It’s important to show gratitude when someone asks you about your feelings or well-being. In fact, this is especially important in the workplace.
But how should you go about responding to kindness while still keeping things professional?
In this article, we’ll look at 6 polite ways to say thanks for asking at work.
6 Alternative Ways to Say “Thanks for Asking”
Below, we’ve compiled 6 great examples of how to say thanks for asking politely:
- It’s kind of you to ask
- I appreciate your interest
- Your concern is appreciated
- Thank you for checking in
- I’m glad you’ve taken an interest
- It’s good of you to ask
1. It’s Kind of You to Ask
You can use the phrase it’s kind of you to ask when your boss expresses a polite interest in your well-being.
For example, they may start an email by enquiring into your health or the health of your family member.
Although these are personal questions, some employers will want to express compassion and support if they know that you have been dealing with health or personal problems.
Saying it’s kind of you to ask will let your employer know that you are appreciative of their thoughtfulness.
Moreover, it has a slightly formal and professional tone. This will help to maintain strong professional boundaries while keeping the conversation pleasant.
To see what we mean, check out the email example below:
Dear Shireen,
It’s kind of you to ask about my mother’s health.
She has been improving steadily!
Kind regards,
Abdel
2. I Appreciate Your Interest
Another way to say thanks for asking is I appreciate your interest.
You can use this alternative when a coworker asks you about a topic that matters to you. Or, when they take an interest in the events going on in your professional or personal life.
This phrase is polite but fairly tonally neutral.
This makes it a safe option whether you are speaking to a coworker you are friendly with or one you don’t know particularly well.
For instance:
Hi Saul,
I appreciate your interest!
The banquet was a huge success, and we will certainly host one again next year.
Kind regards,
Cecili
3. Your Concern Is Appreciated
Your concern is appreciated is a good formal synonym for thanks for asking that you can use if you are in a position of authority at your workplace.
This phrase uses the passive voice, making it much more impersonal than some of the other phrases on our list.
You can use this phrase when an employee or junior member of your team asks about an issue at work.
This phrase will validate their concern before you proceed to answer their question. In turn, this will ensure that your employees feel that their concerns are being taken seriously.
Consider this email sample:
Dear Priyanka,
Your concern is appreciated,and I can confirm that this security issue has been swiftly dealt with.
Kind regards,
Adarsh Sandhu
4. Thank You for Checking In
The phrase thank you for checking in works very well if you are speaking to a colleague you don’t see very often, perhaps because they work in a different office or department.
You could also use it when speaking to a fellow professional from a different organization.
In either case, this is a great way to respond to a polite inquiry about your well-being.
For example, if you work at the same company or in a similar industry to the other person, you are sure to collaborate from time to time.
Therefore, it wouldn’t be unusual for them to check in on your well-being if they have heard you have been off work for some reason.
Let’s see this phrase in a sample email:
Dear Joshua,
Thank you for checking in!
I have made a full recovery and will be back to working on the project this afternoon.
All the best,
Shinique
5. I’m Glad You’ve Taken an Interest
You can use the phrase I’m glad you’ve taken an interest to encourage a new recruit or junior member of your workplace after they have asked about a project or opportunity.
It would be perfectly appropriate to say thanks for asking in these circumstances as well, even though these phrases aren’t direct synonyms.
However, I’m glad you’ve taken an interest expresses clear approval. This always feels great for a young professional and will promote initiative and productivity in the office.
Have a look at the email example below:
Dear Vusi,
I’m glad you’ve taken an interest in this project, and I would be happy to put you in touch with Gavin to get you on board.
Kind regards,
Sawyer
6. It’s Good of You to Ask
It’s good of you to ask is another polite and formal alternative that you can use when a client expresses an interest in you personally.
They could simply be inquiring about your well-being before getting to the point of their email as a matter of politeness.
Nevertheless, it’s always good to acknowledge this and respond in kind.
With this phrase, you can express gratitude without coming across as too effusive.
In short, this phrase will help you maintain a good rapport with the client while keeping things suitably professional.
Let’s see this phrase in our final email sample:
Dear Mr. Paige,
It’s good of you to ask!
I have been well, and hope the same can be said for you?
I would be happy to have a look at this and get back to you tomorrow morning.
Kind regards,
Viola Mort
Is It Rude to Say “Thanks for Asking”?
The phrase thanks for asking is by no means rude. Although, anything can sound rude if you say it with a snarky or sarcastic tone.
For example, you can use this phrase to politely thank someone for taking an interest in your life.
However, you can also use it sarcastically to point out that someone has failed to take a polite interest in you.
It certainly isn’t a weird thing to say in a social or professional situation. However, if you work in a very formal setting, you may choose to use “thank you” instead of “thanks.”
Essentially, how it will come across depends greatly on your tone and the surrounding context.
Below, we’ve drafted two examples illustrating how to say thanks for asking in an email.
First, let’s see a more casual exchange with a colleague at work:
Hi Chloe,
I’m fine, thanks for asking.
I have attached the report below.
All the best,
Naledi
Next, let’s see a slightly more formal exchange. In this instance, it is best to use “thank you” instead of “thanks”:
Dear Mr. Hassan,
I am doing well, thank you for asking.
I would be happy to assist you with this agreement and can arrange a meeting this afternoon.
Kind regards,
Hilda Dew
So, we know that thanks for asking is a perfectly polite phrase that you can use in a professional setting.
However, it never hurts to mix up your phrasing from time to time to keep your email exchanges more diverse.
