ALT-1 Ways of saying thanks to Office Colleagues
We often forget that our office colleagues help so much during our working lives. It is easy to forget, when everyone is praising you for a good job, the advice, or help, that a colleague gave, or the fact that, when you were at your wit’s end, she cheerfully covered your shift, for you, at very short notice. If you thank a colleague for help, or advice, you can always ask a favour again, but it can be difficult to acknowledge the good deed, without putting an obligation on your colleague, or going overboard.
There are many small ways that you can thank a colleague, and let them know that you were truly grateful for their act. You could simply say thank-you.
Buy a card, not a hackneyed commercial thank-you card, one that has a suitable picture on the front, but is blank inside, for you to write your own message of gratitude.
Is there some small thing that your colleague particularly likes? If your workmate is fond of chocolate, you could buy a special bar of chocolate, or a small box of chocolates from a chocolatier. If your female colleague always wears pretty ornaments in her hair, perhaps you could buy her one.
Does your colleague have children? Perhaps you could get a small voucher for the local hamburger restaurant towards a family outing. If your friend has a particular interest, maybe a voucher towards something to do with that interest, for example, a crafter might appreciate a ticket to the local big craft exhibition, or a film buff might like a ticket for the local cinema. You could take your colleague out to lunch, or pay for their canteen meal.
Another way to thank your colleague, is simply to thank them at the time of their act, and keep it in mind. Then, when you have a chance to, return the favour. If your workmate helped you with a difficult task, help them with a task. If they took the load, when you were feeling over-whelmed, then do the same for them. If your colleague covered a shift for you, at short notice, because of a domestic crisis, cover a shift for them. Repaying a favour means that you can ask again, and helps fuel the collegiate atmosphere in the office.
Collaboration is necessary in office life, and there are times when everyone needs a little help, advice, or support. Acknowledging the help, advice, and support of our colleagues helps us to remember that we rarely complete any job without them.
