Workplaces are not only just an area where an individual goes to earn money. They are more than that. Building your profession, working with new people, learning new skills, and improving yourself, and many more- all these factors are responsible for our career growth. One of the most important factors among these is the professional relationship a person shares with their coworkers.
The relationship an individual forms with their coworkers can say a lot about their experience at a particular workplace. Building a professional connection with your coworkers and the clients you meet, and the companies with- all these meetings help your career grow. For example, let’s say that a person with their team works on a particular joint project between two companies. A new team has been assigned from the other company to assist them, and now, these two teams decide to work it together and make it successful. After all, their goal is to make it in the best way possible, benefitting both companies. After its completion, these two teams as well the two companies, will show their gratitude and appreciation through basic professional adequate, saying, “it was a pleasure working with you.”
The use of this phase, which I mentioned just now, is pretty recurring when you are at a workplace. Whether we consider a situation where two teams or two companies are working together or where a worker is resigning or retiring from an office, it is a human courtesy to show your gratitude towards the people with whom you worked with.
Just think if you are resigning but decide to leave the office without saying anything to your coworkers. Does it sound right, going just like that? It may look trivial from your own perspective, but this attitude will be considered highly unprofessional and rude from a professional viewpoint. Yes, you are leaving this office, but there is a possibility that this little obvious mistake can put your reputation in danger when you work somewhere else.
Saying “it was a pleasure working with you” can be used in many instances, as I mentioned before. It is simple and professional and also easily conveys your message to the other party. But what if there is a small event or ceremony and you happen to make this little statement a little more fancy? It can be a small celebration among your team and coworkers, a small party where a few other companies are also invited, or a farewell party. In such situations, you may feel like saying a little more than just a single sentence.
Maintaining a professional demeanor while showing your appreciation towards others is not that tough, though. It is a part of the career life that I’m sure you are already aware of. But of course, one can also face a few problems during these situations.
Expanding a single sentence and speaking it more profoundly and professionally can be troublesome for a few people. Of course, you cannot always stick to “it was a pleasure working with you” in every situation- it will just be too repetitive. Questions like “how else can I say this” or “what should I add without sounding too corny” can come up in your head if you are preparing it for a particular occasion. And if you have such dilemmas, then this article is here to help.
Further in this article, I will be giving you a few references regarding how you should say “it was a pleasure working with you,” depending on different situations.
During A One-On-One Conversation With Your Coworker
Let’s assume that one day, you and your coworker, let’s say your senior, are given a project, and both of you are supposed to work on it together. Now that you have done it and your supervisor has approved it, you go to talk to your senior and convey your appreciation during a one-on-one conversation. Are you just going to end up saying, “Thank you for your assistance? It was a pleasure working with you “?
Yes, it is a one-on-one conversation and going for a simple statement is not a bad idea. However, you should bring a little change sometimes. After all, working at an office with others also help you form a much stronger human bond with them. So, instead of going for a basic approach, go for a more expressive yet professional mannerism while you are having such a conversation with a coworker of yours. Here are a few examples you can look at in case you need any suggestions:
1. Working with you has been a great professional experience for me. This project was the first big assignment I received, and I am very glad that you were there to assist me. Thank you very much. I learned a lot from you. It was a pleasure working with you on this project. I hope we will get another chance to work in the future together.
2. Working with you was a pleasure. You are such an impressive worker for our company, and seeing your work on this project with such dedication made me really appreciate your work. I am glad that our teamwork paid on this. I wouldn’t have been able to work on this alone.
3. This has always been my dream project, and I was very grateful to have you assist me on this. If it weren’t for your help, I’m sure I would have made many mistakes. Thank you so much for helping me out and teaching me so much as well. It was such an amazing experience working with you. I look forward to working with you again.
4. To have a coworker like you, I genuinely feel grateful. I made so many mistakes during the work, but you were always helping me out. I am surprised that you could keep up with me even after all the mistakes I made. Thank you so much for your assistance. It was a pleasure working with you. This was such an amazing learning experience for me.
5. Having you as my partner in this project was such a great experience; it was a pleasure working with you. I genuinely enjoyed our little discussions over this project. Your ideas were as impressive as ever, and because of your assistance, we were able to finish our work before the deadline. I look forward to working with you again someday on another project. We make a great team together.
During A Company Meeting Or Event
Company meetings and events are common at a workplace. These can be organized for various reasons, among which one is regarding discussions over particular projects and how the employees and/or companies work together on them. In these situations, usually, one person speaks on behalf of the team or the company, and here, they should be properly prepared. After all, it is collectively being addressed in front of more than one or two individuals. And that’s why speaking more expressively while maintaining your professional attitude to show appreciation is necessary.
If you are given such a task or maybe want to address your message in front of a professional gathering, here are a few examples you can take help from:
1. As we all are here today, on behalf of my company, I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to all the people who have been a part of this joint project. The employees of both the companies have done such a wonderful job in making this a success. To have such amazing supervisors leading their teams, we achieved success because of our teamwork. Seriously, it has been a pleasure working with all of you. We look forward to working with you again in the future.
2. on behalf of the team, I would like to say that working with all of you has been a ride. This assignment would not have been possible if all of us did not work on it together. We may be of different departments but to see such talented and hardworking employees in this company fills me with joy and pride. I am glad that I got the chance to work with all of you. Thank you so much for your hard work and assistance.
3. This was my first joint project with such a large team, and I am genuinely grateful to work with such amazing workers of our company. This has been a learning experience for me as I understood so many valuable skills and qualities from all of you. We may have had our differences initially, but that did not stop us from finishing this project with great detail. I really enjoyed our discussions, and various ideas shared over this project. Thank you so much for your great work. It was a pleasure working with all of you.
4. I have been a part of this institution for almost eight years, and it always amazes me how such amazing young employees continue to join this place. Seeing all of your work with such dedication and precision makes me feel proud to be a part of this institution. I am very happy that we all were able to work together on this project and bring such great results in such a short period of time. I hope we will get another chance to work again in the future. Once again, I would like to say it was a pleasure to work with all of you.
During A Farewell Event
Saying goodbye to your coworker/coworkers can sometimes be a very emotional moment—a workplace not only an area where an individual only works. Yes, building a healthy professional relationship with your coworkers is necessary for your career, but many times, we also meet people with whom we share a much deeper bond. We admire them, respect them, and their presence can be said to be very encouraging and supportive for others.
But What If One Day You Hear Them Resign Or Retire?
Whether it is the person leaving or the coworkers who have been working with them for a long time, giving a goodbye message always feels good. In such a case, if an event is being organized, one should surely deliver a short message to say their goodbyes. If you are in a situation, I believe you should be a little more expressive with your words. Showing your gratitude and appreciation towards your coworker/coworkers for the last time should be more than just a simple “it was a pleasure working with you.”
If you are going to say a goodbye message, here are a few references you can look at which may help you out in this situation:
1. I may be leaving this place but I am taking along a lot of experience and beautiful memories with me. For the past two years, all of you have been so supportive and encouraging. I got to learn so much from all of you and it’s only because of that that I am finally taking a new step forward in my life. Thank you so much for everything you have done for me. It was a pleasure to work with all of you and to be a part of this institution.
2. All of you are such amazing people, and I am grateful that I got the opportunity to work with all of you. I don’t want to unhappy because I am leaving this place. Instead, I want to celebrate my success with the people who taught me so much. If it weren’t for your assistance and guidance, I would never have reached my goal. I will never forget the things you have taught me. I really enjoyed working with all of you. Thank you so much.
3. I cannot believe that we won’t be able to see your work here again. The office is going to look so empty without you. You were just not our boss but also an inspiration to all the people working here. Even though we may not see your work here, we will never forget your contributions to this institution. Because we had you, we are here today. It was such a pleasure to work with you for all these years. We will miss you, Sir/Ma’am.
4. It may not have been a long time since I joined, but I’ll be honest- you are the one who inspired me the most. Seeing you leave sure pains me a little because we won’t be seeing you in the office anymore, but we will make sure to give our best in this job just like you did. Thank you so much for being such a great member of this institution and being such a good human being. It was a pleasure working with you.
5. It has been my privilege to work with you all for all these years. As a team and as individuals, all of you are such incredible assets to this institution. All of you know the meaning of dedication and hard work, and you have never let the company down. I am glad that I got the opportunity to share my working experience with people like you. It’s been a pleasure.
Here are the examples you can look at if you want to be a little more expressive with your words at the workplace. Sure sticking to simple statements at a workplace is good enough, but sometimes, being more expressive will not harm you. Letting your coworkers know how much you enjoy your working experience with them is always going to make them feel better.
Also read Interpersonal Skills for Job