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Any occasion to build your rapport with your coworkers should be embraced with open arms. Particularly in the United States and Canada, Thanksgiving is an ideal national holiday to express the gratitude and thankfulness that you have towards your colleagues, regardless of whether it’s because they bring a sense of fun to the workplace or because they are always the epitome of efficiency and productivity.
The best Thanksgiving message to employees will be personal and individual, but here are some ideas to start you off.
1. Thanksgiving Messages for Boss/Manager
“Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we are grateful for, and I am incredibly grateful to have a boss who takes the time to help me learn and grow in my role. Wishing you all the best this holiday season.”
“Thank you for all the opportunities you have given me over the past year to demonstrate my leadership skills. I look forward to taking on more responsibilities in the future. Happy Thanksgiving!”
“I wanted to write a personal Thanksgiving message for the support you’ve provided me since I joined the business. Thank you for being a wonderful boss, and I hope you enjoy the time off with your family.
“This is just a brief message to express my warmest wishes to you and yours this Thanksgiving. You’re a brilliant boss who never ceases to inspire and motivate the team to greater heights.”
“Before we head off for Thanksgiving, I want to let you know just how much I value your advice and feedback as my manager. Your words have helped me to improve my work ethic and encouraged me to shoot for the moon.”
“The past year has been a steep learning curve for me, but your unwavering encouragement and patience has given me the confidence to succeed and thrive within the company. Thank you.”
2. Thanksgiving Message to Employees Who are Colleagues
“I’ve written this Thanksgiving message to faculty and staff because I wanted to say thank you to everyone for making this office such a supportive, fun place to work. Happy holidays, ladies and gentlemen!”
“Thanksgiving seems like the perfect opportunity for me to give thanks to all the people that make this office such an awesome place to work. Can’t wait to see what we can achieve together in the coming months.”
“This Thanksgiving message to colleagues gives me the chance to say how much I appreciate everyone's hard work this quarter. Go off and have a brilliant time with your families – you deserve it!”
“Happy Thanksgiving everyone! You are all such valued members of the team and it’s a pleasure working with you each and every day. Thank you for trusting in the management team to have your best interests at heart as well as helping us to bring the company to bigger and better successes.”
“Your performance as a team has been absolutely stellar over the past few months, enabling us to surpass our quota early. I couldn’t ask for better people to work with. Happy Thanksgiving!”
“Thanksgiving is a special time of year dedicated to spending time with your family, but I’m lucky enough to be able to spend the rest of the 12 months with my second family here in the office. Thank you, and happy holidays!”
3. Thanksgiving Message to Employees Who Are Friends
“Happy Thanksgiving to the person who keeps me sane when I have to deal with a particularly difficult client. Having such a supportive teammate has made working here so much more enjoyable, not to mention much less stressful.”
“Have a great time back home with your family. This might sound strange, but I am actually looking forward to coming back to the office so that we can get back to crushing it! Happy Thanksgiving.”
“This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful to work with someone who is as upbeat and enthusiastic as you. Every day is an adventure in the office thanks to your boundless creativity and sense of fun.”
“I hope you enjoy all the delicious Thanksgiving food this holiday has to offer. Don’t be afraid to bring some tasty leftovers back to the office to share with your favorite coworker!
“I’m so thankful that I’m still working with such a kind and caring colleague after all these years. Here’s to many more months of fellowship. Happy Friendsgiving!”
“I want to share with you this Thanksgiving some of the wisest words ever said in the history of humankind: ‘There is nothing better than a friend, unless it’s a friend with chocolate.’ Have a super holiday!”
4. Thanksgiving Message to Employees Who are Senior Colleagues
“I’m writing this Thanksgiving message for appreciation of all the times you’ve helped me when I’ve struggled to meet a deadline or had issues with the back-end system. You’re an inimitable inspiration when it comes to patience and kindness.”
“I want to take a moment this Thanksgiving to say how much I appreciate your high standards and insistence on attention to detail. Your rigorous attitude has helped me become better at my job and develop my skills to a much higher standard than would otherwise have been possible.”
“To a much-admired colleague this holiday season, I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. I am incredibly grateful to be working with someone who is so generous with their time and thoughtful in the way they express themselves within the workplace.”
“Thank you for your willingness to always listen to new ideas and consider alternative ways of working. Being able to spend this Thanksgiving with my family is largely down to your understanding around the benefits of remote working, and I greatly appreciate the support you have given me in trying to make this a permanent mode of employment.”
“The best part of Thanksgiving is getting to have a festive feast with my family. The second-best part is that it gives me the opportunity to express how much I enjoy working with you. While some people struggle with figuring out what to say in a Thanksgiving message, I’ve got it simplified to two words: thank you.”
“You never cease to be a beacon of sense and sensibility in the workplace environment. This Thanksgiving, I’m grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to observe and learn from you.”
5. Funny Thanksgiving Message to Employees who are Colleagues
“Many people have mentioned what a brilliant team player you’ve been over the past few months. I hope you continue giving them pumpkins to talk about over the next few months, too."
“My family told me to stop telling Thanksgiving jokes, but I said I couldn't quit cold turkey. That’s why I’m recycling all my best lines for you this holiday season. Happy Turkey Day!"
“Here’s hoping there’s much ado about stuffing around your Thanksgiving table this year. And always remember: it's all fun and games until you have to unbutton your pants.”
“I yam so thankful for all the hard work you’ve put in over the past quarter. There's nothing butter than seeing your commitment and dedication when it comes to achieving your KPIs – and I’m sure we ain’t seen stuffing yet.”
“Mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole. There’s always more than one side to the story! Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving.”
“Sorry my Thanksgiving puns are so corny, but I have to say that stuffing compares to you. Don’t let the holidays gobble up your sanity, just keep the gourd times rolling. Eat, drink, and cranberry!”
6. FAQs
- How Do You Wish Someone a Professional Thanksgiving?
Sending a Thanksgiving message to employees can be lighthearted while still remaining within the confines of professional etiquette. Especially if it’s a CEO message to employees on Thanksgiving, err on the side of caution when it comes to sending out your holiday greetings.
- Can You Say Happy Thanksgiving at Work?
It’s always important to be sensitive to the feelings of your employees. While an overtly Christian Thanksgiving message to employees might be considered questionable, the general rule of thumb is that the holiday is so quintessentially American, that it’s unlikely to cause offense if you wish someone a happy Thanksgiving. If in doubt, stick to the tried and true ‘happy holidays.’
