Let's say you give someone a glowing shoutout.
Public praise, exclamation points, the whole team dropping fire emojis underneath. Hopefully, that appreciation lands well. And for a lot of people, it would. But some people read that exact same message and don't feel that same sense of appreciation. Same recognition, different reaction, because people don't all feel appreciated the same way.
Some people don't fully believe they've done well until someone says it out loud. Others need focused attention and bonding time, not applause. And others need something they can actually hold onto. A recognition program that only supports one type of gratitude will always miss someone.
None of these gestures show up in the same way to the recipient. It's the same idea behind Gary Chapman's five love languages framework, just applied to recognition instead of romance: words of affirmation, quality time, and receiving gifts each mean a little more (or a little less) depending on the person on the receiving end. Knowing which one someone responds to changes what recognition should actually look like for them.
Here's what each one looks like in practice so that you can be a little more intentional the next time you say "thanks!"
Words of affirmation
A public shoutout is a reasonable default. It's visible, it costs nothing, and it works well for people who feel appreciated through direct praise. But not everyone reads a glowing message about their own work and feels seen by it. Some people need the recognition to show up somewhere else entirely.
Quality time
For some people, a public shoutout may not land the same way. What matters more to them is quality time. A manager who blocks fifteen minutes to actually hear about a hard week can mean more to that person. It's not that quality time is inherently more meaningful than a shoutout. It's that for this person, attention is what makes recognition actually register.
Tangible gifts
For others, receiving gifts is how appreciation registers, and it's not about the gift's value. Like the other languages, it's about what the gesture signals—that someone thought about them specifically, took the extra step, and translated the appreciation into something deliberate. With Bonusly, you can attach gifts directly to recognition posts (instead of just points) to make special moments mean more.
Making sure everyone feels appreciated, in their own way
Whichever one of these describes someone, the recognition works best when it feels specific to them. With Bonusly, you have a ton of opportunity to meet your team where they're at and show up in an authentic way that will matter to them. That means gifts for some, public shoutouts for others.
In Bonusly, you have the choice to send shoutouts, schedule check-ins, and send physical gifts to make sure everyone on the team, regardless of their appreciation style, can feel seen and valued for their contributions.
Want to learn more about how Bonusly can support your people programs? Schedule a demo or try it for free today.
