Georgina Voschezang RN. CMHB Gastroenterology Department. November 2018.
Most of us would agree that communicating appreciation to the people we work with is paramount in our health care settings today.
In our current healthcare environment, nurses are doing more with less, feeling stressed, experiencing compassion fatigue and in many cases burnout. Alternative strategies for retaining nurses is becoming more and more important.
With job satisfaction, being directly related to better job performance - resulting in optimized health care, (Corriea Dinis & Fronteira, 2015) Communicating authentic appreciation to our colleagues is crucial.
Steven Covey, author of the best seller and still popular Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (2004), feels so strongly about peoples need for appreciation that he states- Next to physical survival the greatest need of a human being is psychological survival to be understood, to be affirmed, to be validated, to be appreciated
Do you feel appreciated by the people you work with? Do the people you work with feel appreciated by you? Can we do appreciation better?
A Staff Survey November 2016 in the Counties Manukau Gastro Department highlighted that many staff were feeling undervalued and under recognized.
It was my interest in the Survey results that prompted my reading of The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace
Co-authors Dr Paul White and Dr Gary Chapman maintain - we all have a unique way, in which we feel appreciated. These unique ways have been identified as the Five Languages of Appreciation - and are expressed as - Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Acts of Service, Tangible Gifts, and Appropriate Physical Touch
Most of us tend to show appreciation to others in ways that are meaningful to us but unfortunately - Not everyone feels appreciated in the same ways we do. One size does not fit all. We each have our own preferred appreciation language.
The authors say that for authentic appreciation to be communicated to our colleagues it needs to be done in ways important to them. Therefore to communicate felt appreciation well, we need to know and understand our colleagues appreciation language.
This book highlights that we all have a primary, secondary and a least valued language of appreciation. Our primary language communicates more deeply to us than our secondary language - While our least valued language is as it says.the least meaningful to us.
The two most concrete ways to discern a person s appreciation language is to - Observe how they show appreciation to others and what they complain about. Let's take a look at the Appreciation languages and what they mean for us as we apply them to our places of work.
For those of us who value being told what we are doing well, a specific verbal or written word of encouragement is important. Words of Affirmation are usually expressed as praise for accomplishment or performance -
But it also includes affirmation of character and personality where emphasis is not only on what we do but who we are.
The authors say, to affirm authentically, we need to be specific. Just saying Great job! when someone performs well is too general. Specific, personal, praise is a lot more meaningful.
Thanks George for helping me admit the first patients this morning. Your help meant that we were able to start the theatre list on time. I really appreciated it. Rather than just Thanks George for your help this morning
Affirming someone's attitude can be just as important as performance. One of the things I admire about you is that you are so optimistic. I sometimes get discouraged but after talking with you I come away with a much more positive perspective.
Not everyone appreciates public praise.some prefer one on one. For a team member who is an introvert, public praise might actually be more intimidating than motivating.
For those of us who don't like public praise, by someone taking time to express thanks for a job well done - Through an email, text message or a handwritten note Praise can have twice the impact.
If someone is frequently asking for feedback. Is this what you wanted? Did I do this right? If someone often affirms others. If someone complains that a significant other did not say thank you, or compliment them on their job, or new look, Then this person most likely has Words of Affirmation as their primary language of appreciation.
For those of us who tend to connect by dropping in on others for a chat - personal, focused time and attention might be what is being hoped for. Giving quality time means engaging. engaging fully - with our undivided attention. It means - we stop what we are doing. It means - listening without interrupting.
Quality time can be shown by us when we deliberately stop by, to check in with a colleague at work, just to ask how things are going. Or by taking the time to listen to another who is feeling stretched in their workload over lunch together.
If you know that one person who stops and chats every time they see you, If someone often asks you to join them in activities together, If someone complains of not wanting to do something alone- Then this person most likely has Quality Time as their primary language of appreciation.
For some of us, - saying Thanks for doing a great job is way too easy; Don t tell me you care...show me! Actions speak louder than words for those, whose language is Acts of Service. Especially when done voluntarily and with a great attitude.
For Acts of Service to be received well by the rest of our team we need to make sure - Our own work is under control before offering to help others. If recovery gets behind because I am helping another team member unpack her stock in the storeroom my partner in recovery won't be too impressed.
For those whose language is Acts of Service We need to ask first before helping. By asking first, we find out which way of helping would be most meaningful to them (not us) I can see it's got very busy here in recovery with both theatres moving very quickly this afternoon I have finished in admit. How would you like me to help?
We must always finish what we start. The only thing worse than not being willing to pitch in is to take on a job and not finish it.
If someone is often asking for help in getting something done. If someone does a small task spontaneously for you, If someone complains that no one ever helps them, This person most likely has Acts of Service as their primary language of appreciation.
There are those of us who feel appreciated when we are given a little something special. A gift doesn't need to be expensive.
When we take time to notice what our colleagues enjoy, by observing their hobbies and interests we are more able to choose an appropriate gift well. By giving a gift which is valued by a colleague we show that we understand what is important to them.
If someone returns from holidays and brings you a random souvenir, If someone makes you the "perfect gift" just because. If someone complains about not receiving a certificate for completing a course important to them Then this person most likely has Tangible Gifts as their primary language of appreciation.
A congratulatory handshake, a hug, a"high five, or pat on the back for a job well done may motivate others. Usually it occurs spontaneously and in the context of celebration.
Physical touch is less important in work based relationships and the potential for abuse does exist but - according to the authors Apropriate physical touch can still be a very powerful method of communication between us.
There are times, in fact, when touching is a real and human response. When delivering difficult news or requesting a huge favour, a brief touch on the shoulder or arm can be a powerful way to connect and create a bond. As a general rule, extroverts are more comfortable with touch,than introverts,as are women more so than men.
If someone appreciates hugs If someone throws a hand up for high-fives, or often pats others on the back or shoulder. If someone complains about another not wanting to shake hands with them - This persons most likely has Appropriate Physical Touch as their primary language of appreciation
Understanding how we ourselves and members of our team prefer to be appreciated, allows us to show appreciation in ways that will "hit the mark". This is where the Motivating By Appreciation inventory assessment tool, developed by the coauthors is very helpful.
This simple online Inventory tool of 30 questions, takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. An individual report can be downloaded in a document form.
Since we all receive and value appreciation differently This tool is especially helpful because it identifies our primary, secondary and least valued language of appreciation.
The MBA also helps identify the particular actions that effectively hit the mark for us and these are listed in our profile and personal preferences.
Who in our work group likes to receive an encouraging email; Who feels valued when a colleague stops by to ask how they are doing; Who feels validated when they are given help with their workload; Test available on-line at www.appreciation.com Small cost for Medical one or basic one is free - included when purchasing the book. (Code in book).
Who is encouraged when someone brings in their favourite snack or coffee. Who appreciates a high five or hug at the end of a challenging day.. Test available on-line at www.appreciation.com Small cost for Medical one or basic one is free- included when purchasing the book. (Code in book).
I highly recommend this book and encourage our teams to do the MBA It provides deep insights into the different considerations we must have when showing appreciation to our colleagues in order to Create a positive and productive work atmosphere for ourselves and consequently our patients.
Do you think we can do Appreciation better in our Gastro Settings? I believe we can.
It means being a people watcher. It means being a great listener. It means paying attention.
And it doesn t require a big budget.! And it doesn t require a big budget!!
All photos used with permission. The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman and Paul White. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey. https://www.appreciationatwork.com Strategies to Improve Job Satisfaction and reduce Turnover of Nurses Doctorate by Stewart Proctor Walden University 2017. http: //scholar works.waldenu.edu/dissertations Burnout Among Staff Nurses.a literature review. Examining the causes, coping strategies and - TheseusPDFwww.theseus.fi bitstream BURNOUT... Panel recommendations seeking to "immediately alleviate" nurses' stress...nursingreview.co.nz panel-recommend... In their words: Nurses on what it's like at the coalface Newshubhttps://www.newshub.co.nz in-... New Zealand Nurses Organisation > Support > Workplace Rights > Stress and the workplacehttps://www.nzno.org.nz support stres...