Something important to remember as we’re giving thanks for all of the good things (and all of the challenges) in our lives tomorrow is that “thank you” doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone.  Think about your best friend and your boss.  You probably don’t say thank you to them in the same way.

Your volunteers are the same way.  They’re all going to appreciate you saying thank you, but some ways of saying thank you may carry more meaning than others.

One of the easier ways of breaking apart you volunteer population is by generation.  The boomers are going to put more meaning into some types of recognition than someone who is a Millennial or Gen Xer.

Here are some ideas for showing volunteers from different generations that you’re thankful for them and their service:

The Greatest Generation – Born Before 1945

• Recognition events like luncheons or parties
• Highlight the amount of time they’ve been serving
• If you give an item, make it something useful, not just something to put on a shelf
• Make a donation in their name to one of their favorite causes

The Boomers – Born 1945-mid 1960s

• Get your organization’s leaders to thank your volunteer personally
• Offer leadership opportunities on organization projects
• Send personalized notes to the volunteer’s family thanking them for the time they spend away from their family
• Highlight the volunteer’s contribution in the company newsletter or website

Generation X – Born mid 1960s-late 1970s

• Offer opportunities to develop a skill or increase knowledge about the issue the volunteer works with
• Help the volunteer to increase their network by introducing them to organizational outsiders or taking them to networking events with industry leaders
• Acknowledge the work that the volunteer is doing publicly; use media contacts to highlight your volunteers
• Offer to be a reference for the volunteer

Generation Y/Millennial – Born late 1970s-early 2000s

• Offer increased responsibilities and challenges
• Give feedback on the work that they’ve done
• Send hand written notes to the volunteer
• Offer opportunities to learn more about the organization

Remember, though, that these are just guidelines.  Spend some time getting to know your volunteers to find out what would be the most meaningful way to recognize them.

Most importantly, don’t forget to actually say “thank you” to your volunteers.