How to Write Thank-You Notes to Coworkers (+43 Examples)

Why thanking coworkers matters

• Saying "thank you" to your employees makes them happier in their work and less likely to leave. Saying "thank you" to your employees can make them work better and for longer, according to studies. pace.edu.vn+1

• Saying 'thank you' is good for the person who says it and the person who hears it.Research shows that being grateful makes you happier, stronger, and better at working with other people, which is really important at work. linkedin.com

Quick rules for writing an effective thank-you note to a coworker

1. Be clear. Talk about the project, the behavior, or the moment you're grateful for.

2. Be on time. Send the note while you're still feeling it (within a week is best).

3. Be short and sweet, but make it heartfelt. Two to four sentences are often enough.

4. Choose the format carefully. You can quickly thank someone via Slack/Teams. If you want to recognize someone in a more formal way, send an email or a handwritten card. If it's a team win, you can make a public shoutout.

5. Don't go too far. Don't exaggerate in a way that makes other people feel bad or makes them think you're better than them.

6. Do something to follow up. If their help has led to extra work for them, ask how you can help them out.

Short template

Hi [Name], Thanks for [specific action] on [project/date]. Your [quality, e.g., attention to detail, calm leadership] had a big impact. I really appreciate you—thank you.

43 examples: copy, paste, customize

Appreciation messages (general / upbeat)

1. Thank you for always being ready to take on new tasks—you always try your best, which helps the team.

2. I really appreciate how positive you were today. You made a tough meeting much better.

3. Thanks for the helpful comments you made during the review. It made it clear what we should do next.

4. I appreciate how carefully you read the report; it saved us a lot of rework.

5. Thank you for always doing what you said you would; you're very reliable, which is very important for this project.

Short thank-you notes (for quick messages)

1. Thank you for helping on Friday. I would have been in big trouble without you.

2. Thank you for the extra hours you put in this week. It made all the difference.

3. I appreciate you explaining that process to me. I understand it so much better now.

4. Thanks for covering my shift—you saved me.

5. Thank you for the great presentation—you made it very clear.

Motivational/Morale-boosting notes

1. I know you've been busy. Thank you—we have noticed your work.

2. You are a great team player and always do your best. Thanks for showing me how it's done.

3. You dealt with that client issue very well. Thank you for being such a great representative for the team.

4. You were very patient this week, and that made it possible to make progress. Thank you.

5. Thank you for speaking up today. Your honesty really helped the group.

For mentors & coaches

1. Thank you for helping me through this change—your help has been really important.

2. I'm grateful for your candid career advice; it made things clearer and gave me a better idea of what to do next.

3. Thank you for taking the time to review my work and offer useful advice.

4. Your support helped me to apply for the stretch role, so thank you.

5. Thank you for being the kind of leader I want to copy.

For team wins (public or group thanks)

1. Thank you all so much for working together on the launch—I couldn't have done it without you.

2. Team, you were so creative with this project. Thank you for working together.

3. Thank you for staying late and making sure the deployment went smoothly.

4. I'm grateful to the group for helping each other meet a tight deadline. Well done, everyone! You worked really well together.

5. Thank you for all the small things you did that helped make this launch a success.

For help on a specific task

1. Thank you for the detailed questions and answers. Finding those problems meant we saved hours of work.

2. Thanks for creating that presentation; clients loved it.

3. I'm grateful you arranged everyone's schedules, as it made planning much simpler.

4. Thank you for checking the document and making it better.

5. Thanks for running the analytics and sharing the insights.

Leaving/farewell messages

1. Thank you for being such a great teammate. We'll miss your sense of humor and competence.

2. It was great working with you; thanks for the lessons and laughs.

3. Your contributions helped shape our product, and we appreciate your time here.

4. Thank you for all the support you gave the team. I hope you do well in your next role.

5. I'll miss our brainstorming sessions. Thank you for everything.

When someone goes above and beyond

1. I'm so grateful to you for taking charge in this emergency. Your calm and focused approach really helped us.

2. You did a lot to help, and it really mattered—thank you for going the extra mile.

3. Your idea changed the way the project was going. Thank you for your bold thinking.

4. Thank you for your extra effort; we really appreciate it.

5. I like the creative solution you suggested—it was a real game changer.

Lighthearted / fun notes

1. Thanks for the snacks today—you're officially my favorite person to work with.

2. Thank you for saving my laptop charger. I will always be grateful.

3. Thank you for always making the Monday stand-up meetings bearable—you're a legend.

What to avoid when writing workplace thank-you notes

• Avoid vagueness. Saying "thanks for everything" without adding more information feels empty.

• Don't over-praise your peers in public without knowing the situation. It can accidentally embarrass or make people compare them.

• Don't make personal assumptions. Focus on behaviors and results, not personal issues.

• Avoid using words that are too strong. Make sure that the praise you give is honest and believable.

Format & tone: which medium to choose

• Send a quick thank you or emoji reply to someone you're talking to on Slack or Teams.

• Email is best for formal thanks or when you want to include details and examples.

• A handwritten card is a great way to remember someone, especially when they are leaving or starting a new job.

• Say thanks to your team or the whole company by using one of these messages.

• Multimedia tip: record a short video or voice note to add warmth and personality.

Final

• Please record a 20-second video of yourself talking about the deliverable, and then send a short text message to say thank you.

• A collection of screenshots showing how things were before and after, with a caption that explains what the colleague did.

• A video of six teammates saying thank you to each other has been put together and shared as one message.

Quick manager’s checklist

• Have two team members been publicly recognized since the last sprint?

• Did you send at least one thank-you this month?

• Have we documented specific examples of exceptional behaviors for performance review time?

Use these examples—then make them yours

Sources & further reading

• Find out more about how to recognize and keep employees by checking industry and HR reports. pace.edu.vn+1

• Practical tips on being grateful and the mental health benefits of doing so. linkedin.com