In 1992, Dr. Gary Chapman developed the idea of love languages. He focused on how people express love in personal relationships and wrote the best-selling book "The Five Love Languages".
The five love languages are words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch. Knowing your love language can improve personal connections and strengthen relationships.
Today, this concept is also used in the corporate world. Our workplace love language describes how we interact in professional life, how we prefer to be rewarded, and how we work better with others. Knowing your workplace love language can improve team dynamics and strengthen professional relationships.
Our short quiz can reveal your primary love language at work, helping you know yourself better and boost your job satisfaction.
What are the five love languages at work?
Our workplace love language explains how we prefer to receive positive feedback and how we like to feel appreciated by management and colleagues. There are five love languages at work:
Words of affirmation
If affirmative words are your love language, you value support and verbal praise. People with this love language enjoy it when someone points out their positive qualities, says words of encouragement and support, or praises them in public. Without verbal recognition of their input, such employees feel meaningless and not valued.
If your colleagues or boss have this love language, remember that encouraging people can go a long way. Supporting them when the project is stuck or recognizing their hard work and excellent performance can strengthen your professional relationships.
Quality time
People with this love language prefer to receive love in the form of spending time together. Paying attention to each other, shared activities, and meaningful conversations matter for them in romantic relationships and professional communications. If this is your preferred style of appreciation, you need at least 15 minutes a day to communicate with coworkers and enjoy a friendly corporate culture.
Spending quality time together when many teams work remotely can be a challenge. However, the HR can organize in-person meetings at least once in a few months, or plan virtual team-building activities. It will strengthen team bonds and make employees feel appreciated.
Acts of service
For people who appreciate acts of service, actions speak louder than words. They feel valued when a coworker offers help with an urgent project, completes a part of work for them, or even brings a coffee to show practical support. Such people can ask for help directly when they need it, but they also appreciate it when others suggest helping them with a complex issue.
How do you incorporate this language at work? Listen actively to understand what kind of help and support your coworker needs. If they admit struggling with some issue, clarify if they need any support or can handle it on their own, and how exactly you can assist. Such an attitude will help strengthen relationships with coworkers.
Physical touch
If your love language is physical touch, you appreciate handshakes, high-fives, and hugs like no other. Personal relationships at work don't assume much physical contact, but when deprived of it completely, you may feel lonely and unimportant.
When using this love language at work, remember to respect the boundaries. Not everyone is open to physical contact of any kind, so it's best to ask. You can express your appreciation by tapping someone on the shoulder, giving a hug, or shaking hands after an important meeting.
Receiving gifts
For employees who speak the language of gifts, receiving even small presents is essential. For them, it's a sign that they are appreciated and cared for. If this is your primary love language, for you, the best recognition is a gift card or a cash bonus, not words of praise. As a job-seeker, consider companies offering gifts and employee rewards programs.
If some of your coworkers have this love language, giving small presents is the best way to motivate them or strengthen relationships. If your coworker went above and beyond to exceed sales targets or deliver the project ahead of schedule, they expect a bonus or another monetary reward. And if you want to thank them for something, give them a small present - even a cup of coffee and a sweet treat works.
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