Looking for a fairly easy and inexpensive way to build morale at the workplace?

Consider setting up office Appreciation Stations!

Here’s how it works. You set up a box with a slot along with thank you notes and envelopes in your common areas and/or office break rooms and invite all employees to take time out to thank those colleagues who really help them out at work. The thank yous can be for anything: mentoring, training, pitching in during busy times, or just for being a really good co-worker.

Ideally the event lasts a week or so during the time cards are collected. Thank you notes are then delivered (by HR, the managers or someone else “official” to everyone who received them.

Often times half the battle of writing someone a really nice note getting the card itself and then addressing & mailing it — so this meaningful activity takes care of those components.

It’s recommended that you pick up cards on a daily basis and store them – just to ensure privacy of everyone involved. Also, if you have a large company and people may get more than a few cards, you can distribute more than once throughout the process. Finally, when your event has concluded, keep your supplies because this is an event that can easily be repeated the following year. Want to increase participation? Put some snacks near the stations and invite participants to help themselves to a snack after they’ve written their thank you notes.

The steps to this event & supplies are as follows.

Supplies:

Greeting card box with a slot like this one.

A mixed collection of thank you notes.

An acrylic holder for the thank you notes like this one.

A sign holder. This one holds 8 ½ x 11 computer paper.

Steps:

Determine who will handle the roles for this activity – communicating the event, putting out the stations, collecting cards, restocking stations if needed, delivering cards & clean up/take-down.

Create your instructional sign. See our photo for ideas on wording.

Prepare an all-company email/Intranet announcement. Be sure to include the who, what, when, where & why components.

Place your stations.

Check your stations daily (card pickup and restocking if needed).

Deliver the cards!

Here’s an idea for the copy of the email announcement:

Each day we come to work, we are honored to serve our [clients/customers/patients] using our skills and talents. We all play a role in assisting those who count on us for [business purpose].

It’s also important to recognize that as colleagues, we serve one another – whether it’s helping with an urgent task, providing support, mentoring/training, or even a kind word and a smile to start the day…

Beginning (START DATE), we will be placing “Appreciation Stations” in the [breakrooms/coffee areas/commons areas/etc]. The stations will consist of thank you cards, envelopes, pens and a collection box. Please take time out to stop and write out a note of thanks to a fellow member of the [company name] family who has positively impacted you. Remember to put their first and last name on the envelope and then deposit the card into the box provided.

We’ll take care of delivery.

Join us in an attitude of gratitude – (Start date) through (End date)!

 

Good luck with your activity and remember us when it’s time for new office furniture. We have new, used, and refurbished cubicles, desks, chairs, and much more.