Do You Know Your Employees’ Love Language? Not Knowing Could Be Costing You...
A mere 30% of employees are reportedly engaged at work, and 18% are actively disengaged. (Gallup)
For a company with 100 employees, for example, that's 18 employees not performing as they should be. If each of those employees are performing at 90%, at an average annual earnings of $50,000 per employee, you could be experiencing a $90,000 annual loss in productivity.
Love language in the workplace refers to the unique way an employee feels valued, motivated, and appreciated at work.
It varies from person to person, with some employees responding best to verbal praise, while others prefer tangible rewards, professional growth opportunities, or acts of service.
Understanding and acting on these preferences leads to higher engagement, improved retention, and a more positive company culture.
Examples of employee love languages:
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Words of Affirmation: Recognition and praise - A simple “Great job” or shoutout during a meeting can go a long way
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Quality Time: Dedicated, one-on-one time with manager where employee feels heard and cared for. Don't overthink it - 5 minutes could be all the time someone needs
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PTO & Benefits: Extra time off or earned perks from a company wellness competition
- Compensation: Bonuses and other performance-based incentives
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Gifts: Small rewards like gift cards, snacks, or company swag
- Written notes: "Get well soon", "Thank you", "Thinking of you" - a powerful way to show you care
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Opportunities for Growth: Investing in development, like training, certifications, or promotions
- Schedule flexibility: Childcare, second jobs, life in general - get creative with 'flexibility' at work so that people don't have to choose work over everything else
How to discover what employees value:
Finding out what your team values doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few tips:
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Ask: Use surveys or one-on-one meetings to directly ask employees how they like to be appreciated.
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Observe: Pay attention to what lights them up. Do they smile when they’re praised in a meeting? Do they get excited about learning opportunities?
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Experiment: Try different approaches and see what resonates. For example, offer public recognition one week and a small reward the next.
- Understand: Consider generational and cultural differences as you work to understand your people. "...This unprecedented age span [in the workplace] could afford organizations unique opportunities to reimagine and reposition themselves for sustainable intergenerational inclusion and impact" (HBR).
If all else fails, take this general approach: "Be intentionally unexpected, all the time." Give employees something fun when they least expect it. It doesn't have to be extravagant or expensive. Rather, intentional and personalized - just because.
Knowing your employees’ love languages isn’t just about making them feel good — it’s critical to the overall health of your organization. Businesses with highly engaged employees experience 43% less turnover. (Gallup) When people feel valued in ways that matter to them, they’re more likely to stay engaged, loyal, and motivated. It’s a small step that can lead to big results for your workplace.
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