Appreciation Is What Your People Want Most!

Money is nice, but more than that, your people want to feel appreciated! Don’t get me wrong – they won’t work for free. After all, monetary compensation is a way of expressing gratitude for their hard work.

Appreciation Versus Recognition

Yes, appreciation and recognition are intertwined.

Appreciation does include recognizing the value of individual contributions, but more importantly it acknowledges an individual’s inherent worth regardless of specific achievements or outcomes.

Appreciation is a personal. It highlights the importance of each employee to the organization.

Recognition in the workplace acknowledges an individual’s accomplishments, efforts, and contributions to the organization. It’s a way of positively reinforcing the desired behaviors and values exhibited by an individual.

Both are desired and necessary!

The Stats

There is research and multiple surveys that reinforce the value of appreciation in the workplace.

A 2024 Canva Survey that polled professionals in the US and Australia revealed that

• 87% of employees surveyed say feeling appreciated at work increases motivation.
• 85% reported appreciation increases confidence.
• 85% agreed that it increased productivity.

Yet a 2024 Gallup Analysis suggests that only one in three workers in the US strongly agree that they receive the recognition or praise for doing good work in the past seven days.

An Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll surveyed employed job seekers and discovered that 54% say that recognition is regular and 46% say it is reserved for big wins. That reveals that there is plenty of room for improvement!

New 2026 research from the Harvard Business Review Analytic Services reiterates how important recognition is. Of the 566 business leaders surveyed, 66% agreed that their organization’s reward and recognition program is very important for influencing business performance.

Are You Missing Out?

Appreciation is often a missed opportunity for leaders and managers to encourage, motivate, and let your people know what’s working – what success looks like. Perhaps even more beneficial, your words of appreciation let your people know you see what they are doing – you know what their contribution is!

Beware, when appreciation is missing, people are twice as likely to quit, and turnover is costly!

Unfortunately, most organizations don’t have a system in place for managing recognition or expressing appreciation effectively. Yet the desire for appreciation is what everyone wants – at the very top, the bottom, and everyone in-between!

It’s NOT One Size Fits All

Here’s the kicker: what makes me feel appreciated isn’t necessarily what makes you feel appreciated! Did you know that everyone actually has their own “Appreciation Language” much like the famous “Love Languages”?

What’s the difference between love languages and appreciation languages? Well, practicing the 5 Love Languages in your personal life leads to thriving relationships. Practicing the 5 Languages of Appreciation at work creates a thriving workplace – one where employee engagement, motivation, and productivity are high. Plus, people who are appreciated enjoy work more and stick around longer!

Are you ready to craft a work culture brimming with positivity and overflowing with appreciation?

Expressing appreciation in meaningful ways requires creativity and intentionality! I know your time is valuable, so here are some suggestions to spark your creativity for all five of the Appreciation Languages:

1. Words of Affirmation

In the work place, Words of Affirmation tends to be popular, especially when it’s praise for accomplishments. However, that’s not the only way to convey appreciation with words. Some prefer words of praise acknowledging character or personality traits.

Remember, it’s not just words, it’s being very specific in your praise. “Thanks for all you do” or “You are a great guy” won’t cut it!

• • • “Props” Day – a traditional last Friday of the month ritual, or the last day of the quarter where the whole team gathers and shares what they appreciate about each other. This isn’t just a top down appreciation adventure, it’s an all-around adventure!
    • Create a “Rah, Rah Board” where people can post specifics about what they appreciate about each other and post them where they will be noticed. At the end of the month, toss the notes all in a hat and draw 1, 3, or more and reward either the writer of the note, the receiver of the note, or go all out and reward both!
    • Give a shout out on social media to recognize the amazing contributions a team member has made.
    • An old fashioned, handwritten thank you note.
    • Be intentional about speaking words of affirmation face to face. Make saying “thank you” a regular part of the lingo! Just make sure it’s genuine and specific as I described above.
    • Clever Candy Bars – inexpensive, yet speaks volumes assuming they don’t conflict with dietary restrictions! There are oodles of creative suggestions here! Plus, don’t overlook healthier options like KIND bars, Positive Cookies, KNOW Cookies (I just want you to KNOW…) or Better Than Good Snacks.
    • Pay if Forward Journal – Write a note in the journal about what you appreciate about a co-worker and pass the journal on to them. They then write a note to someone else and pass it on. Keep it going and notice the change in the atmosphere!

2. Quality Time

Time is currency, and when you invest time in others, it speaks volumes to those who receive appreciation this way – being fully present and engaged!

• • • Designate a Waffle Wednesday, Food Friday, or Potluck Power Days! Food is a treat and a great way to bring people together, cultivate appreciation, and show appreciation! Maybe a salad bar, pizza, or make your own sundaes – the options are literally endless.
    • Celebrate!!! Birthdays, work anniversaries, reaching goals, professional achievements, and personal accomplishments are all opportunities for your team to connect, honor, and be honored!
    • Reward the team that has the biggest impact on bringing your organization closer to its mission. Not only does friendly competition motivate, this kind of competition encourages each team to see how they connect to the mission of the organization and actively participate in making it happen! What kinds of rewards could there be that would create QT? What about letting them pick an adventure of their choice – perhaps activities like miniature golf, bowling, karaoke, spa day, or pooling the reward funds and donating to a charity. Visibly tracking the progress is also a great way to spur everyone on!
    • Take people to lunch either individually or as a team. Give them your undivided attention – no agenda!
    • Create opportunities for your people to mingle and connect like having a food truck visit for lunch, coordinating a game lunch, or connecting at a garden. Something that your people would enjoy!

3. Acts of Service

For some, simple ways of serving tickles that appreciation itch!

• • • Surprise them – Let them go home early, take a long lunch, or come in two hours later tomorrow just because.
    • Offer to take care of anything they might miss while they are on vacation. Make it fun by creating “Time Off Coupons” in 15 or 30 minute increments are randomly given to show your appreciation.
    • Suggestion box – It’s not enough to have the box you need to actually implement and address the suggestions offered. Your being proactive lets your people know that you value and appreciate their suggestions.
    • Provide funds for your people to freshen up the break room.
    • Demonstrate your appreciation by allowing your people to enjoy “Summer Fridays” where they go home early or get the whole day off on Fridays between Memorial Day and Labor Day. You might try something similar in December when people have more going on personally and would treasure the time off. Can’t handle that much time off? Make your Summer Fridays a jeans day or business casual day.

4, Tangible Gifts

Not all gifts are created equal! Skip the company swag and hone in on a gift that would be meaningful for the recipient or recipients.

• • • Extra vacation or personal time.
    • A work from home day.
    • Professional development opportunities like The LAB, continuing education courses, training, or a conference. These opportunities also allow your people to grow and work at a higher level. Consider chipping in half to support their goals and allowing them to take some ownership too – a win-win!
    • Pay a trainer to come in and do a Boot Camp before or after work or offer a gym membership.
    • Choose a gift that’s specific to the person – something that is related to their interests or hobbies. Other suggestions… a book, gift card, music, flowers, candles, or something from Snappy Gifts.
    • VIP parking spots or paid parking.
    • Have a “bring your dog to work” day. What about bring your son or daughter to work?
    • Reward someone with coaching – not because they need to grow, but because they’ve shown great promise and you want to give them even more of an edge!!!

5. Physical Touch

This one gets tricky in the workplace for obvious reasons! It’s critical to be sensitive to differing cultures and settings when expressing appreciation through touch. It never hurts to ask permission before offering appreciation this way. For example, you might ask, “May I give you a high-five?”

Just as babies need physical touch at birth to thrive and the elderly in later years, a certain segment of your organization does too!

• • • A pat on the back or a hand on the shoulder are universally considered acceptable ways of showing appreciation
    • A handshake
    • A high-five or fist bump

Getting It Right

Don’t guess! Make it part of your on-boarding process to determine what communicates appreciation. You may wish to have a team meeting where you all share which of the five languages of appreciation resonates most. To follow up, have each person wear tags for a season to remind those around them what their preference is when it comes to appreciation.

As a leader it’s your responsibility to adapt to those you serve even if they don’t adapt to you. Creating an amazing culture begins and ends with you. Challenge yourself to resist getting into a rut in your appreciation efforts because over time, your efforts will become less meaningful.

Encourage your people to practice appreciation too! It takes everyone to create a culture of appreciation!

March 1^st is Employee Appreciation Day! Mark it on your calendar! Be intentional about cultivating a wildly positive place to work!

Extending appreciation doesn’t stop with your people. Be sure to extend it to clients, customers, donors, volunteers, and business associates. Make it a way of life!

I want to hear from you! What’s your favorite way to be shown appreciation in the workplace?