Employers Should Send Handwritten Notes

Who doesn’t like receiving handwritten notes? They’re personal, prove that you care, and can be treasured for a long time. What is one reason an employer should send handwritten notes to employees versus digital notes or pre-designed cards sent through other mediums? 

 We asked founders and CEOs of various companies their top reason for sending out handwritten notes to their staff. From sending your condolences and showing support to everyone loving traditional mail, there are several reasons that you as an employer should be sending personalized notes to your employees.  

 You only need one, but here are nine reasons why you should send handwritten notes to your dedicated and loyal staff:

• Proof of Authenticity
• Focus On Words
• Send Your Condolences
• They are More Likely to be Remembered
• Everyone Loves Traditional Mail
• Memories and Treasures
• Meaningful 'Pay It Forward' Acknowledgement
• Truly Personal
• It Shows You’re Going the Extra Mile

Proof of Authenticity

“Handwritten notes are one-of-a-kind, personal, and require a baseline of effort, whereas digital mediums are easy to send. When an employee receives a handwritten note from an employer, that worker knows that their boss took the time to sit down and write out a message. This gesture signals that the manager cares enough to take time to thank the team member personally, and makes the employee feel more valued and unique.” 

 Michael Alexis, TeamBuilding

Focus on Words

“Emails written with generic fonts make us skim through the text, especially when parts of it seem generic. With handwritten text, it is different. The additional focus needed to process the text forces us to pay more attention to its meaning. We are likely to recall it more accurately, making the handwritten text more likely to be remembered.” 

 Michael Sena, SENACEA

Send Your Condolences

“Sending a handwritten note is inherently more tactile and personal than an electronic medium. Therefore, it's a good avenue to take if one of your employees is experiencing great personal tragedy, i.e. a death in the family. Writing a handwritten note makes it clear that you are trying to reach out on a personal level. Going to such lengths can be very powerful and appreciated.” 

 Kate Lipman, embrace Scar Therapy

They are More Likely to be Remembered

“There are a few reasons why an employer should send handwritten notes to employees instead of other mediums. First, it shows that the employer took the time to sit down and write a personal note to each individual employee. This makes the employees feel appreciated and valued. Additionally, handwritten notes are more likely to be read and remembered than notes sent through other mediums. Therefore, sending handwritten notes is a great way to show employees that you care about them and want to keep in touch.” 

 Megha Gaedke, KetoConnect

Everyone Loves Traditional Mail

“Receiving a handwritten note or traditional mail brings a sense of sentiment. A handwritten note means that someone took the time to write out a thank you note with a notecard and envelope. More thought goes into a handwritten note than a thank-you email or slack message. Now, getting an actual physical note makes the sentiment more tangible and real.” 

 Daniel Tejada, Straight Up Growth

Memories and Treasures

“Some CEOs and employers push their employees to send handwritten notes to their customers, but they forget the same benefits hold true within a workforce. Handwritten notes show care and attention, and it’s a great way to convey to employees that they are valued and appreciated. Personally, I still keep some of the handwritten notes former employees have given me. They still matter to me.” 

 Daniel Sathyanesan, Winden

Meaningful 'Pay It Forward' Acknowledgement

“A tweet, text or email can get quickly buried under a mountain of newer tweets, texts and emails. Handwritten notes come across as more thoughtful because you had to carefully consider what to say before writing it down. It conveys a deeper sense of appreciation, remembrance and gratitude because it most likely took longer to prepare. Your note will be noticed and remembered in a way that the more fleeting messages can’t accomplish. Sending a hand-written message is important because it gives the other person the opportunity to take in your appreciation without feeling the pressure to respond on the spot.” 

 Wally Simon, SCORE

Truly Personal

“Handwritten notes are truly personal. An employee knows that the writer had to actually think about what was written, that it was not copied and pasted, and that intentionality was present. Even when it's not complex, a handwritten note shows a genuine effort was made, and the emotional effect is far greater.” 

 Russell Lieberman, Altan Insights

It Shows You’re Going the Extra Mile

“Handwritten notes are never part of the employer-employee agreement, nor are they a part of the list of tools promoting recognition at the workplace. And they certainly weren’t expected! These reasons are exactly why handwritten notes tend to create more impact than communication sent through other mediums—the employee doesn’t expect the gesture. However, when a handwritten note does pop up in the mail or is thoughtfully placed at the work desk before the employee comes in, it tells the employees that they’re working for an employer who believes in going the extra mile.” 

 Eva Taylor, WP Buffs

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