Recognize your employees’ achievements this holiday season with a gThankYou! Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificate.

Everyone likes to feel appreciated, especially during the holidays. And a thoughtful gift of food this time of year is especially appreciated by all.  Imagine your employees’ warm feelings when you hand them a gThankYou! Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificate, along with one of our cheery seasonal Enclosure Cards.

Joyful Snowman

Employees appreciate the convenience and practicality of your holiday gift—recipients can redeem their certificates for either a whole turkey or half or whole ham, at just about any store, anytime. You’ll be front and center in recipients’ thoughts as their gThankYou! gift of a ham or turkey enlivens their holiday tables.  And the gift will keep on giving as they enjoy delicious leftovers, courtesy of you.

It’s not too late to share your gratitude with employees this holiday season.  Give the perfect holiday gift: a gThankYou! Turkey Or Ham Certificate of Gratitude gift along with one of our free customizable Enclosure Cards with your personal message and company logo.

And during this season of gratitude, we at gThankYou! wish you, our readers, the happiest of holidays this year and always. Peace and joy to you and your families, and Happy New Year!

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.
Follow the Company Blog –  “Celebrating Work”.
Watch our gThankYou! YouTube Video – “Learn More About Us”.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

Gingerbread House

“It’s the season of gratitude and the perfect time to recognize and reward employee’s hard work and contributions over this past year”, says Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer of gThankYou.  “A gift of a whole turkey or ham, groceries or even holiday pie can brighten someone’s day this time of year and for many, may be an important contribution to a holiday meal celebration for their family.  A thoughtful gift of food at the holidays is appreciated by all.”

gThankYou! Gift Certificates offer company leaders a convenient way to recognize and reward workplace success, holiday time or anytime.   gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude come in a variety of meaningful yet affordable varieties including: Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, Turkey or Ham Gift Certificates, and Grocery Gift Certificates, as well as, Other Popular Varieties   (such as Pie, Ice Cream, Pizza and Fruit & Vegetables).  Recipients choose any Brand and can shop at virtually any Grocery store nationwide.

gThankYou! Enclosure Cards are provided free with purchase of any variety of gThankYou! Gift Certificates.  What’s more, gThankYou! Enclosure Cards can be customized with your personal message and company logo.  And, nearly all orders still ship same day.  You’ll find these new Enclosure Card designs plus other Winter Holiday favorites on the gThankYou! website.

New Winter Holiday Enclosure Cards:

Holly Berries

Joyful Snowman

Crystal Snowflake

Holly Border

Penguin Dance

Starry Tree

Peace Dove

Gingerbread House

gThankYou! Enclosure Cards are available for all seasons and variety of occasions; gThankYou also offers Autumn and Thanksgiving Enclosure Cards,  Spring and Summer Enclosure Cards, and many More Enclosure Cards.

gThankYou! Gift Certificates are the ideal workplace gift and appreciated by all.  Share your gratitude today!

About gThankYou

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts.  gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.

Follow the company blog – “Celebrating Work”.
Watch our gThankYou! YouTube Video – “Learn More About Us”.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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1.  Deliver Your Gifts Personally
If your budget allows for a Thanksgiving gift, and you can, deliver your gift personally to employees, with a handshake, a smile and a thank you. After all, as Doug Conant , former Campbell’s Soup CEO and the architect of a successful turnaround there says, “You’re on display 24/7. It’s not the words on the wall; it’s how you show up in every interaction.”

In an interview on Rules for Leaders at ChiefExecutive.net, Conant urges CEOs to recognize the importance of every exchange with employees, no matter how small.  He’s so passionate about this topic, he co-wrote a book around this subject that you might enjoy, TouchPoints: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments.

2.  Send Them with a Personal Thank You Note
If a gift isn’t in the budget this year, or personal delivery isn’t practical, send a handwritten thank you note to each employee.  Making that connection early with employees, and always looking for opportunities to celebrate them, is a great way to strengthen your relationship.

A personal thank you means a lot to employees. Says Conant in his HBS blog “Secrets of Positive Feedback”, “believe it or not, I’ve sent roughly 30,000 handwritten notes to employees … over the last decade”.  While some react that thank you notes are a waste of time, Conant says in his experience they “build goodwill and boost productivity”.

Include a Quote
For a change, consider using an inspirational quote to express your thanks. Although you’ll probably want to echo William Shakespeare’s tone in the play Twelfth Night,

“I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks,”

rather than former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli…

“I feel a very unusual sensation—if it is not indigestion,
  I think it must be gratitude.”

Sorry, we couldn’t resist—these quotes and more are available at The Quote Garden.  Another favorite resource is Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations.

Thank You Note Templates by Lynn Gaertner-Johnson
Not sure where to start, or looking for a different approach for your thank you note?  Lynn Gaertner-Johnston, founder of Syntax Training, offers these and more thank you note templates in her Business Writing blog:

“Employee “Thank You”:

Dear ______________ [name],

During this month of Thanksgiving, I have been reflecting on the things I am most grateful for. Primary among them is our talented group of employees.

Thank you for the work you do to make our organization great. You help us provide award-winning services to our clients. Without your commitment, creativity, and high standards, we would not be the thriving company we are. I am very grateful for your efforts.

I wish you a Thanksgiving filled with abundance and bright moments.

Warm wishes,
______________ [name of senior executive or manager]

Brief  “Thank You” to Employees:

Thank you for everything you do to make this a successful, terrific place to work. Have a wonderful, long weekend filled with good things!

Happy Thanksgiving!”

In addition to Lynn’s examples, you can also find sample employee thank you letters online at Thank You Notes & Cards.

3.  Show Your Thanks
If you prefer, show your thanks by dedicating an initiative desired by employees and hold a “thank you” party to roll out introduction.  Or, poll employees as to their top choice for “giving back” to your community and organize an all company (that means Management too) community service project.  A great way to put the “thanks” into Thanksgiving is rolling up your sleeves with employees to work together to help those in need.

Regardless of your style and how you do it, connecting with employees and taking the opportunity to thank them, when ever you can, pays dividends for everyone.

All the best for a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Send Us Your Stories
How do you put the “thanks” into Thanksgiving at your workplace?

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

Gift Certificates are the Leading Thanksgiving Gift for Employees
“Gift certificates for food items are the Thanksgiving holiday gift of choice for employers, followed closely by the holiday turkey,” says a Bureau of National
Affairs (BNA) report,  “Workers to Enjoy Less Thanksgiving Holiday Paid Time Off in 2010″.   “For eight of the past 10 years, gift certificates for food items have been the leading Thanksgiving gift and 2010 was no exception.”

According to the BNA, while the percent of employers providing a Thanksgiving gift to employees is down from its high in 2004 of 23%, current gift giving levels are similar to other post-recession periods.  Budgets today are tighter for everyone.

Thanksgiving Gifts of Turkeys Reinforce an American Tradition
A New York Times article says some historians speculate that passing out turkeys to workers during the holidays began in 19th-century England with bosses who had read about, and did not want to be compared with, Ebenezer Scrooge.

In this country, Thanksgiving turkey-giving was a way to “introduce immigrants to an American tradition,” says Mitchell L. Moss, a professor of urban policy at New York University.  “It was a way to do holiday spirit for people who weren’t familiar with the holiday.” It’s still an affordable and meaningful way to thank employees and celebrate the gratitude of the Thanksgiving season.

Turkey Gift Certificates make Employees think of You as they Celebrate
A thoughtful gift of a Thanksgiving Turkey puts you as an employer, front and center as your employees celebrate this special holiday with family and friends. And that’s something to be grateful for.

It’s Not Too Late to Buy Your Employee Turkey Gift Certificates
Thanksgiving may be just a couple of weeks away, but there’s still plenty of time to share your seasonal holiday gratitude with employees. Simply order much-appreciated Turkey Gift Certificates from gThankYou!

More About Scrooge….On a related note, Harvard Business Review discusses “The Economic Legacy of Ebenezer Scrooge”  and Forbes names him No. 6 in the Forbes Fictional 15.

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

The gThankYou! Video features founder and Chief ThankYou! Officer, Rick Kiley.  Art work was developed by the wonderfully creative artist and illustrator Chris Gash.  And video production was adeptly managed by local favorite, Paul Ranola of Requisite Video.

We hope you enjoy our gThankYou! – “Learn More About Us Video”!  Please visit the gThankYouVideo YouTube Channel to share your comments (we hope you select “like” for the video), and send a link to friends, co-workers and others you think might be interested in learning more about gThankYou!

When you choose to thank employees, we hope you consider gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude.

To Learn More About Chris Gash:

• Chris Gash Blog & Website
• The New York Times:  Cancer’s Secrets Come Into Sharper Focus
• The New York Times: On The Road with Jo Sharkey

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts.  gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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You can find gThankYou! on the Chamber’s online Business Directory.

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts.  gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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“gThankYou! Fruits & Vegetables Gift Certificates are the thoughtful, healthy employee gift alternative” says Chief ThankYou! Officer, Rick Kiley.  “Companies are looking for ways to reward employees for making healthier choices.  Companies that invest in workplace health programs see less sick-days, increased productivity and lower health care costs as detailed by Industry Week.”

Interested in learning more about how your company rates as a Well Workplace?   Look into the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) for a whole range of free resources from sample interviews to case studies to incentive campaign ideas.

gThankYou! Fruits & Vegetables Gift Certificates can be redeemed for any Brands of fruits and vegetables, fresh, frozen or deli prepared, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S.  That means recipients choose what they want, when they want it at the store they choose.

gThankYou! Fruits & Vegetables Gift Certificates are perfect on their own as a thoughtful and healthy gift choice.  Combine them with other gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude, such as our popular Turkey or Ham Gift Certificates, add Pie and Ice Cream Gift Certificates and give a custom gift certificate gift of an entire holiday meal!

gThankYou! Enclosure Cards are  free with purchase of any variety of gThankYou! Gift Certificates.  gThankYou! Enclosure Cards can be customized with a Company’s personal message and logo.  Cards are available for all seasons and a variety of occasions.  Choose from Autumn Thanksgiving Enclosure Cards, Winter and Holiday Enclosure Cards, Spring and Summer Enclosure Cards, and many more!

Nearly all gThankYou! Gift Certificate orders ship the day they are received.

Show your gratitude today with gThankYou! Fruits & Vegetables Gift Certificates!

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts.  gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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“Pizza is a natural Employee Gift”, says Company Chief ThankYou! Officer, Rick Kiley.  “Everyone loves Pizza and it’s now easy to find great tasting frozen pizza at your local grocery store.  Pizza is fun to receive and fun to give!  With gThankYou Gift Certificates, employers can celebrate successes by creating an at-home pizza party for the whole company”.

gThankYou! Pizza Gift Certificates are most often used to reward work-groups and teams for a job well done, to throw an office party, or to thank all employees for their contributions to your business.

gThankYou! Pizza Gift Certificates can be redeemed for any Brand Pizza, fresh, frozen or in-store deli, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S.  That means recipients choose what they want, whether it’s a traditional favorite such as Digiorno, an organic variety such as Amy’s Kitchen, a gourmet pizza like California Pizza Kitchen, or a pizza pie from your local Kroger Deli, when they want it.

gThankYou! Enclosure Cards are  free with purchase of any variety of gThankYou! Gift Certificates.  gThankYou! Enclosure Cards can be customized with a Company’s personal message and logo.  Cards are available for all seasons and a variety of occasions.  Choose from Autumn Thanksgiving Enclosure Cards, Winter and Holiday Enclosure Cards, Spring and Summer Enclosure Cards, and many more!

Nearly all gThankYou! Gift Certificate orders ship the day they are received.

Show your gratitude today with gThankYou! Pizza Gift Certificates!

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts.  gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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In her now famous Wall Street Journal essay, “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior,” Yale Professor Chua describes (somewhat tongue in cheek, some argue) how kids in China –  and Korea and India among others – are driven to do so well in school and outperform kids in the U.S., for example.

For these parents, the reward is a good result, notes Chua:

“Once a child starts to excel at something—whether it’s math, piano, pitching or ballet—he or she gets praise, admiration and satisfaction. This builds confidence and makes the once not-fun activity fun. This in turn makes it easier for the parent to get the child to work even more.”

Blogging for ZDNet, Eileen Yu, who believes Chua’s sentiment was somewhat misunderstood, concludes that this kind of “tough love” method of pushing results would probably not work in every workplace:

“…the primary objective of any workplace [should be] to encourage and help employees realize the fullest of their potential, even if it may sometimes mean pushing them to their limits. “

How a manager accomplishes that for each employee is the tricky part. Success can breed success. Getting to the initial win could mean creating an environment that fosters success and rewards achievement. A simple thanks has been proven to get results according to reports including a survey by the staffing firm Accountemps, which found frequent recognition of accomplishments as the top way to reward employees.

Chua’s essay has sparked an important discussion about how to best facilitate  success, which includes fun take-offs like this from Edie Larson posted on Awl titled, “Why Minnesota Mothers Are Doing Pretty Good.” The parenting style can be summed up in this statement by Larson:

“If a Minnesota child gets a B, well, good for them! Room for improvement.”

In my mind, regardless of whether you’re a room-for-improvement style manager or succes- drives-success manager, rewards make a difference. Don’t forget to say thanks, no matter your style.

As another year comes to a close, it’s fitting to look back and share the best information we’ve found in the past year plus, a best practices of corporate gifting of sorts.

1. How to engage employees? Just add dirt! 
2. Gaining worker buy in by offering an office recess.
3. Making Thanks easy by lowering the transaction cost.
4. Timing is everything, except when it comes to workplace giving.
5. What to give: It’s truly the thought that counts.
6. Creating awareness with recognition.
7. Health and happiness through giving.
8. Recognition helps gain competitive advantage.
9. Giving builds customer loyalty.
10. Gifting is the best recruitment and retention tool.

More innovative corporate leaders are recognizing the value of Thanks Equity. You probably won’t find it on any P&L, but it does mean a lot to an organization’s health. Please share with us your stories of how workplace gifting helps your company.