How To Create a Thank-You Message for Colleagues

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated 12 December 2022

Published 21 July 2021

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

At some point in your professional life, you may want to express thanks for a gift, help, support or a job well done. You can establish stronger workplace connections by expressing gratitude and appreciation to your colleagues. In this article, we outline how you can draft a casual and formal thank-you message for colleagues and team members in different scenarios.

How do you write a thank-you message for colleagues?

Writing a thank-you message for your colleagues is critical to express gratitude to coworkers who assist you at work. It's good for them to know that their efforts are valued and that you're prepared to reciprocate whenever possible. When someone assists you at work, sending a formal thank-you card is not just courteous, it also serves to improve your connection, enhance camaraderie and boost morale.

You can take the following steps to draft a well-written and meaningful thank-you note:

1. Choose the most appropriate format

Decide the channel of your message, be it through a handwritten note or an email. A handwritten note provides a personal touch, whereas an email is ideal for promptly expressing your gratitude. You can also consider a typed letter for more formal business circumstances. Nonetheless, don't contemplate too much and choose whatever feels most comfortable to you. Ultimately, no matter what format you end up choosing, the recipient is likely to appreciate the sweet gesture.

2. Begin with a suitable greeting

When thanking someone you work with on a daily basis, you can use their first name. Always start with a greeting like "Dear Mandy" or "Hi, Mandy". If you don't have a close professional connection with the recipient, you can use a more formal title, such as "Hello Mr. Tan." Another item to consider while composing an email note is the subject line. Include the expression "thank you" to notify your colleague of the intent of the message instantly.

3. Express your appreciation

Your first statement can outline the intent of the message. Upon showing your gratitude, include information about the context or scenario, as well as why your colleague's contribution or efforts were significant. Communicating these details indicates your genuine interest and suggests that the colleague left an impression.

Depending on why you're thanking your colleague, you can include an offer to repay the assistance or support they provided. Making this pledge is a good technique to strengthen your rapport and connections. Be mindful to only offer it when you truly can or want to help.

4. Conclude respectfully and reinforce your gratitude

To end your note, reiterate your thanks or appreciation. Depending on the context, you can include an additional polite message. For instance, you can say something like:

"Thank you for making such a valuable contribution to our team. Our office wouldn't be the same place without you. I truly appreciate your efforts and genuinely couldn't ask for a better colleague."

Finally, you can conclude your note with sign-offs such as "Sincerely", "Best" or "Regards” followed by your full name or signature.

5. Proofread your note

Prior to delivering the note, check it for grammatical, spelling or syntax errors. An error-free note demonstrates your professionalism, attention to detail and the thought you put into writing the message. Because thank you notes are often brief, you may want to revise your letter to ensure it's clear and succinct, concentrating solely on the important points you want to make.

How do you thank someone professionally?

There are also business and employment-related circumstances where you thank someone professionally. Formal thank-you notes are appropriate for appreciating someone's help after referring you for a job, inviting you to a networking event or interviewing you for a job. Likewise, these notes can come in several modes, namely an email message, a business letter or a traditional thank-you card.

Generally, the steps to thank someone professionally are similar to the ones listed above. However, there are a few additional elements to be included such as the date of correspondence, job title, recipient's organisation and address as well as your organisation and contact information. Remember to use more formal greetings, salutations, phrases and word choices in a formal thank-you letter. You can refer to the sample below for a formal thank-you letter:

Amy Cheng
123 Street
Singapore, 123456
8123 4567
amycheng@email.com

18 June 2021

Alex Tan
456 Street
Singapore, 654321
9111 1111
alextan@email.com

Dear Mr. Tan,

I'd like to extend my gratitude for referring me to the Junior Associate position at Onam Accounting. I am thankful and appreciative of the time you took to assess my application and refer me for the role.

I wanted to let you know that I have been selected for an in-person interview with Onam's recruiting manager next Monday. When she called me to schedule the interview, she explicitly stated how impressed she was by the referral letter which you sent on my behalf.

Again, thank you very much for your assistance. I am grateful for the support you have given me. I'll keep you updated on the interview's progress.

Sincerely,

Amy Cheng

How do you say thank you to team members?

Listed below are some examples to help you say thank you to your team members:

Every day, I admire your passion and teamwork. Thank you for everything you do. You're an invaluable part of our team.
Your approach to doing excellent work is unrivalled. Your talent and hard work have contributed significantly to our team's success. We appreciate your time and all you've done (both publicly and privately) to keep our firm running successfully.
Many thanks for your important contribution to our project. You've evolved into more than just a great teammate, you've also become a real friend.
I'm delighted you've joined our team. Your contribution to the firm is unparalleled in terms of effort and talent.
I always look forward to working on projects with you. Thank you for your important contribution to our team and for constantly pushing me out of my comfort zone and motivating me to be the greatest version of myself.
Thanks for setting examples out there on how to pull off great teamwork!
Your dedication to the team is beyond imagination. Thank you for your hard work.
I know you have been putting in a lot of extra time and effort and this has truly helped to ensure we meet and exceed our benchmarks! I'm so happy to see your hard work resulting in such success.
I wanted to extend my personal gratitude for the effort you invested into this team project. There were instances where your excellent problem-solving and analytical skills allowed us to quickly resolve issues that may have easily escalated. Again, many thanks for your contribution!
I appreciate your dedication to meet deadlines and your commitment to ensuring that our team objectives are met and even exceeded!
Related: How To Say Thank You in Your Email

How do you appreciate a colleague?

Here are a few examples of appreciation messages to help you compose a thank-you message for your colleagues:

You're an amazing colleague. I really appreciate your time and effort all this time.
I've truly appreciated the opportunity to work with you over the last few months. Thank you for professionally inspiring me and making it a pleasure to come to work every day. I couldn't have asked for a better colleague.
I consider myself really fortunate to be working with you. You push me every day, and I honestly don't think I'd be where I am now if it weren't for you.
Many thanks for your thorough effort! I sincerely appreciate everything you did to assist me in obtaining my recent promotion.
I appreciate you being there for me. You're not just a fantastic co-worker, but also a fantastic mentor and real friend. I am really appreciative of everything you have done to assist me in advancing my career.
I appreciate your never-ending optimism. You make it a pleasure to come to work every day.
I consider myself very fortunate to work in an office with such kind, hardworking people.
Thank you very much for all of your help and dedication to the project. We couldn't have done it without you.
I really admire your "can-do" mentality. I consider myself lucky to have you as a coworker.
Thank you for taking on so many of my duties while I was away. I owe you a lot.