Feeling genuinely appreciated lifts people up. At the most basic level, it makes us feel great! When we transfer this to a work environment, it increases motivation, makes us feel valued, and connects us with each other.
Recognition is positive feedback on someone’s work. This is about recognizing what they do.
Appreciation is recognizing someone’s value, regardless of the output of their work. This is about appreciating who they are.
People love feeling celebrated! It’s important to show appreciation to let people know they are valued and that you appreciate their contributions.
Appreciation is even more important in a remote and async environment. In the outside world, we can easily see people's body language and gestures. We can hear in their voice and see in their eyes how they feel about something. You also get many more touch points for organic interactions with people to show appreciation. Because we are remote, we have to be more intentional with our interactions and make efforts to send or write out that friendly message and show thanks!
We show appreciation in lots of different ways, some of which are a bit more official and some of which are more casual. Below are some examples of why you might be celebrating someone: