Thanksgiving is a national holiday to “give thanks, ” for our family, friends and anyone else who has led to our success.  Historically it has been a time to reflect upon the positive things in life and celebrate the bounty of the harvest and freedom in a new land.  Amid an uncertain world, it is a time to remember the sacrifices of others and relish the company of family members and friends.  As company leaders reflecting on the many blessings in life, make sure that this week you take a moment to appreciate your employees and the many talents they bring to not only your organization and the community.

It is also a good time to thank your employees.  Without your employees’ collective success, where would your organization be?  It is an ideal opportunity to recognize employees’ contributions—whether those are innovative ideas, long hours, travel or just showing up daily and getting the job done well.  Remember that motivation and competence drive performance, and appreciation in addition to compensation will motivate people to continue great work.  It’s an easy part of the motivation equation to do, and it will help to increase the engagement levels at your organization and will reinforce high performance.  Plus, no one minds receiving a compliment or a simple “thank you.”

Amid the celebrations and the delicious foods prepared this week and the coming, take a moment to appreciate those who have helped you to get where you are professionally.  It might come in the form of an e-mail, gift or phone call, or even time off or a lunch together, either as a group or one-on-one.  Giving thanks and employee engagement should be practiced year-round, but Thanksgiving is a special time to reflect.

Article by Scott Kiefer.