Thank you card inside a brown envelope left on an office table
getty
Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve received a handwritten letter or note in your mailbox, and maybe it’s been a while since you’ve sent one. But either way, it’s a proven fact that a handwritten letter elicits good feelings and promotes connection and relationship building no matter which end you’re on. Writing is an integral part of our history, and whether we exercise our right to communicate in this way or not, no amount of digital chat will ever completely take its place.
Sara Algoe, a professor in the psychology and neuroscience department in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who researches social interactions, agrees. “A letter shows this person was thinking about me and took the time to actually put pen to paper,” she said. “As humans, we want to feel valued and loved and respected, and a letter signals that.” At its most basic, it’s time invested. And that feels good.
But what effect, if any, does a handwritten letter have on a business relationship as a catalyst for greater connection and better business?
An average person who is also engaged professionally, receives around 120 emails per day, says Ingitepost.com. According to a Statista report, in 2024, the number of emails exchanged worldwide per day was around 361 billion, and in 2026, this number is projected to reach 392 billion. So amidst all this digital noise, it’s no wonder that something as seemingly anachronistic as a handwritten letter or note will stand out like a missing key.
Christopher Bergland says in Psychology Today that research on the benefits of handwritten letters, thank you letters specifically, was led by Amit Kumar, assistant professor of marketing in the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas in Austin. Kumar collaborated with Nicholas Epley, professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The researchers found that the prosocial gesture of expressing gratitude, for example, in a handwritten thank-you note boosts positive emotions and wellbeing for both the letter-writing “expresser” and the recipient of the stated appreciation.
What about those highly touted post-interview notes? A handwritten missive demonstrates conscientiousness, courtesy, and professionalism – all generally considered desirable traits among prospective employees. If I were to add a few cents’ worth of advice here, I’d say use quality paper or notecards, carefully proofread every word, and ask someone to give it a second look. If you’ve just aced a face-to-face interview, it would be a shame to show a hand of poor grammar, misspellings, and general inattention.
Most experts in business communication suggest sending an email immediately after an interview for sheer speed, followed by a handwritten note. The reasoning is threefold: the initial email demonstrates timeliness, while a handwritten followup will instigate a personal connection. Finally, that note will bring your name to the top of the hiring manager’s mental “inbox” after a week or so has passed and if the hiring process is not yet complete
HrDive says, “In a poll of 300 HR managers, 80% said they consider thank-you notes in selecting a candidate. However, only 24% of candidates send them, down from 51% ten years ago.” Time to change that.
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