The most wonderful time of the year is here. Like many holiday seasons, it’s a time for hustle and bustle in business. Entrepreneurs are focused on reaching Q4 goals while simultaneously thinking of resolutions for the New Year. However, this year’s holiday season is quietly unique. It’s the last holiday season of the decade.
It feels a little bit surreal to write that sentence. It’s also exciting to think about the New Year, and new decade, looming before us. Thinking about the next decade to come has drastically shifted my mindset over the last few weeks. I’m focused on reaching certain goals with my business and setting new goals, of course. But, I’m choosing not to exist in “holiday survival” mode. Instead, I’m reflective of milestones achieved over the last decade in business and grateful for what’s to come.
Through it all, I have been fortunate enough to work with an amazing team. Their hard work has allowed us to achieve our goals and be successful. Maybe you’ve been in business for the past decade, or maybe you became a small business owner this year. No matter how long you’ve been an entrepreneur, you can express your gratitude to the team in simple, but meaningful, ways.
Plan fun events for the office.
Tis the season to have fun! As you focus on wrapping up miscellaneous tasks before the year ends, don’t forget to enjoy the holidays in the workplace. Plan a few winter-themed activities, games, and snacks for everyone to enjoy.
Say “thank you” every day.
One of the best ways you can show you are thankful for anyone, whether they’re an employee, partner, or customer, is pretty simple. Say thank you — and ideally, do it on a daily basis! Praise team members for their achievements, check in with everyone you work with and ask how they spent their weekends, and greet everyone in the morning with a friendly hello. You can never say it enough!
Offer to be a reference.
A lot can change in business throughout the course of the year. As new hires onboard to the company, a few outstanding team members may depart for other opportunities. Express your gratitude by offering to provide a recommendation or act as a reference in the future.
Write a personalized letter or email.
I like to wrap up the year with a “year-in-review” for our team. This message shines a light on all we have accomplished in the last 365 days. It also highlights each individual and their contributions. Writing a personalized letter or email is a great way to express your gratitude because it is so specific. It doesn’t need to be long, either. A few sentences thanking each individual and expressing how happy you are to work with them goes a long way in making employees feel valued and special. They’ll probably hang on to it and reread it whenever they need a little boost. (I know I do this with kind notes!)