014 at participating small businesses in the South Carolina beach community. The idea is to spotlight a travel-centric economy on a day when consumers are likely to be at home, online and less occupied with retail deals.

According to Goodstein, this is the kind of creative thinking and unity that small businesses need to compete.

“Black Friday used to delight consumers and offer real deals. Now big companies buy in order to sell at sale price. They compete on lower margins, which means less quality,” he said. “Small businesses need to work together to lower prices [but keep quality high]. Offer consumers service and something special in a tough economy at a discounted price – you can’t beat that.”