The 5 Languages of Appreciation
Sep 17, 2024The 5 Languages of Appreciation
In our last blog post we discussed one tool employers can use to promote a recognition culture at work using a recognition program, such as Recogniise (click here to read).
We acknowledge each person is different and therefore has different preferred ways of being recognised. This concept is very similar to the 5 love languages, with a slight spin to make them more workplace appropriate…!
The purpose of the 5 languages of appreciation is to highlight the differences in how people want to receive and/or show appreciation at work. Whilst an email shoutout makes one person feel appreciated, another employee may see genuine appreciation as going for a coffee at lunch.
It’s important for employees to firstly identify what makes them feel appreciated and for employers to not only recognise this, but tailor their approach to better align with the employee. In saying this, within a workplace you also need to be concious of 'unintended consequences'.
Why does this matter?
A one-size fits all approach to appreciation is only going to satisfy a portion of employees. The ability to tailor the way we express gratitude and appreciation for others has the potential to make people genuinely feel valued at work. Not only is this likely to lead to increased employee satisfaction and engagement, but it instils a culture that understands the importance of how to celebrate differences.
In saying this, we recommend trying to apply all 5 appreciation languages across the whole team, so everyone gets something they connect with - and then personalising it when appropriate. Why does this matter? Well, if only one person's language is tangible gifts, and you only gave that one team member gifts... it might look a little biased and come off a tad odd!
So, what are the 5 languages of appreciation?
And now told by coffee...
1. Acts of service
Helping and supporting employees in practible ways such as assisting with tasks, providing resources or offering guidance
"Here, I made you a coffee"
2. Quality time
Spending focused and dedicated time with employees such as meetings, team building activities or meaningful conversations
"Hey, let's go get a coffee"
3. Words of affirmation
Expressing appreciation through verbal or written communication, such as praising employees for their achievements, acknowledging effort or providing encouragement as part of constructive feedback.
"Wow, you are so good at making coffee"
4. Tangible gifts
Small gestures to large rewards, such as bonuses, company merchandise or experiences.
"I got you this keep cup for your coffee, to say thanks"
5. Appropriate physical touch
Non-intrusive forms of contact, such as handshakes, high-fives and pats on the back.
... ok, we can't quite think of how to relate this to coffee...
How you can introduce the 5 languages of appreciation within your work team!
- Attempt to understand which appreciation languages employee resonate with - there are short quizzes online you could do as a team bonding activity, or just a bit of fun
- Help employees to understand what this means, why you are implementing this approach and how they too can apply it to their professional and personal lives
- Encourage employees to have open conversations about the types of appreciation, allowing them to build awareness of one another
- Begin to tailor your appreciation efforts to each employee, while still ensuring there is global demonstrations of each to reduce bias
- Blend the appreciation languages – take parts from each!
- Lead by example by being intentional and public with acknowledging employees
- Check in with your team and ask for feedback – what areas do they feel appreciated and where could adjustments be made? You could tie this into a toolbox meeting, add to a 1:1 catch up or introduce the concept at the get go during an employee's onboarding.
Contact the team:
If you have any questions regarding the information above, please feel free to reach out to the Employii team via [email protected] or give us a call on 0401 510 559.
Author: Jess Roughsedge (HR Officer)
