Amid the holiday season, gratitude and thankfulness are at the forefront of our minds. Many of us use this time to celebrate with our families and reflect on the blessings of the past year. For the past several years, Millwood has also used this time to reflect on the blessings we experience in the workplace through our annual Thankfulness Project.
Millwood’s Thankfulness Project started in 2017 at our corporate office as an initiative through our Morale team to spread gratitude and holiday joy. Throughout the months of November and December, mail pouches were stationed in the lunch bistro of the corporate office for each team member. Team members were encouraged to leave notes or treats, either anonymously or not, expressing gratitude for that person. The project was a big hit each year, with team members actively looking forward to participating.
With the onset of the pandemic, the project became a virtual effort and team members received weekly emails prompting them to submit a note. Participants had the choice to post publicly with their name or remain anonymous. The following week, a report was sent out showcasing the notes that were submitted.
In 2021, prompts included questions like, “Who has had your back when you needed help?” and, “Who has taught you something valuable?” The project had a high participation rate with many team members sending gratitude for others, related to the prompt or not. Responses consisted of everything from gratitude for a team member’s help on a project to congratulations on recent personal successes.
The thankfulness project gives team members an opportunity to show their coworkers that they are appreciated, while also giving us all a chance to reflect on the people we’re grateful for. Showing thankfulness helps forge the bonds that make Millwood feel like a second family.