Employee-Employer Love Language

The work relationship, like every relationship, is reciprocal. There are expectations from both parties and as we say, each party is expected to match the other party’s energy. Let’s look at the 5 love languages in a work relationship and how both parties can match each other’s energy.

Words of affirmation: do you give and receive feedback and praise as required? Does your organization give and receive feedback and praise as required? We all want to receive feedback and praise on our work. However, how well are we appreciating our colleagues and organization? Even if, in our opinion, there’s nothing appreciation-worthy, are we giving feedback? The organization also needs feedback, positive and negative. The organization also needs to be praised when it does something positive and not just made to go viral when it errs.

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Quality time: do you spend work hours ‘working’ as against doing everything else but work? The expectation in work-life balance, integration, and fit is that work doesn’t intrude on our time, and where necessary, only to the extent that we allow it. Reciprocity also demands that work hours be used solely for activities that benefit the organization and that you use time as a valuable resource. Deliverables should be timely, just as remuneration and benefits should be.

Value should be imparted to the employee for the time spent in the organization, just as the employee's lengthy LOS should also be valuable to the organization. ?

Physical touch: this speaks to how the organization touches our lives beyond statutory compensation and benefits; this could be felt in the provision of a conducive work environment, organizations doing business ethically, CSR projects, etc. Actions that directly and indirectly impact our lives. On the employee’s side, it also speaks to how the employee utilizes organizational assets and other physical touch points. Do we use it with the respect and care required, or are we careless and unmindful of how our actions impact the organization?

?Acts of Service: learning and development opportunities, provision of required work tools, TGIF, periodic hangouts, end-of-year parties, etc are all expectations from the organization. The act of service from the employee will be adhering to timelines, practices, and procedures, going above and beyond for the organization.

Acts of service will also include how the organization supports you in your time of need and how you reciprocate. Do you need flexi-hours due to a young family? Do you need time off for educational purposes, etc.? In turn, employees can also show their acts of service by being value-adding employees and worthy organizational ambassadors.

Receiving gifts: Acts of service and receiving gifts are linked (all five love languages are linked). The expectation from every employee is that the organization rewards their service with benefits beyond the statutory- benefits, such as LTI’s, performance bonuses, etc. In return, the employee is meant to gift the organization with excellent value-adding services—this is not your mere longevity and loyal service, but service that moves the needle in the organization.

If, after reading these, you are wondering—but I’m only a team member amid big fish—my actions barely make a dent in the organization. I encourage you with the story of a cleaner who was asked what their role was in the organization.

I save lives! Was the response.

Yes, the cleaner does save lives by ensuring a hygienic and germ-free environment. If the cleaners were to perform poorly in their role, there could be an outbreak of infectious disease in the office that could claim lives even beyond the organization’s employees—even their kith and kin.

Every role, no matter how lowly placed, is significant in the organization.

Just like you must love yourself first to be loveable and to love another, so you must love your job and your organization to receive reciprocal love.

Share with us in the comments, what are some ways you show and expect to be shown love in your professional relationship.

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Yours in talent building,

Chidinma

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