SHOWING APPRECIATION IN THE WORKPLACE Through Encouragement and Consideration
Tangible Gifts A nice, personalized gift can be a display that you acknowledge your employee’s or coworker’s passions. The more you converse with them and learn about their personal lives, the easier it’ll be to choose a more meaningful gift and bring a smile to their face. Appropriate Physical Touch This language can be tricky, but it’s about respecting boundaries. A high- five, fist bump, pat on the shoulder, and a handshake are generally acceptable, but it is best not to assume. Everyone’s level of comfort differs, so always ask before initiating any type of appropriate physical touch. If you take the time to understand your employees’ preferred language of appreciation, you can communicate more meaningfully and positively.
Have you ever heard of “The 5 Love Languages” by Gary Chapman? It’s an incredibly popular book that identifies different ways individuals prefer to give and receive love. You can communicate more effectively with your partners, friends, and family by considering their personal needs and using the language that speaks to them best. But did you know you can apply these same principles to show appreciation and encouragement at work? When you understand and use your employees’ preferred language of appreciation, your workplace culture will significantly improve. Words of Affirmation A “thank you” note or shout-out from a colleague is quite powerful, but it’s even more effective when it’s specific to an act or moment because it shows that you are paying attention to what matters. For your message to be clear,
consider describing the situation you’re referring to, discussing the behavior you are looking to celebrate, and highlighting the impact of the behavior on you, the team, and the organization. Quality Time This language is all about receiving complete and focused attention. This means taking the time for mentorships, checking in meaningfully, and creating moments for teams to connect. For employees who value quality time, having dedicated time to connect and learn from their employers and coworkers can be significantly impactful as they feel seen and heard. Acts of Service Simply picking up an extra coffee for a team member, or alleviating a work task off someone’s plate, shows that you care about their overall well-being and brings them joy.
HAVE A Laugh
Until the 1940s, alarm clocks were a luxury few people in the English working class could afford. Unfortunately, these devices could be unreliable and caused people to miss appointments or oversleep. This ultimately gave birth to “knocker-ups,” the human alarm clocks people hired to wake them up. But knocker-ups didn’t just stand at their clients’ doors and knock to wake them. They became famous for using long poles to tap on clients’ second-story bedroom windows. Some even attached soft hammers or rattles to the ends of the rods to create a more startling sound when they tapped. BEFORE ALARM CLOCKS, KNOCKER-UPS HELPED PEOPLE How These Early Morning Heroes Roused the Sleeping
The most famous knocker-up, Mrs. Molly Moore, used a rubber tube as a make-shift pea shooter and pelted clients’ windows with dried peas! Whatever the method, a knocker-up wouldn’t leave until their client came out the door and headed to work, saving thousands of employees from a waking nightmare!
jwyatt@harrisonlawgroup.com | HarrisonLawGroup.com | 3
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