{"id":2855,"date":"2022-05-26T20:10:09","date_gmt":"2022-05-27T00:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/?p=2855"},"modified":"2023-04-28T13:00:48","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T17:00:48","slug":"why-love-languages-matter-for-employee-appreciation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/blog\/article\/why-love-languages-matter-for-employee-appreciation\/","title":{"rendered":"Why love languages matter for employee appreciation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">You may have heard about love languages. It\u2019s a popular concept that describes five different ways that romantic partners express and experience love. But what if that was adapted for the workplace?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Employee appreciation is the act of recognizing and expressing thanks or gratitude for someone\u2019s efforts in the workplace\u2014and how you express it matters. Just like there are different ways to show love, there are also different ways to show appreciation to your employees. This concept was coined by Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Paul White as the five languages of appreciation.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Whether it\u2019s an award, a gift, or some one-on-one time, there are different gestures that make people feel appreciated. For one person, a handwritten thank-you note might make their day. For someone else, that note might just be tossed in the trash. Knowing and using someone\u2019s preferred language of appreciation is essential. Let\u2019s break down the different ways you can express appreciation to your employees.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"color: #42337e; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">The 5 Languages of Appreciation<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>Words of affirmation:<\/strong> Verbal or written feedback resonates the most for employees with this language of appreciation.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Speak this language through:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Writing a thoughtful thank-you note for an employee\u2019s contributions;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Sending an e-mail congratulating them on a recent success; or<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Recognizing an employee during a meeting or giving them a shoutout on your workplace communication channel.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>Quality time:<\/strong> This involves giving your complete and undivided attention to an employee. This could be through spending time outside work or engaging with them about their goals and ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Speak this language through:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Setting up one-on-one meetings and check-ins;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Making yourself available to address questions or concerns; or<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Organizing a team outing, such as a monthly lunch or getting involved in the community together.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>Acts of service:<\/strong> Actions speak much louder than words for some. Show your appreciation by doing small helpful gestures for your employee.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Speak this language through:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Assisting with a task on an employee\u2019s to-do list;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">E-mailing a resource you think an employee may find useful; or<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Offering advice or feedback on a project an employee is struggling with.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>Gifts:<\/strong> For employees with this language of appreciation, a meaningful gift, whether tangible or intangible, shows that you are recognizing their contributions.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Speak this language through:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Bringing in coffee or treats to a meeting<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Giving employees a celebratory day or afternoon off to <a style=\"color: #006fd6;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/blog\/article\/disconnect-to-reconnect-why-employees-need-time-to-unplug#042022-disconnect-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-anchor=\"#042022-disconnect-work\">unplug<\/a> from work; or<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Sending them a gift basket, company swag, or a gift card.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>Appropriate physical touch:<\/strong> This one requires the most caution. Physical gestures can be used to show appreciation, but it\u2019s crucial to respect boundaries. Always ask before initiating any physical touch.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Speak this language through:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">High-fiving an employee after they complete a big project;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Offering a congratulatory handshake; or<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Giving a fist bump to celebrate a win.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"color: #42337e; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Why languages of appreciation matter<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">In a time when many companies are experiencing turnover, appreciation goes a long way. Eighty-one percent of employers offer company-wide <a style=\"color: #006fd6;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.benefitscanada.com\/news\/81-of-employers-offer-company-wide-recognition-programs-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recognition programs<\/a>. Yet a 2021 survey found that two of the top reasons employees leave a job is because they did <a style=\"color: #006fd6;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/business-functions\/people-and-organizational-performance\/our-insights\/great-attrition-or-great-attraction-the-choice-is-yours\" rel=\"noopener\">not feel valued<\/a> by their organization or managers. So, despite the widespread presence of recognition programs, why are employees still feeling unappreciated?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">It could be that managers and employees are not speaking the same language. By understanding your employees\u2019 preferred language of appreciation, you can communicate with them in a more meaningful way. Your words or actions will resonate more strongly because they\u2019re based on what they value.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">When employees feel genuinely appreciated, it can lead to higher job satisfaction and reduce burnout. It can also be a powerful motivator and help build a stronger company culture. In a 2021 study by Great Place to Work, 37% of respondents said that personal recognition would encourage them to produce better work. People who feel <a style=\"color: #006fd6;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greatplacetowork.com\/resources\/blog\/creating-a-culture-of-recognition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">motivated<\/a> at work were also more likely to feel that promotions were fair and describe their company as having \u201cexcellent integrity\u201d and an \u201cuplifting environment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"color: #42337e; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Best practices for showing appreciation<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">It\u2019s clear that employee appreciation plays a big role in an organization\u2019s success. But first, you need to speak the right language of appreciation. If you are wondering how to make your recognition and appreciation efforts count, check out our <a style=\"color: #006fd6;\" data-anchor=\"#052022-employee-appreciation\" href=\"https:\/\/offers.hrdownloads.com\/guide-to-employee-appreciation#052022-employee-appreciation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Guide to Employee Appreciation!<\/a> In this FREE guide, we offer some helpful tips on how to build a genuine and impactful culture of appreciation in your workplace.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/offers.hrdownloads.com\/guide-to-employee-appreciation#052022-employee-appreciation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Download now!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You may have heard about love languages. It\u2019s a popular concept that describes five different ways that romantic partners express and experience love. But what if that was adapted for the workplace?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":2856,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2855"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2855"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4509,"href":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2855\/revisions\/4509"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citationcanada.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}