Thank You Letters Are a Powerful Form of Employee Reward and Recognition
Follow-up Letter on Pay Raise after Probation Period Dear HR Manager, In our interview ten months ago, I was told that I would receive a salary increase of $560 after my six-month probation period. As of this date, the increase has not yet been reflected on my payslip. Thanking the Caterer after the Wedding; Thank you Letter to Employer for. At the end of the probationary period. As the probationary period nears its conclusion, you will need to decide whether you wish to retain the new employee or not – and if so, what other steps may need to be taken. Download an unsuccessful probation letter template (which also explains the process involved).
A thank you letter from an employee's supervisor is a treasured form of positive recognition. After all, who knows better than the supervisor about the employee's job performance? So, no one is in a better position to write a thank you letter than the supervisor or manager who knows the employee's performance the best.
The reality, unfortunately, is that employee recognition is often irregularly offered in workplaces. This is partially because supervisors question why a thank you letter is necessary. After all, in the majority of instances, the employee is just doing a good job at their job. Why do you need to thank an employee for doing their job?
This attitude belies the fact that employees can perform on many different levels of effectiveness while just doing their job. The supervisor has a terrific opportunity to recognize the employees who are performing at a higher level.
This differentiation among employees is significant if the manager wants to have a rationale for providing pay raises, bonuses, promotions and other sought-after rewards for performance.
Since an employee thank you or recognition letter is such a powerful tool, it also serves the supervisor as a method for communicating the actions that the supervisor wants to reinforce. In this way, the employee learns what the supervisor wants from him.
Here are two sample thank you letters that a supervisor might write to praise an employee. Use these sample thank you letters as templates or guides for your own supervisory thank you letters.
Remember that the key to effective employee recognition and thank you letters from supervisors, beyond your fundamental thankfulness, is to reinforce behavior that you'd like to see the employee continue.
You can hand write this thank you letter on a note card and a formal address is unnecessary.
Employee Thank You Letter Samples
This is the first example of an employee thank you letter. Download the thank you letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.
Download the Word Template
Employee Thank You Letter Samples (Text Version
September 1, 2018
Tom Lee
Shift Lead
Jones Corporation
123 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 54321
Shift Lead
Jones Corporation
123 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 54321
Dear Tom,
I can't thank you enough for your willingness to take on the extra overtime hours this month. July is such a heavy time for vacations that staffing the line is difficult in a good year.
The only way we made it through July this year, with several people sick, and all of the scheduled vacations, was because of you. So, once again, I am grateful and appreciate your willingness to go the extra mile.
I can't do a lot for you, but as a token of our gratitude for your voluntary overtime work, enclosed is a $50.00 gift certificate to the grocery store at which you've mentioned shopping in the past. I wish that I could do more to thank you.
![Letter Letter](/uploads/1/2/5/2/125279898/286064411.jpg)
I want you to know that we really appreciate your efforts on our behalf.
Sincerely,
George Sampson
This is the second example thank you letter from the supervisor.
Date
Hi Toni,
This note is to thank you for doing an outstanding job in collecting the data the department needed to determine the features our customers most wanted in the new product release. Yes, I know your job is data collection and analysis, but you really stepped up on this project.
The new process you used to collect the customer feedback gives me confidence that we've done the best job possible to identify the right features. The product team has also expressed their satisfaction with your new collection method.
I've never seen them so interested in implementing features recommended by marketing. This is a big plus for our whole department. So, thanks once again. I really appreciate your top notch efforts on behalf of our department.
Sincerely,
Mary Swanson
Summary
Hopefully, you will use the recommendations in this article and the two sample thank you letters as guides when you write your own thank you letters. Never forget how important they are in employee recognition and in reinforcing the actions you'd most like to see from the employees who report to you. Why not give it a chance?
Samples Thank You Letters for the Workplace
- Introduction
- Resignation Basics
- Dos and Don'ts
- Telling Your Boss
- Writing Your Resignation
- What to Include
- Formatting Your Letter
- General Examples
- Timing Your Resignation
- Two Weeks Notice
- Short Notice
- 24 Hours Notice
- Immediate Resignation
- Explaining Your Resignation
- New Job Opportunity
- Back to School
- Health Issues
- Career Change
- Retirement
- Family Reasons
- Pregnancy
- Spouse Relocation
- Leaving a Temporary Job
- Contractors and Clients
- Part-Time Job
- Volunteer
- Internship
Letters of Resignation Asking to Leave With Little Notice
When you resign from a job, it is considered standard to give your employer two weeks notice before you depart from your position. It will give your manager time to plan for your departure, begin the hiring process, and make sure that your responsibilities are covered.
It will also allow you to wrap up current projects, or make arrangements to transfer your responsibilities to a colleague or your replacement.
Unfortunately, sometimes it’s just not possible to provide the standard two weeks notice. Perhaps you have a personal emergency, or work conditions are intolerable, and you have to leave immediately. However, make sure you consider the pros and cons of resigning without two weeks notice before deciding to leave.
Your employer will appreciate as much notice as you can give, so do let him or her know as soon as you are sure you will be leaving.
If you need to resign with short notice, review the sample resignation letters below. One is in the form of a business letter. The other is in the form of an email.
Resignation Letter Sample – Short Notice
Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email
Your Address
Your City, State Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email
Date
Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Title
Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:
Please accept this letter as formal notification that I am resigning from my position with ABCD Company on Friday, November 9, 2018. I understand that two weeks notice is standard; however, personal circumstances require that I leave my position at this company by the end of this week.
I am glad to provide any assistance I can during this transition.
Thank you for the opportunities for professional and personal development that you have provided me during the last five years.
I have enjoyed working for the agency and appreciate the support provided me during my tenure with the company.
Sincerely,
Your Signature (hard copy letter)
Your Typed Name
Emailed Resignation Letter Sample – Short Notice
Subject: Resignation Effective December 28, 2018
Dear Bob,
Please accept this letter as my resignation from ABC Company. Unfortunately, due to health reasons, I won't be able to provide the standard two weeks notice. My last day at the company will be next Friday, December 28, 2018.
I apologize for the short notice. I've enjoyed working together tremendously, and have learned so much from your management. Please let me know what I can do in the next few days to help ease the transition.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely,
Samuel
Writing Tips
Tell your manager that you are quitting in person, over the phone, or in an email. Telling your manager in person first is ideal. However, whichever way you choose, it's a good idea to then write a formal letter of resignation, which the company can add to your employee file. Here are some strategies to keep in mind when you're writing your letter of resignation:
- Write It in a Business Letter Format: Because this is an official letter that will go into your employee file, you should follow business letter formatting rules. In the top left corner of the letter, include your contact information, the date, and your employer’s contact information. End the letter with your handwritten signature, and your typed name below.
- State the Date of Resignation: In the first paragraph, state the date that you will be leaving your job. This is the most important piece of information in your letter, so you should include it as soon as possible in the letter.
- Keep It Short: Don't feel like you need to provide a tremendous amount of detail. The most important thing is to mention your last day in office.
- Explain Why You Are Resigning – If Appropriate: Should you tell your boss why you are leaving so quickly? It depends on your reason – if you are providing short notice because you're unhappy at the job or dislike your manager or colleagues, do not share those details. However, if there are outside circumstances, such as a health crisis, sharing your reasons may help your employer feel sympathetic. Remember, whenever possible, it's best to avoid burning bridges in the workplace. However, again, keep your letter short – you do not need to go into all of the little details.
- Say Thank You: In the same spirit of ending your relationship with your employer on good terms, express your gratitude for the opportunities you've had in the position. Even if you have not had the greatest experience at the company, a brief “thank you” is often much appreciated.
- Offer to Help During the Transition (Optional): Providing assistance during the transition is not required but is a common courtesy to extend. However, if your personal circumstances will prevent you from helping out in any way, you do not need to include this.
- Edit, Edit, Edit: Be sure to thoroughly read through your letter before sending it. Look for any spelling or grammar errors. Consider asking a friend or family member to read over the letter as well. Remember that you want to leave a positive impression on the company – a well written, well-edited resignation letter will help you do that.
Email Writing Tips
You can also choose to send your resignation notice by email. It is especially a good idea if you have to alert your employer to your resignation as soon as possible. Even if you resign via email, though, you might consider sending a follow-up letter by mail for your employee file.
Read below for some tips on how to send your email message:
Use a Clear Subject Line: The subject line should clearly convey your purpose for writing so that your employer reads it right away. You might include your name as well. For example, your subject line might read “Firstname Lastname – Notice of Resignation,” or “Firstname Lastname – Resignation on March XX, 20XX.”
Keep It Short. Just like a resignation letter, you want to keep your email short. Simply state that you are resigning, include the date you are leaving, and add a brief thank you and offer of assistance during the transition (if possible).
Edit, Edit, Edit: People tend to forget to proofread emails like they would a written letter. Just like a resignation letter, be sure to read through your email for any spelling or grammar errors. Also, make sure the font is large enough and easy to read.
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- Resignation Letter Sample
- Writing Tips