The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People by Gary Chapman

The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People Reviews

• 
  Samuel

  It's hard to argue with the major premise of the book: that feeling appreciated is critical for employees in all fields, and that each person has a different set of things that make him or her feel that appreciation. And there were indeed a number of suggestions contained in the book that made good sense.
  
  However, it was at least twice as long as it needed to be, with a lot of unneccesary repetition. People who need or would have an interest in this book are, almost by definition, busy, and would likely appreciate a more concise presentation of the information. I also got tired of the sheer number of times that Chapman and White plugged their consulting business. Yes, if I have an interest in pursuing these ideas further, I know you are available for consultation, and that you have your MBA Inventory tool that can be used as well. No, I don't need to be reminded of that on every single page of the book.
  
  Anyway, it's fine as far as it goes, but you do have to do more than a little wading to get to the metaphorical lily.
• 
  Chelsey

  There's some helpful information in here that I hope will help me inspire my staff, but it's bogged down by what is essentially a 230-page advertisement for Chapman and White's consultation services. My suggestion: read Sections 1 and 2, and scan through Section 4 if you need.
• 
  Donna

  I like Gary Chapman's books on love languages, especially the one about teenagers. I do agree with the his main point....that everyone values different displays of love and appreciation. While I'm not a "gold star" girl, I do love when someone steps up to help me out because, I'd never ask for it.
  
  This book is about appreciation in the workplace. If I'm being completely honest, this book kind of made me a little bitter. I work for the government and they don't believe in employee appreciation...the mere fact that you have a job is their only form of appreciation. To hear the author talking about displays of appreciation in the office, positive words from supervisors/managers, and having other employees help out the others that are swamped had me thinking the grass is definitely greener somewhere else. This does not exist in my work environment. I know...I'm whining....just let me get it off my chest. They even stopped buying cookies once a year (their old way of showing employee appreciation) because they said that if every government office did that across the nation, it would literally cost millions of dollars. So there went the cookies.
• 
  Karen ⊰✿

  *Re-read 2022* Great to be reminded of the languages of appreciation, especially in the contect of remote teams. A book any leader should read**
  
  This was a pretty interesting read as the author (Gary Chapman) has taken his "5 love languages" and with the help of Paul White, altered them to suit the workplace and provide guidance for how to provide your co-workers, manager and staff with appreciation that will motivate them.
  
  The book essentially explains the background for the MBA inventory (Motivation By Appreciation) and gives some examples of how to introduce and use it successfully in your workplace. It also includes a code that allows you to take the inventory online.
  
  I originally started reading this as I thought it may be helpful for recognition programs, but it is a bit different as appreciation is described being about the person rather than performance. However, I can see value in using this as a training tool for managers on motivating their teams, and providing positive feedback.
• 
  Jeff

  The 5 Love Languages is a must-book, especially if you're married.
  
  This book was helpful but I think it would have been just as good as a blog post. The most helpful insight was explaining the difference between recognition of employees and appreciation of employees. "Recognition is largely about behavior. Appreciation focuses on performance plus the employee's value as a person. Recognition is about improving performance and focuses on what is good for the company. Appreciation emphasizes what is good for the company AND what is good for the person."
  
  The single highest driver of engagement, according to a worldwide study conducted by Towers Watson is whether or not workers feel their managers are genuinely interested in their wellbeing.
  
  The question is not, "Do you appreciate your employees?" The question is, "Do your employees feel appreciate?"
• 
  Coffee&Books

  Told my manager that I would read this book, 5 languages of appreciation at Work. It wasn't "WHOA!" enlightening or anything but I did want to confirm what I thought my language of appreciation would be, and I was interested in my secondary and what language is LEAST motivating to me.
  Turns out I was right, verbal affirmation is important to me. I don't need gifts or trips, I don't wanna hang out with everyone... just say thank you and acknowledge that the girl in the corner is doing good work and that by me doing MY job, I help you do yours better.
  My least motivating was actually gifts or personal touch. Not that I'm ever going to turn down a gift but I don't need a present every time you want to show appreciation. And DON'T TOUCH ME. LMAO.
• 
  Paul Goble

  A flawed but nevertheless indispensible exploration of what it takes to successfully communicate "I appreciate you" to colleagues and subordinates in the workplace.
  
  The book explains five "languages" of appreciation: words of affirmation, tangible gifts, quality time, acts of service, and physical touch. Each person has a primary language--"It doesn't matter how often you tell me that I'm a valued contributor or give me gifts; I simply will NOT feel appreciated until you come alongside me and help out when I'm overwhelmed." Equally important, each person has a least valued language, which tends to be a blind spot: "Gifts mean nothing to me, so why would anyone expect me to give them?"
  
  I appreciate how the book addresses practical challenges of "managing by appreciation" (MBA). For example, it recognizes that although some people react very favorably toward being touched and even NEED touch, any touch beyond a simple handshake or high-five is just too dangerous in the contemporary workplace. It recognizes finer-scale individual differences in the languages; for example, among people who need words of affirmation, some prefer those words to be delivered in public, others detest public recognition and prefer one-on-one communication. It briefly compares and contrasts related concepts such as recognition.
  
  The book carries quite a bit of credibility, both because of the pedigree of the authors (Gary Chapman wrote the bestselling 5 Love Languages) and because the authors conducted quite a few quantitative and qualitative studies of the topic across a wide spectrum of workplaces.
  
  As with many books on personality, this book requires the use of an instrument (test) to determine your type. If you buy your own copy of the book, you get a "free" code to take the test.
  
  Unfortunately, the book has some serious shortcomings. First, although it was interesting and competently written, it was still a chore to read. Some of the text felt more like padding than like rich content. Second, it totally misses many of the biggest things which makes employees feel UNappreciated: lack of shared values and goals; lack of tools; policies and structures which stand in the way of working effectively; and gossip and backstabbing. Third, it doesn't recognize any possibility that there might be languages of appreciation other than the five that the authors used to begin their research.
  
• 
  Chelsea Serrano

  Well since I just started working, I wanted to know more about how I can not be a burden to my colleagues especially since I'm fresh from college and everything is just so new to me. Meeting new people and building a relationship is a bit of a challenge for me because I am a bit of an introvert. So, I found this book really helpful and helped me not only identify my appreciation languages, the most and least important, but also my family, friends, colleagues basically everyone I'm connected to. I started to observe people more, not in a creepy way of course. But with a motive to know what language I can best show my appreciation for them.
  
  I like the last parts of the book (so make sure you read until the end!) where they said something about encouragement and appreciation are like vitamins and antibiotics that help keep the body healthy and prevent from failing.
  
  Just like every relationship, it needs a LOT of work. A lot of time and effort is put into it. Showing appreciation is also like that. It should be intentional, sincere and most of all in the language the one you want to express appreciation of speaks for you to hit the mark.
  
  This is a very good read for those who are planning to set up their own business or doing business or if you just want to improve the work environment in your workplace. That is because we are intentionally placed there by God to do something for His purpose. ☺️
• 
  Cori

  Before COVID really took off, a group of us from my workplace were reading this together for a bookclub. But after we had to stop meeting, I kept reading it.
  
  The first eight chapters are incredibly practical and worth reading for anyone in a competitive workforce, especially leaders. If you've read The Five Love Languages then you will be familiar with the five areas of appreciation listed: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Tangible Gifts, Physical Touch, and Acts of Service. The same concepts are applied, but for a professional work setting. The rest of the book was moderately helpful. My only area of constructive feedback would have been less in-book marketing for their consultation company.
  
  I'd rate this book a G.
• 
  Betsy

  I, like many, loved the Five Languages book for couples. It has helped me in my relationships with my fiancé, my friends, and my family. I can appreciate that the authors have attempted to bring this concept into an office setting, but I'm not sure that a whole book needed to be dedicated to this. It's kind of like the Five Languages for Children and for Teenagers and for Single People... the author found a winning concept and ran with it in every way he could. (I can't blame him - capitalize on your great research, man!) In any case, I'll take the reminders and try to apply it in my workplace environment just like I've done in my personal relationships.
• 
  Nauplius

  The five love languages taken into the context of appreciation in the workplace.
  Lots of practical ideas on how to show appreciation, if you want you could just skip to the ideas and not read the small bit of theory in between. The discussion of touch as a love language in this context was kind of funny but interesting, I liked that they stayed on the side of caution while also taking different perspectives into account.
• 
  Margaret

  I find the concepts in this book very helpful in thinking about how your coworkers or employees are different from you, and how to demonstrate that you value them. The book overall is a little repetitive but I appreciate what I got out of it and plan to put it to good use.
• 
  Vlad

  This can definitely be summarized in two pages.
  
  Page one: Go to your browser and image search: the five languages of appreciation at work.
  
  Page two: why you should hire the authors for a consulting engagement in which they teach your team how to appreciate one another.
  
  Page one would be decent, if it weren’t spread across hundreds of pages. I’d skip page two.
• 
  Shelly

  Repetitive. Too long for what it had to say. A ridiculous sentence: “The need for appreciation and encouragement is not limited to the United States or English-speaking nations.” Did that even need to be said??
• 
  Francesca

  2.5 stars
  
  The basis of this book is great - so much so that I've petitioned to fold this concept into the company I work for. I've already read and enjoyed The 5 Languages of Love, so this book was a refresher of those ideas but applied towards appreciation in the workplace. I could see how many teams could benefit from this application!
  
  However, as many other readers have mentioned, Chapman and White were repetitive and often explained concepts unrelated to the main thesis, making this book twice as long as it needed to be.
• 
  Kimberly Bower MLIS (gladeslibrarian)

  In the hard economic times in which we live, the face-off between employer and employee has contributed to making bad situations worse. Employers caution workers citing the precarious nature of the current job market and inform them that they ought to be happy they even have a job. Employees walk around on eggshells and avoid the necessary ingenuity and risk-taking behaviors needed for most businesses to succeed. Hope of a successful future in the workplace and the expression of appreciation for a job well-done bolster morale. When morale is low absenteeism increases and employees are only willing to offer the bare minimum effort in order to put food on their own tables. Everybody loses.
  
  Bestselling author Gary Chapman adds another title to his collection of “5 Languages” books. Paul White adds both academic credentials and business experience to Chapman’s background in marriage and family counseling. Theirs is a sorely needed book on understanding the dynamics of the workplace. The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace brings clarity and understanding to the nature of the beast and provides resources to help both employers and employees find the path toward improved relations. Readers will learn how to determine their own appreciation language and can then pinpoint that of others in their workplace. Armed with this knowledge as well as with the stand-alone resources in the back of the book, readers will be able to participate in the solution by taking the initiative in appreciating others.
  
  NOTE: I requested and received a copy of this title via NetGalley.com but made no commitment to review it.
  
  5 of 5 stars.
  
• 
  Lisa

  I read Chapman's 5 Love Languages book previously, so this was basically a reminder of that but in workplace terms. It seems common sense to appreciate people who work for/with you, but some good reminders.
• 
  Ashton

  This book became very repetitive very quickly. I agree the general principles are good but it could have been summed up in an essay. We didn’t need a full book.
• 
  Kev Willoughby

  This is the type of book that can impact and change a culture.
  
  So many of the book studies I've participated in at work are focused on the work. This is the first book I've read that is focused on the people who do the work, how to communicate the value that they bring, and how to express care and concern for their well-being. I've already purchased three additional copies for the employees in my department, and we're planning to start the book study as a group over the next few weeks. I can't wait to see what happens not only to our department, but also to our entire organization. I believe this will catch on and grow to other departments as well!
  
  One of the things I appreciate about this book is that early on, the authors distinguish between recognition and appreciation: "Recognition is about improving performance and focuses on what is good for the company. Appreciation emphasizes what is good for the company and good for the person (which may sometimes mean helping them find a position that is better for them than their current role)." I love this thought because sometimes the people get lost in the shuffle of busyness and making sure that the company is successful. However, if we don't take time to care about the people, then success for the company cannot be achieved and/or sustained.
  
  I also appreciate that the authors point out that "for many managers, expressing appreciation is usually not urgent, and if you do not intentionally plan to do it, the nonimportant but seemingly urgent matters of the day can crowd out the daily discipline of communicating appreciation to your team." Participating in a book study such as this, as well as implementing the ideas presented, will take time, effort, and intentionality. Many who read this may decide that they are too busy to give it a shot. But we should consider that if we don't take time to care about people, they won't stay. You could end up spending much more time in recruiting and training new employees that wouldn't have been necessary if you had taken care of the recruited and trained employees you already had. This book shows you exactly how to do it.
  
  Finally, I thought the analogy near the end of the book about vitamins was spot-on. Just as taking a single vitamin on a single day will not change your life, nor will encouraging a co-worker change anything in the long run. But developing a habit of communicating appreciation is akin to continuing a regiment of vitamins on a daily basis: "When appreciation and encouragement are consistently communicated over a long period of time, in ways that are important to the individual, the impact can be dramatic."
  
  This is an on-purpose book. The reader will feel compelled to act, encouraged by the impact experienced while doing so, and excited about the potential to change the organization in which they work. I can't wait to get started with my team!
• 
  Tonya

  The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman and Paul White (originally publishes in 2012, this is the newest edition) is based off of Gary Chapman's original book The 5 Love Languages. Applying the concepts of The 5 Love Languages to work is a bit challenging but Chapman and White make it easy to relate to the examples of how to understand how people accept appreciation and respect at work.
  
  Each person is different, but generally people will fall into one of the five areas where they accept appreciation. One of the biggest things this book accomplishes is explaining that some people just don't accept appreciation in the common business standard ways. For example, some people do not like public acknowledgement as it is very embarrassing for them. There are many examples and later in the book, challenges to overcome. The important thing is to find out how your co-workers and employees like to be shown appreciation. It shows respect and acknowledges the differences in a way that encourages diversity.
  
  Another concern I think most employees would have going into reading a book like this is that employers would find yet another way to "motivate" employees by handing out appreciation awards in order to get them to perform better. This is definitely addressed in The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace. Overall I think it cuts through the lame reasons that employers try to manipulate and embraces the unique qualities of employees. Showing appreciation is an excellent way to keep your staff motivated and energized! Who doesn't want that?
  
  I am thankful to Gary Chapman, Paul White, Moody Publishers, and NetGalley for an advanced review copy for me to read. My opinions are my own and no review was required with this copy.
• 
  Amanda

  I have long been an advocate for applying the five love languages into relationships. Even before I knew that the 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace book existed, I've had conversations with co-workers about how you could apply these languages in the workplace. Therefore, I was delighted to find out that there was actually a book dedicated to this topic and knew I had to read it. I truly believe that these languages exist and could really make a difference in the happiness level of workers if they were applied by supervisors and coworkers alike. Although the book feels like it was written for supervisors or managers to read, I felt like anyone who is working could apply these practices with their fellow co-workers. After all, the "worker bees" tend to interact more frequently with one another than with their supervisors and would have more opportunities to express appreciation. My only complaint about the book is that I felt like it was a little repetitive and long winded. It could probably be condensed into a couple of chapters or written as a long magazine article. Despite this drawback, it is still worth reading. Maybe all the repetition helps the ideas sink into the reader better! I've read two other 5 Love Languages books so maybe it wouldn't be as redundant for first time readers of the 5 Love Languages concept. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book. All thoughts expressed in this review are my honest opinions of this book.
• 
  Abdessamad Fathi

  Gifted to me by a client after an intensive project. Overall, the book distinguishes between several communication styles and describes the value of boosting others around you by catering to their communication style.
  
  Is this useful to know in real life? Yes. When it comes to leading your team, it lowers internal bickering and makes your team see the translation of their effort into value.
  
  Furthermore, it facilitates information flow between the individual actors. It is important to provide people with feedback on things that they do well, creating a positive performance loop. In short: A Win-Win situation for all parties involved.
  
  I do feel like the value of these type of conversations shines most in C-level conversations. These type of individuals deal with a lot of stakeholder management. Aside from being an individual actor, they also are representatives of bigger organisations. In these high-stake conversations it becomes even more important to maintain cohesion. Afterall, these type of conversations affect meso-level (I. E. Industry-wide) value chains.
  
  All in all, I awarded this book 5 stars. A must-read for basic business literacy. Keeping this one in my personal Library.
• 
  Allyson Bedford

  While I found this book more useful than “The 5 Love Languages,” I still have some issues with the premise of the research. Without a doubt, there is value in knowing how to express appreciation in the workplace and knowing that there are different ways of expressing appreciation. However, the authors spend a significant amount of time trying to convince the reader that appreciation (and not money) is the biggest factor in whether or not someone is good at/stays with their job. There is a HUGE demographic of people who don’t have the luxury or the privilege of accepting or keeping a job based on how appreciated they feel. This book ignores that demographic in its entirety.
• 
  Michelle Sauvageau

  This book is.. fine. I think it could be best summarized as a short article on each of the main languages of appreciation (words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, receiving gifts, and actors of service) and how to best show them and recognize them in people.
  
  I love the overall message of the book, that if we understand how our coworkers want to be recognized, we’ll create a workplace where everyone feels valued. I was hoping the answer to getting there was going to be different than “take our assessment to find out”, but understand the reasoning behind it.
• 
  Ann T

  Thank you Moody Publishers and Netgalley for this ARC.
  
  I have read the ‘Five Love Languages’ and the ‘Five Love Languages for Children ‘ and still, years later highly recommend them to people.
  This book will also be added to that list now !! Again, Mr Chapman and Mr White present easily readable information on how people have different work styles. It is a highly informative, common sense book for all leaders, and team members to read and embrace.
• 
  David McClendon, Sr

  We were sent a review copy of The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace for the purpose of writing this review.
  
  The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace is an eye-opening book. The authors, Gary Chapman and Paul White, reveal a method of communicating with workers in the workplace. Their methods help bosses understand the best way to show their employees how valuable they are.
  
  The authors provide tools for how to assess what motivates individual employees in the workplace. They reveal that there is no one-size-fits-all way to express gratitude to employees. It is explained in the book how some people don’t appreciate some forms of gratitude, but hope for others.
  
  The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace is well-written and well researched. It is easy to read and understand and does not require a background in psychology or management to be useful and understood.
  
  The good thing about The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace is that not once do they recommend putting up posters, wearing pins, or joining hands and singing Kumbaya, like so many other methods do. Those methods of encouragement never work and often do more harm than good.
  
  We think that any organization that seeks to get the best an employee has to offer should implement the use of The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace. We give it all 5 stars.
  
  We only wish this book had been around back when we had to deal with various employers.
  
• 
  Dalani Madore

  Appreciation is the key!
  
  The timing in reading this book couldn’t have been more perfect for me! I can’t wait to start implementing the concepts with my team and sharing with my peers to help bring our company culture back to a healthy state!
• 
  Silvia Maria

  I’ll say it, I had very low expectations and the content itself is extremely ~basic~, but I really enjoyed reading it. Even though it felt repetitive, it challenged me in ways I was not expecting and it made me reflect on certain points that I hadn’t before. Pleasantly surprised.
• 
  Morgan Isern

  As someone who already loves the 5 Love Languages, I really enjoyed reading this book and understanding how the languages could be applied within the workplace. This was an easy read, but one that I think could be impactful to all mangers and individual contributors alike.