July 2, 2024 • 14 mins
Anita delves into the power of appreciation in the workplace and explores how it can foster a positive work environment and enhance employee engagement. She differentiates between appreciation and recognition, using Maslow's hierarchy of needs, to illustrate how feeling valued and connected is essential for motivation and fulfilment. Cultural practices used in Japan are also highlighted to show how simple acts of appreciation can make a significant impact.
The episode aims to help with tips to incorporate the act of appreciation into 'business as usual', ultimately creating a more connected and motivated workforce. What will you start, stop, or continue doing to appreciate someone from now on?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Social Enterprise would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land
where the podcast has been recorded and pay respects to the elders past and present.
We also want to celebrate the ongoing culture connections and the storytelling
practices that is very much part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders tradition.
(00:21):
Welcome to Social Enterprise.
Music.
(00:45):
Hello, listeners, and welcome to this episode.
I'm at a life and career stage at the moment where I'm fortunate enough to take
a pause to look back at all the learning from the almost last two decades of
my career so far and take these learnings and realisations into the next stage of my career.
I have a huge sense of appreciation for the diverse experiences which I've gained
(01:11):
in both Australia and Hong Kong, so I thought it would be fitting to talk about
the topic of appreciation.
I want to dive into this concept of appreciation and how this can lead to a
positive work environment and end with some suggestions as to how you can practice
giving appreciation more often.
What I've observed in the fast-paced environment of many organizations is that
(01:34):
there isn't a lot of regular habits of giving and receiving appreciation.
What I'm referring to is more than just saying please and thank you,
although that's also important and quite frankly should be the bare minimum
in social interactions anyway.
We get so caught up with reacting to things in order to get things done,
and it's common to get that tunnel vision and not stepping back and being grateful
(01:58):
and appreciative of what's been achieved, especially if others are involved as well.
As a HR professional, regardless of the type of organization I was engaged with,
many organizations invest in understanding employee engagement by conducting
regular surveys or focus groups, where one of the topics is usually around recognition.
(02:19):
This is because there is a known positive correlation with employee engagement,
motivation and therefore performance and business output.
Organisations also set up formal recognition programs to reward alignment to
cultural values and business performance as well.
However, I feel organisations are not looking at this with the right approach
(02:40):
or more accurately, not utilising all the tools available to them when it comes
to employee or organisational motivation and engagement.
Also, like most people, for many years, I've been under the misguidance that
appreciation is synonymous with recognition, whether that's monetary or non-monetary recognition.
(03:01):
However, it's not exactly the same thing.
Just to break this down a little further, if we think about general human behaviour
and motivation, it reminds me of Maslow's hierarchy of needs,
which is a framework used in psychology to understand the motivations of human behaviour.
It's commonly depicted as a pyramid with five stages where the idea is that
(03:23):
you need to satisfy the lower levels of the hierarchy first to be able to move up to the next level.
The foundational level or the bottom of the pyramid starts with physiological
needs, which are the basic needs we need to survive, such as food,
clean water, shelter, sleep, and so on.
The next stage is safety and security, which can include physical,
(03:47):
financial, emotional security, and psychological safety.
In the organizational context, there's a lot of discussion about how critical
psychological safety is for enabling innovation, but also escalating issues,
having healthy debate about topics and speaking up.
The third stage is the need for love and belongingness, which is where I focus
(04:10):
on as it has a direct correlation to today's topic of appreciation.
This stage is all about the need for one to have a sense of connection,
close bonds and feeling part of a group.
This also links to feeling trusted and accepted and I believe the act of appreciating
one another really helps fulfill the stage to be able to move up the next stage,
(04:35):
which is the fourth stage of esteem, which closely links to the recognition for achievements,
followed by the fifth and last stage, which is a self-actualization stage and
the apex of this pyramid, or in other words, total fulfillment and a sense of purpose.
Therefore, if one can feel appreciated, this will allow for further progression
(04:56):
towards achievement in a work context.
Motivation and employee engagement increases when, at a baseline,
they feel appreciated, feel valued, and a sense of belonging.
Human beings, regardless of whether one is introverted or extroverted,
have a need of belonging and connectedness as social beings.
When it comes to the difference between appreciation and recognition,
(05:19):
I've come across Mike Robbins, who has spent his career delving deeper into
the topic of appreciation.
He sums up the difference between the two really clearly for me.
He describes that recognition is based on feedback of positive results and performance,
whilst appreciation is more related to human value and having more of that people orientation.
(05:41):
It shows that there is a care for someone and that they matter.
I believe that appreciation can demonstrate humility, which can help break down
barriers and open up more social connectedness.
I'm not saying here that one is more important than the other,
as they're both equally important.
However, my observation in the corporate environment, or even non-corporate
(06:02):
environment for that matter, is that we don't spend enough time appreciating
one another compared to recognising one another in an organisational context.
It's also important to think about diversity and inclusion principles,
as it's important that we appreciate feeling comfortable and making people feel comfortable,
bringing their whole self to work and celebrating people bringing different knowledge, skills,
(06:27):
experience and perspectives to the workplace.
It makes you question how often are you giving appreciation and receiving it?
This question brings me back to a common practice of appreciation used in Japan.
I want to introduce you to a common phrase that's used widely in Japan,
and for me, this sums up the concept of appreciation, humility,
(06:49):
and respect beautifully, especially in a work context.
In Japan, you hear colleagues say the phrase, otsukaresamadeshita,
to each other, or otsukare for short, when they leave the workplace for the
day or after a project or task is completed.
It can also be used as a general symbol of appreciation towards one another.
(07:12):
There isn't a direct English translation, but if I break down the word,
the word skare means to be tired, and the phrase loosely translates to thank
you for your hard work and recognises the effort and contribution you have put
in, hence the link to the word of tired.
This is an important practice in Japan as Japanese culture prioritises the concept
(07:35):
of harmony or wa, where the meaning
is around the group society working together and helping each other.
Verbal appreciation and praise like this common practice in Japan is very timely,
doesn't cost anything, yet it can be super effective.
In this fast-paced and dynamic organization, which most of you are part of,
(07:57):
sometimes even getting regular one-to-one meetings with your manager or or your
colleagues can be really difficult.
In today's post COVID environment where teams are not located in the same place,
this practice can still be done both face-to-face and electronically.
I want to share a personal example where someone demonstrated appreciation towards
me that really moved me so much that I posted about it on social media at the time.
(08:23):
This was back in 2019 and let me read out the post that I made at the time.
Before I do, I'll describe the image which was a photo of a handwritten card
on my desk with my name on it. The post read as follows.
This morning, I came to work to a card and gift on my desk. It was from an intern
who had taken the time to thank me for helping settle her in and guiding her
(08:47):
through the organization.
Although I was just doing my job, it made me realize why I love working in HR.
It can be a tough, thankless job, but every now and again, it's great to get
a reminder that I'm making a difference to someone's employee experience and career.
Even reading that out aloud to this day really warms my heart.
(09:10):
It's a great example of someone showing appreciation
and gratitude which for the receiver demonstrates
that they matter and that they're valued on a
personal level it really keeps me going especially when things can get tough
and it's good to get a reminder that I'm on the right track what I especially
love about this example is that the appreciation has been given regardless of
(09:33):
hierarchy in an organization in this scenario I was a head of HR receiving
appreciation from an intern who, from an organization or hierarchy perspective,
is at that entry level, which just shows that appreciation is agnostic to power
dynamics and hierarchy.
The other thing I love about this example was that it was a handwritten note,
(09:54):
which is unheard of in this digital age, but more importantly,
from a Gen Zer or Zoomer, as they're also called.
The act of giving and receiving appreciation has been linked to significantly
impacting someone's health and well-being, leading to less stress and increasing mental resilience.
Also, in an environment where there are cost constraints, the act of giving
(10:17):
appreciation is inexpensive and words of appreciation, whether they're verbal
or written, can be incredibly powerful to create value and connectedness.
So, the case to increase the act of appreciation is strong. What are the next
steps in an organizational context?
Perhaps I can break this down based on two scenarios, one being an employee
(10:39):
or team member and the second being a manager.
As an employee or team member, think about whether someone has helped you or
supported you by guiding you through a situation or a process which has made things easier for you.
Or perhaps you're new to an organization or job role and someone has taken the
time out to help you settle in.
(11:00):
And coach you. Did someone stand up for you in a meeting?
Also, don't underestimate the value of appreciation towards your direct manager
or someone more senior even though they might be expected to support and serve
you as it also creates a positive working environment.
It can get a little isolating in senior positions and I think employees underestimate
(11:22):
this until they they become a people manager or a senior person themselves when
upward appreciation can be effective?
If those scenarios resonate with you, or there are similar examples you've experienced,
did you show appreciation at the time?
If not, think about the way you want to do it moving forward,
(11:44):
which is comfortable and authentic to you.
It might be a card, shouting the next coffee, or even just taking someone aside
to say thanks. I really appreciated what you did for me.
As a people manager, although you can use recognition to enforce the expected
behaviour and results, don't underestimate appreciating your staff.
(12:05):
Perhaps they stayed back to help a colleague finish his task or an incident
that required immediate action.
Perhaps they were proactive in escalating an issue or completing a task without you reminding them.
Also, the more you get to know your team member on a personal level,
you'll know which method of appreciation they will value most.
If they're introverted or perhaps more reserved, appreciation might be best
(12:29):
in a one-to-one scenario.
Others might find it more meaningful and rewarding in a group setting or in a team meeting.
Try this out and see how your team member responds to the appreciation.
Another underrated tip is just ask your team member how they prefer to be appreciated.
Not only will this determine the most effective method for each person,
(12:50):
but it also demonstrates that you have appreciation appreciation and valuing
an employee and team front of mind.
So, to wrap up this topic, there's no real rule when it comes to appreciation,
but what I will say is that the more you do it, the more it becomes a habit and natural to you.
It will increase your interpersonal skills and your relationships.
(13:13):
Who doesn't benefit from feeling appreciated?
Although I'm using this in a work context. It can also be used in the non-work context.
It might be thanking your parent for being there for advice or your spouse spending
time with the kids so you can go out and do your errands.
So, to finish up on the episode, I want to leave you with a question.
(13:34):
What are you going to start, stop, continue doing to appreciate someone from now on?
Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd be forever grateful if you can help
follow the podcast and rate it.
Until next time, stay safe and well.
Music.
Social Enterprise would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land
where the podcast has been recorded and pay respects to the elders past and present.
We also want to celebrate the ongoing culture connections and the storytelling
practices that is very much part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders tradition.
(00:21):
Welcome to Social Enterprise.
Music.
(00:45):
Hello, listeners, and welcome to this episode.
I'm at a life and career stage at the moment where I'm fortunate enough to take
a pause to look back at all the learning from the almost last two decades of
my career so far and take these learnings and realisations into the next stage of my career.
I have a huge sense of appreciation for the diverse experiences which I've gained
(01:11):
in both Australia and Hong Kong, so I thought it would be fitting to talk about
the topic of appreciation.
I want to dive into this concept of appreciation and how this can lead to a
positive work environment and end with some suggestions as to how you can practice
giving appreciation more often.
What I've observed in the fast-paced environment of many organizations is that
(01:34):
there isn't a lot of regular habits of giving and receiving appreciation.
What I'm referring to is more than just saying please and thank you,
although that's also important and quite frankly should be the bare minimum
in social interactions anyway.
We get so caught up with reacting to things in order to get things done,
and it's common to get that tunnel vision and not stepping back and being grateful
(01:58):
and appreciative of what's been achieved, especially if others are involved as well.
As a HR professional, regardless of the type of organization I was engaged with,
many organizations invest in understanding employee engagement by conducting
regular surveys or focus groups, where one of the topics is usually around recognition.
(02:19):
This is because there is a known positive correlation with employee engagement,
motivation and therefore performance and business output.
Organisations also set up formal recognition programs to reward alignment to
cultural values and business performance as well.
However, I feel organisations are not looking at this with the right approach
(02:40):
or more accurately, not utilising all the tools available to them when it comes
to employee or organisational motivation and engagement.
Also, like most people, for many years, I've been under the misguidance that
appreciation is synonymous with recognition, whether that's monetary or non-monetary recognition.
(03:01):
However, it's not exactly the same thing.
Just to break this down a little further, if we think about general human behaviour
and motivation, it reminds me of Maslow's hierarchy of needs,
which is a framework used in psychology to understand the motivations of human behaviour.
It's commonly depicted as a pyramid with five stages where the idea is that
(03:23):
you need to satisfy the lower levels of the hierarchy first to be able to move up to the next level.
The foundational level or the bottom of the pyramid starts with physiological
needs, which are the basic needs we need to survive, such as food,
clean water, shelter, sleep, and so on.
The next stage is safety and security, which can include physical,
(03:47):
financial, emotional security, and psychological safety.
In the organizational context, there's a lot of discussion about how critical
psychological safety is for enabling innovation, but also escalating issues,
having healthy debate about topics and speaking up.
The third stage is the need for love and belongingness, which is where I focus
(04:10):
on as it has a direct correlation to today's topic of appreciation.
This stage is all about the need for one to have a sense of connection,
close bonds and feeling part of a group.
This also links to feeling trusted and accepted and I believe the act of appreciating
one another really helps fulfill the stage to be able to move up the next stage,
(04:35):
which is the fourth stage of esteem, which closely links to the recognition for achievements,
followed by the fifth and last stage, which is a self-actualization stage and
the apex of this pyramid, or in other words, total fulfillment and a sense of purpose.
Therefore, if one can feel appreciated, this will allow for further progression
(04:56):
towards achievement in a work context.
Motivation and employee engagement increases when, at a baseline,
they feel appreciated, feel valued, and a sense of belonging.
Human beings, regardless of whether one is introverted or extroverted,
have a need of belonging and connectedness as social beings.
When it comes to the difference between appreciation and recognition,
(05:19):
I've come across Mike Robbins, who has spent his career delving deeper into
the topic of appreciation.
He sums up the difference between the two really clearly for me.
He describes that recognition is based on feedback of positive results and performance,
whilst appreciation is more related to human value and having more of that people orientation.
(05:41):
It shows that there is a care for someone and that they matter.
I believe that appreciation can demonstrate humility, which can help break down
barriers and open up more social connectedness.
I'm not saying here that one is more important than the other,
as they're both equally important.
However, my observation in the corporate environment, or even non-corporate
(06:02):
environment for that matter, is that we don't spend enough time appreciating
one another compared to recognising one another in an organisational context.
It's also important to think about diversity and inclusion principles,
as it's important that we appreciate feeling comfortable and making people feel comfortable,
bringing their whole self to work and celebrating people bringing different knowledge, skills,
(06:27):
experience and perspectives to the workplace.
It makes you question how often are you giving appreciation and receiving it?
This question brings me back to a common practice of appreciation used in Japan.
I want to introduce you to a common phrase that's used widely in Japan,
and for me, this sums up the concept of appreciation, humility,
(06:49):
and respect beautifully, especially in a work context.
In Japan, you hear colleagues say the phrase, otsukaresamadeshita,
to each other, or otsukare for short, when they leave the workplace for the
day or after a project or task is completed.
It can also be used as a general symbol of appreciation towards one another.
(07:12):
There isn't a direct English translation, but if I break down the word,
the word skare means to be tired, and the phrase loosely translates to thank
you for your hard work and recognises the effort and contribution you have put
in, hence the link to the word of tired.
This is an important practice in Japan as Japanese culture prioritises the concept
(07:35):
of harmony or wa, where the meaning
is around the group society working together and helping each other.
Verbal appreciation and praise like this common practice in Japan is very timely,
doesn't cost anything, yet it can be super effective.
In this fast-paced and dynamic organization, which most of you are part of,
(07:57):
sometimes even getting regular one-to-one meetings with your manager or or your
colleagues can be really difficult.
In today's post COVID environment where teams are not located in the same place,
this practice can still be done both face-to-face and electronically.
I want to share a personal example where someone demonstrated appreciation towards
me that really moved me so much that I posted about it on social media at the time.
(08:23):
This was back in 2019 and let me read out the post that I made at the time.
Before I do, I'll describe the image which was a photo of a handwritten card
on my desk with my name on it. The post read as follows.
This morning, I came to work to a card and gift on my desk. It was from an intern
who had taken the time to thank me for helping settle her in and guiding her
(08:47):
through the organization.
Although I was just doing my job, it made me realize why I love working in HR.
It can be a tough, thankless job, but every now and again, it's great to get
a reminder that I'm making a difference to someone's employee experience and career.
Even reading that out aloud to this day really warms my heart.
(09:10):
It's a great example of someone showing appreciation
and gratitude which for the receiver demonstrates
that they matter and that they're valued on a
personal level it really keeps me going especially when things can get tough
and it's good to get a reminder that I'm on the right track what I especially
love about this example is that the appreciation has been given regardless of
(09:33):
hierarchy in an organization in this scenario I was a head of HR receiving
appreciation from an intern who, from an organization or hierarchy perspective,
is at that entry level, which just shows that appreciation is agnostic to power
dynamics and hierarchy.
The other thing I love about this example was that it was a handwritten note,
(09:54):
which is unheard of in this digital age, but more importantly,
from a Gen Zer or Zoomer, as they're also called.
The act of giving and receiving appreciation has been linked to significantly
impacting someone's health and well-being, leading to less stress and increasing mental resilience.
Also, in an environment where there are cost constraints, the act of giving
(10:17):
appreciation is inexpensive and words of appreciation, whether they're verbal
or written, can be incredibly powerful to create value and connectedness.
So, the case to increase the act of appreciation is strong. What are the next
steps in an organizational context?
Perhaps I can break this down based on two scenarios, one being an employee
(10:39):
or team member and the second being a manager.
As an employee or team member, think about whether someone has helped you or
supported you by guiding you through a situation or a process which has made things easier for you.
Or perhaps you're new to an organization or job role and someone has taken the
time out to help you settle in.
(11:00):
And coach you. Did someone stand up for you in a meeting?
Also, don't underestimate the value of appreciation towards your direct manager
or someone more senior even though they might be expected to support and serve
you as it also creates a positive working environment.
It can get a little isolating in senior positions and I think employees underestimate
(11:22):
this until they they become a people manager or a senior person themselves when
upward appreciation can be effective?
If those scenarios resonate with you, or there are similar examples you've experienced,
did you show appreciation at the time?
If not, think about the way you want to do it moving forward,
(11:44):
which is comfortable and authentic to you.
It might be a card, shouting the next coffee, or even just taking someone aside
to say thanks. I really appreciated what you did for me.
As a people manager, although you can use recognition to enforce the expected
behaviour and results, don't underestimate appreciating your staff.
(12:05):
Perhaps they stayed back to help a colleague finish his task or an incident
that required immediate action.
Perhaps they were proactive in escalating an issue or completing a task without you reminding them.
Also, the more you get to know your team member on a personal level,
you'll know which method of appreciation they will value most.
If they're introverted or perhaps more reserved, appreciation might be best
(12:29):
in a one-to-one scenario.
Others might find it more meaningful and rewarding in a group setting or in a team meeting.
Try this out and see how your team member responds to the appreciation.
Another underrated tip is just ask your team member how they prefer to be appreciated.
Not only will this determine the most effective method for each person,
(12:50):
but it also demonstrates that you have appreciation appreciation and valuing
an employee and team front of mind.
So, to wrap up this topic, there's no real rule when it comes to appreciation,
but what I will say is that the more you do it, the more it becomes a habit and natural to you.
It will increase your interpersonal skills and your relationships.
(13:13):
Who doesn't benefit from feeling appreciated?
Although I'm using this in a work context. It can also be used in the non-work context.
It might be thanking your parent for being there for advice or your spouse spending
time with the kids so you can go out and do your errands.
So, to finish up on the episode, I want to leave you with a question.
(13:34):
What are you going to start, stop, continue doing to appreciate someone from now on?
Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd be forever grateful if you can help
follow the podcast and rate it.
Until next time, stay safe and well.
Music.
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