Valentine’s Day is all about showing that you care. Cards and flowers will be sent today between people in various stages of a relationship. So let’s use today to focus on what makes a good “working” relationship.
Relationships begin when people have things in common. Respect and trust cement the bond over time, but shared interests are the foundation. On a personal level, Valentine’s Day is a way of reinforcing that connection you feel with someone special. The best messages today will be personal and meaningful. They will reinforce that bond and connection that both parties feel.
See where I am going with this? Engaged employees also have “much in common” with their co-workers and their managers. They too share expectations, values and aspirations and, like any other solid relationship, they feel that they are in it together. They understand the organization's goals, believe in its mission, and trust that the people around them are working toward the same outcomes. That shared sense of purpose creates stronger collaboration, more open communication, and a greater willingness to support one another through challenges. Just as healthy personal relationships require ongoing attention and mutual appreciation, strong working relationships thrive when employees feel respected, valued, and connected to the people they work with every day. When those connections are reinforced through regular recognition, employees become more engaged, more committed, and more invested in helping both their teammates and the organization succeed.
In any work setting, recognition can acknowledge the connection that’s critical to both sides. By calling attention to what an employee has brought to the “working relationship,” employers and/or peers acknowledge that someone is important to them.
Here’s the big difference. Unlike the once-a-year cadence of Valentine’s Day, you don’t need a special occasion to recognize someone in the workplace. In fact, you can and should do it as often as possible.
Just like personal relationships, working relationships can become stale when people don’t hear from one another. People who work together can “grow apart” and begin to feel like they have “nothing in common” with others.
Recognition is like a Valentine you can send every day—one that celebrates and strengthens that sense of shared purpose employees and managers feel—one that says I am happy we are in this together.
