How To Write A Thank You Note To A Colleague (With Examples)

When you work at a company, you rarely accomplish much on your own. Whether someone teaches you a new skill, helps you meet a deadline, or simply does their part on a group project, your coworkers will come through for you throughout your career.

Taking the time to send a thank you note when this happens is a valuable habit to get into, as it builds relationships with your coworkers and is just a polite thing to do.

In this article, you’ll learn why it’s a good idea to send a thank you note to a colleague as well as tips for writing one. We’ve also included some examples of notes of appreciation to help you get ideas for your own.

Why Send a Thank You Note to a Colleague?

Sometimes it’s impossible to get all of your work done without your colleagues’ help, and it’s essential to recognize that. If someone helps you out, it’s good practice to thank them for their assistance. Even if you verbally thank your co-worker for their help, you should still follow up with a more formal appreciation letter.

Imagine if you helped a co-worker cross the finish line on a big project. Wouldn’t you like to receive a bit of recognition and a thank you for your work?

You don’t have to write a big, fancy, handwritten letter. You can keep it short and sweet as long as you express your gratitude for their help.

It doesn’t take much time to write an appreciative note, so it’s a good idea to get into the practice of sending them. Your colleagues will appreciate that you noticed their work, and they’ll look at you positively. It’s a good step in improving your workplace relationships and getting to know your colleagues. Plus, your teammates might be more willing to help you out in the future.

How to Write a Thank You Note to a Colleague

While there’s no single way to write an appreciation letter at work, there are a few tips you should follow to stay professional. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you work on your thank you letter.

• Pick a suitable format. It’s up to you to decide how you want to thank a colleague, but remember you have a few options. Both email and a written letter can be great ways to thank someone, depending on the situation.

• Call the recipient out. Make sure you identify who you’re writing to so that the recipient knows it’s a thank-you for their work. Whether you’re writing a letter or an email, remember to address the person you’re thanking instead of just sending a message with no heading.

• Tell them what you’re thankful for. Sometimes you can get so caught up in writing an appreciation letter that you forget to mention what you’re thankful for. Just add a sentence or two about what you’re thanking your co-worker for to make your appreciation more clear.

• Compliment their talents. It’s a good idea to mention how your colleague’s specific talents helped you complete your project. If they helped you edit a report, you could specifically note that their expert editing skills helped you wow your boss.

• Mention any feedback. Sometimes the projects you collaborate with your teammates on get reviewed by supervisors or management. If you get any positive feedback from their review that involves your friend’s work, definitely mention it in your letter.

• Look forward to the future. If you enjoyed working with your colleague, you could mention that you’re excited to work together again in the future. It will clarify that you appreciated their work and are willing to work with them again in the future.

• Offer your help. Collaboration isn’t a one-way street, and you should offer your help to your co-worker in your appreciation letter. It’s a way to pay them back for their support, and it creates an opportunity to work with them again.

• Make it personal. Don’t be afraid to include personal details or mention specifics about your relationship. Go ahead and say you’re happy you finally had the chance to work with this person if you’ve never worked with them before.

• Use a handwritten signature. If you can, include your handwritten signature instead of just an email sign off or your name. It will make the letter more personal, which is precisely what you want for an appreciation note.

Sample Thank You Notes

Now that you know the basics, let’s take a look at some examples of appreciation letters. We’ve drafted templates for written letters and email notes so you can see both in use.

Remember that your note should include four sections. First, address your co-worker and put their name in the heading of your letter. Next, you should mention why you’re writing to them and what you’re thankful for. Then, elaborate on what they did that helped you or impressed you. Feel free to bring in specific and personal details here. Finally, you should say how their help impacted your team or the broader company and thank them again. You can sign off with your signature after this section.

When to Say Thank You to a Coworker

There are a few different situations when it would be a good idea to send out an appreciation letter or letters.

1. When you’re working on a project one-on-one with someone. If you work closely with someone on a project, you should consider sending a quick appreciation note to that person once you’re finished.

   It doesn’t need to be long: You can simply thank them for their help or guidance and let them know that you enjoyed working with them.

2. When your team reaches a goal or finishes a project. If you’re working on a team, you can send out a group letter or email to thank everyone for their help in reaching your goal.

   You can include specific call-outs here, like thanking your team leader for their guidance. You could also just note that you appreciate everyone going above and beyond to meet your deadline, or whatever you’re thanking them for.

3. When someone mentors or trains you. If someone takes the time to train you on new software or mentor you, you should send an appreciation letter, especially when you’re a new employee.

   Writing a thank you note will show that you learned from them and appreciate their time and mentorship. It’ll also make them thankful that the company hired a thoughtful new employee.

4. When someone recommends you for a promotion. When someone writes you a letter of recommendation or otherwise assists you with getting a new job, promotion, or even a raise, it’s appropriate to write a thank you note.

   It doesn’t need to be long, but taking the time to express your gratitude is a gracious thing to do and will strengthen that relationship.

5. When someone gives you a gift. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to forget that you should write your coworkers a thank you note after they give you a gift or throw you a party.

6. When you or someone else is leaving their position. When you leave your coworkers for a new job, consider writing them thank you notes to express your appreciation for your time together. You can thank them for their friendship, their hard work, and how they impacted your career, and ask them to keep in touch.

   Similarly, when someone else leaves the company or your department, you might want to write them a quick note thanking them for their work and letting them know that they will be missed.

How to Send Your Thank You Note

When you’re planning how to send your thank you note, there are a few factors you’ll need to think through.

1. Sending it as an email or handwritten note. When you send your appreciation letter, you can either send an email or leave a nice handwritten note for your recipient.

   Emails are faster, so you should make sure you send an email to them within 24 to 48 hours of receiving their help if you choose this route. Since letters take a little more time to draft, you could deliver an appreciation letter to your coworker within a week of working with them.

   When deciding between a letter and an email, think about the work your colleague did for you, your relationship with them, and how big of a gesture you want to make.

   Emails can be a no-fuss way to quickly thank a colleague for their assistance, while a handwritten thank you note is a little more personal and shows extra effort when you want to show your appreciation for someone’s indispensable support.

2. Writing it to an individual or group. Sometimes you need to thank a group of people, and it can be tricky to decide whether to send a group message or individual notes.

   The answer to this often depends on how closely you work with them and they work with each other. If you’re thanking a group of coworkers who all work in the same office for the gift they gave you, you can write a card and have them pass it around.

   If you’re thanking your core team for their work on a project, a group email where you recognize each individual might be the perfect way to say thank you.

   When there are a few people who stood out to you or went above and beyond on a project, writing individual notes is a great idea. This way you can share how much their work meant to you in a more personal and impactful way.

FAQs

1. How do you express gratitude to colleagues?

   You express gratitude to colleagues by writing a thank you note. You can do this via email or handwritten note and send it to a group of people or an individual. Whatever method you choose though, taking the time to formally say thank you for specific things you appreciate is a good habit to get into.

2. How do you write a thank you letter to a colleague?

   You write a thank you letter to a colleague by sending an email or handwritten note that specifies what you appreciate about them or their work. Your thank you letter doesn’t need to be very long or flowery, but it does need to be specific.

   Name exactly what you’re thanking the person for, and if you can, share the positive results of their actions with them.

   Close with a note about how you hope to work together again and that you’d love to return the favor at some point, and sign your name. Then you can send the email or deliver the note, and your work is done.

3. How do you say thank you professionally?

   You say thank you professionally by writing a thank you note or email. In that note or email, you can include phrases such as, “Thank you for your meticulous work,” “I truly enjoyed working with you,” and “I deeply appreciate you taking the time to help me learn our new software.”

   Being specific and personal while still professional is key to saying thank you to a colleague. You should also make sure you send your note within a week of the project ending to make sure the recipient knows you appreciate them.

Author

Amanda Covaleski

Amanda is a writer with experience in various industries, including travel, real estate, and career advice. After taking on internships and entry-level jobs, she is familiar with the job search process and landing that crucial first job. Included in her experience is work at an employer/intern matching startup where she marketed an intern database to employers and supported college interns looking for work experience.