Tips for Showing Appreciation at Work

Can you think of the last time you were given a kind word, quality time with your manager, a gift from a colleague, an offer to help or even a high five? How did it make you feel? Did that energize you? 

With all the things going on at work, home and in the world today, many people feel strained and under-valued; maybe this could be a time to show some appreciation.

Appreciation is one way to improve your workplace by creating a positive work environment, improving motivation and increasing productivity. 

Gary Chapman and Paul White’s book, The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, is a great way to learn more about giving affirmations. 

The premise of this book is to understand how to effectively communicate appreciation and encouragement. They do this by:

• Citing research
• Sharing lessons learned through engaging stories
• Providing examples from a wide range of industries
• Clarifying the concept of the “5 Languages of Appreciation”
• Offering practical applications 
• Supplying numerous resources 

One of the big takeaways from this book is that there are five different ways you can appreciate someone: 

• Words of affirmation - Saying a kind word, including explaining why you are appreciative: “I really appreciate how hard you worked on this project. I know you have put a lot of time into this project, and it truly shows.”  
• Quality time - Giving someone your undivided attention; just go over and talk to someone, listen and don’t interrupt.
• Acts of service - Pitching in when someone needs a little help; when someone seems a little stressed or seems to have a pile of work to do, ask them what you could do to help. 
• Tangible gifts - Offering something a person would appreciate: tickets to a game or gift certificates to a favorite restaurant. 
• Physical touch - Recognition through appropriate physical touch, such as a handshake, pat on the back or high five.
  
   

The hard part is that everyone is different. You have to identify which language of appreciation each individual gravitates to in the end. Just because you prefer quality time doesn’t mean it is everyone's first language of appreciation. 

So this week, even if you are a manager or not, send an affirmation to a colleague to let them know that you appreciate them. But you may want to read the book first to learn the best way to do that.