Writing a Thank You Note to Your Boss

Often we get so caught up in our hectic schedules and work pressures that we forget to take out a moment to appreciate the people who have helped us and encouraged us at work. Although typically all bosses at work have a stern aura around them, behind this façade, most of them are compassionate mentors and facilitators who lead a team towards the goal. If you want to thank your boss for the much-awaited appraisal, or your selection on a particular project or simply for his constant encouragement and support, this article will help you in writing a thank you note to your boss.

When/Why should I write a thank you note to my boss?

When exactly are you supposed to say thank-you? Well, the answer is pretty simple - say thank you when you know in your heart that your boss has helped you, encouraged you, inspired you or simply been a positive influence in your life. If you are not sure when you could write a thank-you note to your boss, here are some situations, which call for a thank-you from your side:

• Your boss assigns you an important project, which you are excited to work on, and which will mean a big boost to your career in terms of progress and job satisfaction.
• Your boss applauds you for your efforts and congratulates you on having performed beyond his/her expectations.
• There was a family emergency. Your boss not only granted you the leave but also tackled the important client meetings that you were supposed to attend.
• Your boss has granted you the resources, which you demanded for a particular project at work.
• It is time for you to leave your company and thank your boss for the wonderful work experience you had.

Writing a thank you note to your boss

Remember, your boss is not only your mentor at work, but is a person who is instrumental in shaping your career. A gesture of gratitude will help to convey the message that you appreciate the encouragement and support that your boss offers you. Writing a thank-you note to your boss is obviously different from writing a thank-you note to your friend or even your colleague at work. Obviously it cannot be as informal as a letter written to your friend and it shouldn’t be as rigid as business writing. Here are the dos and don’ts that you need to keep in mind while writing the thank-you note to your boss:

Stationery to be used: Do not use stationery that is over-the-top like glitter pens or fancy letter pads. Use a simple and clean paper. Although a thank-you note is supposed to convey your emotions, it still has to retain certain elements of a formal document.

Write it or Type it?: Although a handwritten note is an affectionate gesture, bad handwriting can ruin the effect so write it yourself if you have a legible handwriting. In case you decide to print your thank-you note make sure to use a regular font instead of a fancy font.

Addressing the Boss: The way you want to address your boss depends on the kind of working relationship you share. If you address your boss by her/his first name, feel free to do so in the letter, but if you call him/her as Mr. XYZ or Mrs. XYZ, use the same in the thank-you note.

Length of the Thank-you Note: Keep the thank-you note short and sweet. Don’t expect your boss to read extensively long thank-you letters from the subordinates. However, make sure that you don’t make it too short either. Write about why you want to thank you boss.

Closing Line: Again, this depends on your working relationship. If the usual interaction is quite informal, then you can end it with ‘Appreciate it’, ‘Thanks a ton’ or if you want something more formal - end it with a formal ‘Thank you’, followed by ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Respectfully yours’.

A simple gesture of appreciation can help to improve the work relationships. At the end of the day, we are all people and everyone likes to be appreciated for his or her efforts.