Appreciation At Work Blog
“The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.” –Brian Herbert Several years ago, I got it into my head that I was going to grow a garden. Now, I should tell you right up front. This was optimistic at best, delusional at worst. I do not have a green thumb. In fact, the only plants that tend to thrive under my care are the artificial ones from Hobby Lobby. But I bought an above-ground planter, one of those boxes on stilts. I bought what I thought was... Continue reading...
While the primary focus of our work with the 5 languages of appreciation has been to help individuals learn how to communicate authentic appreciation in the ways meaningful to one another, we’ve learned that the flip side is also important. That is, how do you avoid inadvertently using actions to show appreciation that your coworker clearly doesn’t want? The goal is to communicate positively with one’s colleagues, so making them uncomfortable or even offending them is not what anyone really wants. Because we are committed to learning, growing, and improving, we began to explore the issue of avoiding unwanted acts... Continue reading...
December 29, 2025 9:00 am
Do you remember the story about the frog in a pot of water? One day a boy who liked exploring was walking by a pond and came upon a bullfrog, which he was able to catch. To his surprise the frog could talk and said, “You don’t have to hold me so tight – you are squeezing too hard. I won’t jump away.” So, the boy loosened his grip and started walking back to his house. “Where are we going?” asked the frog. “I thought I would show you where I live,” said the boy. When they got to the... Continue reading...
December 16, 2025 7:30 am
The holidays. Two words packed with memories, images from beloved movies, long to-do lists and mixed emotions. The Hannukah-Christmas-New Year’s holiday season has begun, and if you are like me, it causes a rapid succession of excitement, anticipation, anxiety, wonder, and exhaustion all before I’ve even done anything. Practical Advice for Approaching the Season Stress is essentially the experience of having more demands in your life than the resources you have to meet those demands. More stuff to do (make food, travel to relatives) with the same amount of time = stress. Experiencing more people and relationships than you have the emotional energy needed... Continue reading...
December 8, 2025 11:40 am
Changes in the foundations of how we work and where we work are constantly evolving and lead to uncertainty, anxiety, resistance, low morale and more, all of which can take their toll on employees. The good news is, managing reactions to change can be made easier if the change occurs within a culture of appreciation. When employees feel truly appreciated for what they do and who they are, disruption and resistance to change can be significantly reduced. Laying a foundation of appreciation with your colleagues can go a long way in helping them approach organizational changes with a more open mind.... Continue reading...
Most of us are overloaded with information, especially at this time of year, so I wanted to create a short and practical guide to help you cultivate gratitude during this Thanksgiving holiday. Multiple studies have shown the benefits of incorporating gratitude into our lives but it can be hard to know where to start. Gratitude has three main components: 1) An affirmation of the goodness in your life: that there are actually good things in this crazy mixed-up world. Always focusing on the negative, or the things you don’t like can be discouraging. Yet, taking some time to focus upon the good things from... Continue reading...
November 24, 2025 10:02 am
Leaders and HR professionals are facing some major challenges in today’s workplace: Keeping top talent from walking out the door, attracting the right people in a competitive market, and engaging remote teams for peak performance – as well as: So, what is the solution? A highly effective, low-cost suite of resources that provides the tools to help you succeed. Using evidence-based resources to address the wide range of issues affecting employees, and online train-the-trainer courses that focus on the core issues underlying the challenges of retention, recruitment, and remote employees. Introducing the Appreciation at Work Certified Workplace The Appreciation at... Continue reading...
November 17, 2025 12:25 pm
Training isn’t just a box to check. It’s a powerful tool for shaping how teams work, grow, and stay connected to their purpose. In today’s work environment—marked by rapid technological changes, shifting team expectations, and an increasing risk of burnout—strong employee training & development programs are essential. However, it’s not enough to schedule a webinar or introduce a new platform to people without proper preparation. To truly train and develop employees, organizations need programs that connect learning with real-world work, career growth, and emotional well-being. They also need to align with core business goals, such as improving performance management, reducing... Continue reading...
November 13, 2025 11:34 am
When people feel like they belong and are appreciated, they stay. It’s that simple. In today’s ever-evolving workplace, the need for a culture of belonging isn’t a trend; it’s a necessity. Employees want more than a paycheck; they want to feel seen, heard, and valued. And when they don’t? They disengage. They leave. Or worse, they stay disengaged and stop feeling joy for their work and environment. This post explores how building a strong culture of belonging can reduce turnover, improve morale, and strengthen your overall team dynamic. You’ll find practical steps, real examples, and helpful insights to support your... Continue reading...
November 12, 2025 9:08 am
High-performing teams don’t happen by accident. They’re built on intention, trust, and a clear sense of shared purpose. In today’s fast-paced and often hybrid workplaces, knowing what makes a group thrive—or fall apart—can be the difference between meeting goals and missing them. For leaders responsible for results and retention, learning how to build high-performance teams is more than a management task; it’s a strategic advantage. So, where to start? This post will explore the characteristics of high-performing teams, how to recognize them, and how to nurture those qualities within your own group. From communication and accountability to trust and shared... Continue reading...
November 11, 2025 9:51 am
After years of leading Appreciation at Work with vision and purpose, Dr. Paul White has announced his retirement from day-to-day leadership. While stepping away from daily operations, Dr. White will continue to serve in his new role as Founderand President-Emeritus, sharing his wisdom and insights through ongoing speaking and writing. Dr. White’s pioneering research on appreciation in the workplace has transformed how teams and leaders connect, communicate, and thrive together. His work has helped countless organizations affirm the value of every person, not just for what they do, but for who they are. “It has been one of the great... Continue reading...
November 10, 2025 9:00 am
In today’s workplace, employees want more than just a paycheck—they want purpose and a sense of belonging. And that purpose is often tied to growth. When employees can’t see where they’re headed, engagement suffers, frustration grows, and turnover becomes more likely. That’s where career pathing comes in. This blog explores what career pathing is, why it matters, and how to implement a strategy that keeps your team motivated and committed in the long term. You’ll also learn how career development ties to belonging in the workplace, creating cultures where people feel seen, valued, and supported. Let’s dig in. Career Pathing... Continue reading...
November 10, 2025 7:19 am
Workplace wellness is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s a core element of organizational success. When employees feel supported—mentally, physically, financially, and socially—they’re more likely to show up engaged, productive, and ready to contribute. Teams that feel cared for tend to care more about their work, their colleagues, and the mission. With rising burnout, mental health concerns, and disengagement, forward-thinking organizations are reimagining what it means to create a truly safe work environment. It’s not just about fruit bowls in the breakroom or gym discounts; it’s about a culture of appreciation, support, and trust. In this post, we’ll walk through 25... Continue reading...
The way we work is changing. The traditional 9-to-5 office model is no longer the default, and more organizations are recognizing that flexibility is not just a perk; it’s a necessity. Whether it’s accommodating caregiving responsibilities, reducing commute stress, or simply trusting employees to manage their time well, flexible work environments are becoming key to workplace satisfaction and success. Many teams are already navigating hybrid schedules, adjusting to shifting hours, or working condensed workweeks. These adaptations come with new questions: What’s fair? How do we maintain consistency? And how do we ensure everyone still feels connected? This blog explores what... Continue reading...
November 6, 2025 11:14 am
Leadership today is very different from what it was a decade ago. Traditional management often meant telling, directing, and controlling. Modern leadership is about connecting, supporting, and empowering. For many mid‑level managers, team leads, and aspiring executives, this shift brings real challenges—low morale, high turnover, and teams that feel disconnected. When trust is missing, your best people leave- it’s time to change that! In this post, you’ll discover key leadership behaviors that build real, lasting trust in the workplace. We’ll explore the role of principles in building trust in the workplace, practical behaviors you can adopt, how to measure impact,... Continue reading...
November 5, 2025 11:27 am
A strong workplace culture isn’t built on perks or policies; it’s built on people. And when those people don’t feel seen, valued, or appreciated, it shows up in costly ways: low engagement, high turnover, and underwhelming performance. In today’s competitive talent market, it’s not enough to offer a paycheck and benefits. Teams want more than that. They want to know their contributions matter. This is where strategic recognition makes a difference. When done right, recognition builds trust, strengthens culture, and positively impacts key business metrics such as retention, productivity, and profitability. This blog breaks down why recognition is more than... Continue reading...
November 4, 2025 12:24 pm
Every manager knows that keeping their team engaged and motivated is key to long-term success. Still, many make the mistake of overdoing it, which can come across as performative. Employee engagement doesn’t require lavish bonuses or office-wide parties every quarter. In fact, the most effective forms of recognition are often the simplest, when they’re personal, meaningful, and consistent. Many organizations face challenges with turnover and burnout, not because they lack rewards, but because people feel unseen. They crave genuine, thoughtful appreciation. This post explores 25 low-cost ways to recognize employees that tap into the real drivers of morale and connection.... Continue reading...
November 3, 2025 12:44 pm
Fifteen years ago, I pursued a new opportunity with Dr. Gary Chapman — focusing on improving workplace relationships and creating healthy workplace cultures with the 5 languages of appreciation. But I had two career paths before then. I’m a psychologist by training and also ran a successful company advising family-owned businesses. I wanted to share some of the lessons I learned from transitioning to this very different type of work with Dr. Chapman. From researching and writing a series of books, to creating an online assessment that has been taken by more than 450,000 individuals, developing an online train-the-trainer course, writing articles, and speaking to leaders of... Continue reading...
A Guest Blog By Denise Boudreau Years ago, I was leading a long-term care organization in New Jersey when a massive snowstorm shut everything down. Roads were buried, buses were delayed, and yet my team still showed up. Some spent hours commuting just to be there for the residents and patients we served. I was so grateful that I decided to thank them in a meaningful way: by gifting everyone sweatshirts with our organization’s name. The sweatshirts arrived, and at first, I handed them out personally from my office, thanking each person face-to-face. But after a long day... Continue reading...
Even if you’ve never watched the ESPN 30 for 30 episode on the invention of Gatorade, you are surely aware of the ever-present sports drink. But you may not be aware of the back story or the huge impact sports drinks have had on athletic performance. The Gatorade Effect: From Exhaustion to Excellence You see, back in the day, coaches had a tough guy approach to physical training. They would drive their players hard, testing the limits of their physical and mental endurance – often to the point of exhaustion, and even, hospitalization. In the 1950s and ‘60s, many athletic... Continue reading...
Those of you who work providing Human Resource (HR) services in companies and organizations have long been in a difficult position – serving in between upper management (on one hand) and supervisors and front-line employees (on the other). You feel pressure coming down from the executive team and C-suite to manage costs, fill positions, train new employees and avoid lawsuits. You also have expectations directed toward you from the general workforce to expand benefits, create a healthy, positive workplace, and facilitate conversations to resolve conflicts. (And this is true whether you are a formally trained HR professional or HR duties... Continue reading...
Many workplaces launch employee appreciation programs with enthusiasm and good intent. But after a few months, questions begin to surface: Is it working? Are people actually feeling valued? Is this making a difference in retention or engagement? When done right, appreciation is a powerful driver of workplace health and performance. However, like any strategy, it needs evaluation. If you’re going to invest time and resources into showing appreciation, it only makes sense to measure team appreciation with intention. Let’s explore how to track impact, define success, and avoid common mistakes when evaluating your recognition efforts. Define What Success Looks Like... Continue reading...
September 29, 2025 9:31 am
We are EXCITED to announce an upgraded revision to one of our core tools – the Expanded Motivating By Appreciation Inventory! At Appreciation at Work, we are dedicated to providing top quality, practical resources that are relevant to the ever-changing workplace. We are also committed to keeping those resources updated with the latest research and that has led to a updated and enhanced version of our Expanded Motivating By Appreciation Inventory. Updated for the Modern Workplace Originally developed in 2011, the Motivating By Appreciation Inventory (MBAI) has been taken by over 450,000 individuals around the world, and we’ve published over 10... Continue reading...
September 22, 2025 9:41 am
Have you ever wondered how you developed the routines that get you through the day? Brushing your teeth, taking a shower, eating breakfast—these are all habits. If you’re a parent, you know the effort it takes to help children develop healthy, beneficial habits. We do it because we know that once an action becomes a habit, it becomes an automatic and effortless part of their lives. Habits are mental shortcuts. They allow us to perform repetitive tasks without draining the mental and emotional energy needed for conscious thought. As we grow, we build more complex habits to manage our lives... Continue reading...
September 15, 2025 9:47 am
A Special Guest Blog by Evan Wilson Organizational leaders probably never stop thinking about what additions or changes need to be implemented to enhance their strategic plan. When leaders enter a season of strategic planning, one important pillar should include creating, building or sustaining a strong organizational culture. This often drives focus to core values, mission and purpose statements. This has been a common cadence of boards and leadership teams for decades. Over the past 17 years while leading an organization of 350 employees, I came to believe organizational culture defines long-term success. While I certainly endorse organizations... Continue reading...
It is no news that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on everyone’s mind in the world of business. The number of AI programs and platforms has proliferated exponentially in the past two years. For some, AI represents the hope of their dreams for progress and (potentially) profitability. For others, AI is the Darth Vader to the world – the entity that wants to control, destroy freedom and individuality, and may lead to the subjugation of the human race. Is AI Really That Helpful? Is Artificial Intelligence really going to be that helpful in improving the experience of life for us? Let’s... Continue reading...
One of the core tenets of the Appreciation at Work system is that not everyone feels appreciated in the same way. The more we align our appreciation with the specific preferences of our team members, the more likely we are to encourage them effectively and help them feel genuinely valued. This is the essence of understanding appreciation language in the workplace—and it plays a direct role in how we build trust and rapport with our colleagues. But here’s something we’ve learned from training thousands of professionals in authentic appreciation: A person’s primary language of appreciation is often the language in... Continue reading...
Have you ever tried to find a place—looked it up on Google Maps, driven there, and still couldn’t locate it, even though you were staring right at it? That happened to me recently while searching for a barbeque restaurant tucked into a converted shipping container next to a bank drive-through. I felt a little foolish once I finally saw it – it had been there all along. That’s how I feel about the rising levels of workplace loneliness and disconnectedness. The signs are clear. The underlying causes have been present for some time. And yet, many leaders still ask, “Where... Continue reading...
As a psychologist, I think about things differently – especially human interactions and relationships. And I sometimes ask weird questions, like: I am not personally an introvert, but having studied introversion and extroversion as part of my doctoral dissertation influences how I approach these questions. Definitions & Misunderstandings First, we need to define our terms – partly because that’s a good way to start and partially because many people misunderstand introversion and extroversion. Introversion is a personality style for those people who feel more comfortable focusing on their inner thoughts and ideas rather than what’s happening externally. Introverts typically enjoy... Continue reading...
The current state of the world feels unstable. Insecure. Unpredictable. Not that this is unusual — history (both recent and ancient) shows us that periods of instability are common. But living through those times still feels unsettling. This lack of certainty affects us personally and significantly impacts workplace mental health as well. Ignoring our emotional context leads to confusion, frustration, and often unhealthy reactions. So, let’s take a closer look at the world we’re navigating and how to better equip ourselves to respond. Why Predictability Matters to Us As humans, we’re wired to prefer predictability. When we do X, we... Continue reading...
