20 Thoughtful Holiday Messages to Employees

What’s the ROI on getting into the spirit of the season? Don’t laugh, there’s real gold for your company in promoting the generosity and warmth of the holidays. You rely on your staff all year round to make your business run. If Santa Claus were real, you’d ask him to show up with the perfect gift for everyone in your company. Until you can figure out a way to make that happen, however, it’s up to you to play Santa. The right holiday message to employees is the gift that keeps on giving, because your organization will benefit from having engaged employees who feel that their efforts are appreciated. Extensive new Gallup research shows that employees with higher levels of engagement:

“produce substantially better outcomes”
“treat customers better and attract new ones”
“are more likely to remain with their organization than those who are less engaged”

Sample holiday messages to employees

We’ve grouped these messages under four tips, to give them some context and help you keep in mind the best practices for engaging your employees during the holiday season.

Holidays are the perfect time for recognition and rewards

Achievers data shows that when you double the number of recognitions in your organization, you can expect your employee engagement to increase by 5%. According to Brandon Hall Group’s Culture of Recognition Pulse Survey, organizations that recognize employees frequently are 41% more likely to see increased retention and 34% more likely to see increased engagement. Below are some holiday messages to employees that you can include along with your recognition, gift, or reward:

1. “Your energy, creativity and dedication are a gift to our company all year long. Here’s a token of our appreciation. Happy Holidays!
2. “You were recognized as our top performer earlier this year, and I want to take this time during the holidays to once again say how much you do for this company.”
3. “Thank you for keeping the holiday spirit alive year-round, by constantly recognizing others for their achievements.”
4. “You’re not recognized enough for all your hard work, but I’m happy to offer this gift as an acknowledgment of the unique value you bring to our organization!”
5. “In this holiday season, I want to acknowledge how much of a difference your hard work makes to this company. This reward expresses my appreciation for all you do!”

Words of appreciation from peers matter

Organizations that include peer-to-peer recognition as a component rate their recognition programs as more effective than those who don’t, and Gartner research shows that peer feedback can elevate performance by 14%. These holiday messages to employees underline that value:

6. “I’m so happy you’re on my team! Happy Holidays, and I hope this is the start of the best year ever.”
7. “To the best teammate ever. Your recognition of everyone’s efforts brings us all together. Here’s wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season!”
8. “Your support of everyone on your team brings the holiday spirit to every month of the year. Thank you for your great and positive attitude.”
9. “You always step up and notice everyone’s successes, and you offer encouragement when things are difficult. Here’s hoping you and your family have a fantastic holiday season!”
10. “The way you recognize and appreciate all of us makes our jobs so much easier. Have a joyous, refreshing season, and I look forward to starting the best year ever!”

Holiday messages from higher-ups are powerful

Jeff Cates, CEO and President of Achievers, notes that “leaders need to be recognition champions.” He points out that “employees crave recognition from leaders,” and, “as leaders become recognition champions, they will notice a major shift in employee engagement and productivity.” Below are some examples of holiday messages that your leadership team can send to employees:

11. “We want to pause at this joyous time of year to thank you for your vital contribution to our team! Happy holidays!”
12. “Here’s hoping that your holidays are full of light and merriment. We’re counting our lucky stars that you’re part of our company.”
13. “Glad you’re on our team! Wishing you and your loved ones a peaceful holiday season, with plenty of relaxation and good company.”
14. “Your dedication, creativity, and great attitude make my job easier. I recognize that our company is only successful because of employees like you!”
15. “I want you to know that I am aware of your conscientiousness and hard work. You are a vital part of our company, and I want to wish you and your family the best holiday season yet.”

Set aside time to listen and make employees feel heard

Ninety percent of workers say that they are more likely to stay at a company that takes and acts on feedback. Holiday messages to employees are a perfect time to encourage everyone to speak up with concerns or suggestions. Listening to someone’s feedback and taking action on it is one of the best gifts you can give. Here are messages you can send to employees thanking them for their feedback and input:

16. “Thank you for sharing your valuable feedback frequently, to help us improve XYZ during the holiday season.”
17. “Thank you for gathering our team’s collective feedback to come up with great solutions for a super-strong New Year!”
18. “Happy Holidays to a team member whose voice we can always rely on. I know our New Year will be more productive than ever because of your valuable feedback.”
19. “Your honest, thoughtful feedback has been a factor in our organization’s success this year. Here’s a great big Thank You from all of us!”
20. “Whether your voice is heard recognizing others or giving us vital feedback, we love hearing it! Have a wonderful festive season and thanks for always speaking up.”

Streamline your holiday messaging

Public recognition is one of the most powerful ways to help people feel appreciated. When sending holiday messages to employees, try to make it public so every team member can witness your positive action and spread appreciation. A recognition platform gives employees an easy way to send and receive holiday messages in a way that’s instantly visible to everyone through a company-wide newsfeed. It also allows their peers to comment, like, and boost the messages of cheer. If you’re looking to create a fun, festive experience for your employees to connect during this holiday season, start building a recognition program that is inclusive and engaging.

Recognition and rewards aren’t just a once-a-year event — they need to be given frequently and all year round for maximum impact. Organizations that rate their culture of recognition highly are:

3x more likely to see increased employee retention
2.5x more likely to see increased employee engagement
2.25x more likely to give frequent recognition
79% more likely to give their employer brand a high rating

Your investment in sending the right holiday message to employees can be considered a wise business decision as well as simply a way to reach out to share the warm holiday spirit with other human beings. To learn how to recognize your employees all year round, check out our e-book, “More Than Just a Day: 3 Ways to Make Recognition an Everyday Event.”