Thank-You Letter To Your Boss (With Examples)

When you are lucky enough to get an amazing boss, it’s essential to let them know they are appreciated. They have the power to make or break your career. If your manager goes out of their way to mentor you, recognize you, and give you important projects, it’s important to show your gratitude.

If you want to show that gratitude, but aren’t sure how, we have some tips and examples of how to send a thank-you letter to your boss.

Key Takeaways

• Everyone loves a nice “thank you” or a “high five.” Your boss is no exception.

• It doesn’t take long to write a thank-you letter, but the gesture goes a long way.

• Sending thank-you letters can help build relationships and help with your career.

Benefits of Having a Great Boss

When you have a nice boss, it makes work so much more enjoyable.

• You want to work harder.

• You are excited about the work you do.

• Work is more meaningful.

• Great leaders that help you grow in your skills too.

• You feel understood and supported.

• Provide a great example to follow.

• Thoughtful ways to recognize you for your accomplishments.

• You feel supported professionally and personally, too.

When to Send a Thank-You Note to Your Boss

• If they do you a personal favor. This could include anything from letting you leave early, giving you extra days off or helps you out with something outside of work. Sending a letter for any of these things can show your appreciations with their help.

• If they gave you a promotion or raise. While the raise itself came from the company, your boss probably advocated and couched for why you deserve the raise.

• If they help you out with something. This could be anything from a work project or helping you solve a problem.

• If they announce they are leaving the company. This happens from time to time and it can be a good idea to show your appreciation for all that they did. This is especially important if you loved your boss.

What is the Best Way to Send a Thank-You Note to Your Boss

The kind of thank-you note you send depends a bit on the closeness of your relationship and the way you feel they will receive the message.

• Handwritten notes. By far, the best way to send a note of appreciation is a handwritten note. There’s something so heartfelt about seeing words of kindness in a card. It feels personal and special. Plus, they can save your note for something to look back at later for memory’s sake.

• Email. Sending a thank-you note to your boss via email is less formal, but means that they will get it right away in their inbox. Because it’s less formal, it’s best to send a thank you email for a smaller gift or act of kindness.

• Text. It’s best to save a texted thank-you for a message that is short and more personal. It’s more appropriate for small gifts or acts of kindness. Such as “Thanks for buying coffee today. I appreciate it.” Sometimes you can send a text as an immediate thank you and follow up with a handwritten note.

• Letter. Writing a thank you letter allows you to take time and say things precisely in the way you’d like. It’s something your boss can hold onto. Sending it snail mail has more impact than setting it on your boss’s desk.

What to Include in a Thank-You Note

Acknowledging your boss is a nice thing to do. But it can also be a little intimidating.

You wonder what to write. What is proper etiquette? Should the message be lighthearted or more serious? Does it sound sincere and thoughtful? When do I send it?

So if you are ready to show your gratitude, it’s important to know what to include in your thank-you note. Here are the key parts of a thank-you note.

• Greeting.

• What you liked or how you benefited from your boss’s actions.

• Conclude with a heartfelt sentiment of thanks.

• Signature.

Proper manners are to send a thank-you card within a few days after receiving a gift or attending an event.

Example Thank-You Notes to Your Boss

Sometimes it’s hard to find the right words to express your sentiments. We’ve created message templates to use in thank-you cards for your manager. Below are some message ideas to help you pen a thank you card that your boss will love.

1. Kindness. Is your boss an all-around good guy or gal who is treating you to acts of kindness and special privileges?

   • Favors: tickets to the game, dinner, concert.

     Thank you so much for generously giving us your tickets to the Bulls game on Saturday. It’s a shame that you couldn’t go, but it made our day. We had an incredible time and truly appreciated the gesture.

   • Gifts.

     You are the BEST boss! I am so excited about the Alexa Echo you gave me for my 5th anniversary. My kids are having a blast asking her to tell them jokes! Thank you for this cool gift. Thank you so much.

   • Contributions for a cause.

     Thank you for your donation to the annual Celebrity Golf Tournament for The Helping Hands Network. I appreciate your kindness and your helping us to make a difference for young adults with special needs. Because of your donation, we were able to enrich the lives of people with disabilities in their partner communities through quality recreation services.

   • Attendance of an event.

     I was so happy that you came to my son’s Bar Mitzvah! Our family appreciates your kindness. My son’s day was even more special because you were there to join us. And thank you for the savings bond for my son.

2. Support. Has your boss taken you under his wing in helping to develop your skills in the workplace?

   • Mentorship and guidance.

     I just wanted to let you know how much your guidance and mentorship has meant to me over the years. I have learned so much about what it takes to succeed in this business because of you. Thank you.

   • Support in tough times.

     I wanted to thank you for being so understanding after my father passed away. Being able to take some time off has made it easier. Thanks again for your encouragement and support. It means more than you know.

   • Introductions.

     Thank you so much for putting me in touch with your friend Barry Jones. We connected early last week, and he gave me the name of a great big and tall shop for men’s suits. Thanks again for passing his name along.

   • Compliments.

     Thanks so much for your compliment about my leadership on the Hamaguchi project. I put a lot of work into that. It means a lot to know you feel that way. Thanks.

3. Career support. Did your boss give you a big break that let you shine? When you prove yourself, you can get raises and promotions.

   • Opportunities.

     Thank you so much for assigning me to the Brady project. I was excited to help them develop a multi-year strategic roadmap enabling them to perform more informed decision making. It meant a lot that you believed in me and gave me this opportunity. I look forward to planning and executing more IT projects in the future. I promise to make you proud in future endeavors.

   • Promotion.

     Thanks so much for my recent promotion. I am excited to take on the role of a partner with the firm. I appreciate you putting your trust in me. I promise to make you proud!

   • Raise or bonuses.

     Thank you so much for the bonus. It means so much to me. Thanks for always looking out for your employees and rewarding them for hard work. You are the best!

   • References.

     I appreciate you being a reference for me in my job search. I know how busy you are, but the fact that you are taking time to speak with companies I am interviewing with means so much. Thanks again.

   • Interview.

     Thank you very much for the opportunity to interview for the senior management position yesterday. I enjoyed speaking with you. Again, thank you for your time and consideration.

4. Other occasions.

   • Birthday.

     Happy Birthday to someone who makes this company great. I appreciate all that you do.

   • Anniversary.

     Thanks for the thoughtful anniversary gift. We loved the gift card to Antonio’s Restaurant. All the food, appetizers, and drinks were amazing. Thanks again for making our wedding anniversary very special.

   • Funeral.

     Thank you for the gorgeous flower arrangement for my Grandfather John’s funeral. They were so thoughtful, and we appreciate your support through everything.

   • Thanksgiving.

     I am not only thankful to work for such a great company, but appreciate having such a wonderful boss like you. Happy Thanksgiving.

   • Happy Holidays.

     Happy holidays to a boss who makes our workplace such a great place!

   • New Years.

     Working with a boss like you is my dream come true. I wish you the best throughout the coming year! Happy New Year!

Thank-You Letter FAQ

• How do you start a thank-you note?

  When you start a thank-you note, your first sentence should thank them explicitly for a specific action. An example would be “I am so thankful for…” or “I want you to know how much I value you…”

• How do you end a thank-you letter?

  The best way to end a thank-you note would be any of the following:

  • Best Regards.

  • Gratefully.

  • Many thanks.

• How do you say thank-you professionally?

  When you say thank you professionally, you can say something like this: “Thank you very much” or “My sincere appreciation/thanks.”

Final Thoughts

It makes a difference to have someone who believes in you. Having a great boss can inspire you to be your best. When your boss goes above and beyond, thanking them shows how much you genuinely appreciate them.

If you have a great boss, take a few minutes today to express your appreciation with a thank-you note.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.