I used to work in an organisation with over 600 people. One morning before work, I was walking my dogs, and like I do every morning, I thought about whom I could show appreciation to that day. Like most large organisations we had a payroll function who were the unsung heroes of the workplace; only hearing about things when there was a problem. I penned a note to the two people in charge of the payroll function, letting them know that they were doing a great job, that they were under-appreciated and that given that it was coming into a busy period (tax time) that I thought they were smashing it.
What happened next? I got an email from both people, independently letting me know how much they appreciated the feedback for ‘seemingly no reason’. I thought to myself “Wow, if a simple note of appreciation can have such a profound impact on someone, imagine if you caught people doing something good and were able to let them know”. Ten years later, that note was still pinned up and they still talked about it. Talk about impact huh?
How did I learn this behaviour of showing appreciation? You may have noticed by now that I love reading! I’ve mentioned in the past how ‘in love’ I am with the self-help type of books that now swamp our shelves (or online stores). One of my all-time favourite books has to be ‘The Five Love Languages’ by Gary Chapman and Paul White.
It is about meeting someone where they’re at and trying to understand them from their perspective. The book noted that when you pay attention to someone, you are much more likely to understand them.
I am absolutely delighted that the authors, have now published a book specifically for the workplace. The book, ‘The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace’ shows you how to incorporate the ‘Five Love Languages’ into your workplace.
If you’re a manager or a supervisor, you must give this book a read. It’s perfect to show you:
- How to effectively communicate appreciation and encourage your employees
- How this can result in higher levels of job satisfaction
- How to develop healthier relationships between yourself and employees
- How to decrease cases of ‘burnout’
It will also help you to understand an individual’s primary and secondary languages of appreciation and can assist you (as a manager or supervisor) to communicate effectively with your team members.
This valentines day why not show the people in your workplace how much you love and appreciate them!
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