Sample Employee Thank You Letters

Use These Sample Letters As a Guide When You Write Your Own

Thank you notes can be handwritten or sent by email. See the sample thank you letters.
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A thank you letter at work from a manager, supervisor, or coworker is a visible and highly regarded sign of appreciation. These sample thank you letters provide you with examples that you can adapt to use for your own workplace needs. Hopefully, they will guide you in your own efforts to thank and recognize employees.

As much as verbal recognition is a useful tool for thanking and rewarding your employees and coworkers at work, the power of the statement is amplified when it is also written down. Employees treasure and save thank you letters. So, adopt this positive habit. When a coworker performs effectively, don't just say, thank you. Write it down in a note or email.

Know the Key to Effective Employee Recognition?

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. They emphasize what you want to see the employee do more frequently.

Thank you letters are a powerful reinforcement and they encourage employees to know what you clearly expect from them for their success. 

They also provide information for your other employees. What—you didn't think Mary would share her very much appreciated thank you letter with her coworkers? Think again. Mary feels like a rock star when she receives your thank you letter.

While a thank you note from the employee's supervisor or manager is appreciated, a thank you note from the senior management level of your organization is cherished. Employees appreciate supervisory appreciation but they really like to see that their senior organization leaders appreciate their contribution, too. Even the fact that senior managers know about their contributions is recognition in and of itself.

You can handwrite these thank you letters on a notecard or stationery and a formal address is unnecessary. You can also email these notes to employees with the same morale-building results.

Thank You Letter Sample

This is a thank you letter example. Download the employee thank you letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Screenshot of a sample employee thank you letter
©TheBalance 2018

Thank You Letter Sample (Text Version)

September 18, 2018

Dear Katie,

Your team was rocking this quarter. You exceeded your own product development timeline by almost 30 days. This allows us to release the product almost a month early which gives us great traction before the spring buying season begins.

You'd be the first to tell me that it's the team's efforts that will allow us to early release. But, that team needed a leader to help keep them on track. You also do an excellent job of providing timely feedback and recognition to team members so they feel honored and recognized as members of your team.

People on your team feel important and appreciated. As a result, they work hard, have high morale, treat each other with respect, and accomplish amazing things. I wish that I had more team leaders who were as effective as you at team leadership.

In recognition of your team's contribution and success, let me know when you'd like to take half of a day off to participate together in a team-building/recognition event of your choice.

I want you to know that the senior team really appreciates your efforts on all of our behalves.

Sincerely,

Andrea Samson for the Senior Team

Sample Employee Thank You Note (Text Version)

Date

Hi Margaret,

Can't begin to tell you how much I appreciated that you went the extra mile to complete the customer data collection. Without knowing specifically what our customers need from our products, we are punting in the dark. We have lacked significant information in the past that we needed for informed decision making.

With the actual data you are supplying, instead of diverse employee opinions, that are often departmentally driven, we can make decisions about product features for our customers using their voice. They should drive up sales as we satisfy the needs of our customer base and appeal to new customers.

Without your efforts, we'd still be stuck with employee opinions ruling the day. This is not good. So, once again, You have truly contributed to our organization's success.

Regards,

George Brennan

Product Development Manager

Sample Employee Thank You Note (Text Version)

Date

Hey John,

Thanks so much for pitching in to debug the software product and helping us to meet our release date. Without your help, we couldn't have kept our commitment to management. I know that you had to let some of your own work slide to help us keep our commitment so we appreciate your willingness to help at such short notice.

The team couldn't be more grateful—I am thanking you on their behalf, too. If you ever find yourself in a jam, please feel free to call on us for help. We'll be there.

Sincerely,

Peter for the Comet Team

Thank You Notes Bottom Line

Thank you notes can range from formal to extremely simple. Make sure that they express exactly what you are thanking the recipient for doing. Maintain a friendly tone. Take the time to send many—they are part of your best magic to create employee engagement and positive morale in your workplace.