It’s Teacher Appreciation Week. Do you speak the same love language as your staff?
Laurie King
Most staff say they receive no praise or recognition at work. With Teacher Appreciation Week, your staff is most likely receiving some sort of recognition. However, there is usually a disconnect between employers’ and employees’ perceptions of showing appreciation with staff. This can be because we usually communicate our appreciation using the language we speak, rather than using a variety of languages that show appreciation. Dr. Paul White applied the theories from Gary Chapman’s book, The 5 Love Languages, to the workplace in The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace.
Consider whether you have shown your appreciation for individual staff members in the following ways over the course of the year:
- Words of Affirmation
- Acts of Service
- Receiving Gifts
- Quality Time
- Appropriate Physical Touch
Showing appreciation is not a one-size-fits-all approach. One staff member may value time alone with the boss and others might dread this. Think about how individual staff members show their appreciation to others as a clue for what type of language they speak. People who feel appreciated at work have greater employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention. Are there love languages that you need to start speaking?
