Being Thankful for Workplace Colleagues

Cathie Leimbach • November 22, 2022

Employees everywhere want to be valued, respected, and appreciated. They want to be thanked for the contributions they are making at their workplace and be supported to become even more effective at their job! 69% of employees say that the recognition they receive impacts how likely they are to stay with the company. 

Being thankful at work really matters! Human beings are emotional beings. We are more content and motivated to achieve when we feel appreciated for who we are and what we offer. When an employee’s manager treats them well, employees feel supported by the organization. This encourages them to engage more fully, enhancing the organization’s success.

Too often, supervisors believe that an employee’s paycheck is reward enough.  They don’t express thanks at work unless an employee is meeting or exceeding expectations in all aspects of their job.

However, when employees don’t get feedback, they don’t know if they are meeting expectations. If they don’t know what they are doing well, they may not continue to do their best in these areas. When they don’t realize they are underperforming, they don’t realize they need to improve.  Not knowing where they stand leads to insecurity and declining motivation. 

Many managers say they don’t know how to show appreciation at work. Let’s consider 3 simple ways.

  1. Use words to thank your employees. 
  • During a one-on-one conversation or a small group meeting, thank them for a specific task that they are doing well and explain how this work matters to other people - customers, the organization, the department, or a colleague. Thank them for their reliability, their thoughtfulness when others need help, or their high-quality work.
  • Share your thanks by email or in a text or phone call.
  • Write a thank you card or jot a note on a post-it and leave it on their desk.

 

   2.  Use an appropriate form of physical touch.

  • Congratulate a job well done or a group accomplishment with a high five, fist bump, or pat on the back.
  • Help them when they have a task that will be easier with two heads or two sets of hands.
  • Hold the door or help carry boxes when they are loading their vehicle for a trade show.

 

   3.  When they have an urgent deadline and you can spare 20 minutes, ask how you can help.

  • If you are a spreadsheet whiz your 20 minutes could save them 2 hours.
  • If you’re a grammar nerd, you might quickly improve the readability of an important document.

 

Who in your department receives little recognition for the value they add in the workplace? How could you make them feel appreciated during this Thanksgiving season and beyond?

Psychological Safety Isn’t About Smooth Sailing — It’s About Real Growth

By Cathie Leimbach • December 2, 2025
When people hear “psychological safety,” they often imagine a workplace where everything feels easy and conflict-free. But that’s not what true psychological safety is — and it’s not what high-performing teams need. As leadership expert R. Michael Anderson points out, work and life include tough days, unexpected problems, and moments that stretch us. A psychologically safe workplace doesn’t remove those realities. Instead, it gives people the confidence and support to face them. A safe workplace is one where employees can struggle without fear of embarrassment… try new skills without being put down… ask questions, make mistakes, and keep moving forward. It’s a place where people know their leader is behind them — not by preventing discomfort, but by helping them learn through it. Psychological safety isn’t about coddling or creating a predictable bubble. Real safety looks like this: · You may hear difficult feedback, but it helps you grow. · You are encouraged to take risks, and supported when you slip. · You are stretched beyond your comfort zone, and guided along the way. When leaders create this balance — support plus stretch — people build resilience, confidence, and higher performance. To explore more of these ideas, visit R. Michael Anderson's website .

Thanksgiving: Beyond the Turkey and Thank-You Notes

By Cathie Leimbach • November 25, 2025
As leaders, we know Thanksgiving week is prime time for employee appreciation. But here's the thing—a generic "thanks everyone" email hits differently for different people. Dr. Paul White's research on the 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace offers a smarter approach. Just like people receive love differently, your team members feel valued in distinct ways: through words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, tangible gifts, or physical touch (think handshakes and high-fives in professional settings). That all-star on your team? She might light up from a handwritten note praising her specific contributions. Your behind-the-scenes problem-solver might feel more appreciated if you help him out by clearing his schedule for an afternoon so he can tackle his backlog. This Thanksgiving, skip the one-size-fits-all approach. Take ten minutes to consider how each team member prefers to be recognized. It's not about grand gestures—it's about matching your gratitude to what actually resonates with each individual. When appreciation lands in someone's preferred language, it doesn't just feel nice. It builds loyalty, boosts morale, and reminds people why they show up every day. That's something worth being thankful for. Curious about what languages are preferred? Click here to learn more!