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Submitted by Lydia on
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Hi Everyone,

Looking for protocol on how to thank excellent contractors after project completion.

I just successfully closed my first project in a management role. I hired contractors during the endgame. They did a fantastic job; they worked hard, clean, and fast.

I have sent them a shining "thank you" email, copying their boss. I have previously told them I will be hiring them in the future. I do not want to set expectations by purchasing gifts. I guess it seems a bit anti-climatic after all the pressure.

I would appreciate your feedback or shared experiences.

Thanks,

Lydia

 

 

 

lindge's picture
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Not sure what the nature or length of the project was, whether the consultants you hired were part of a fixed cost arrangement (vs being 'embedded' in your organization for ongoing assignments) or whether everyone had to go 'above and beyond' or not.  Was it a special achievement? 

Assuming your contracters are all on-shore and are still working for your organization, if you feel it was a special achievement, I'd suggest  doing something more than just an email.  You could organize a team lunch, or drinks / nibbles etc. If $$ are short, why don't you all agree to split to cost?

If the project was a smaller contained project, and is of the kind repeated many times in your organization then maybe you've done enough except you may want to provide your thanks in person if you haven't already done so. 

It really comes down to your judgment call on the nature of the project, the commitment and effort of the team and how well received the outcome was.  As you mention this is your first as Project Manager, you could also ask other project managers in your organization or your boss what they've done at completion for similar projects.

This post caught my eye because I have just finished project managing an 18-month IT project that proved more complicated than we first anticipated and required many additional hours of work from the entire team including the consultants.  The clients are very happy with the business outcome and we organized an 'appreciation' event for the project team / clients which included all of consultants as well as permanent staff involved.  The cost was picked up by a number of VPs who ran the delivery and client teams.  In the past on smaller less stressful projects, we've gone out for a team lunch afterwards and split the cost across the team.