Appreciation from and for your colleagues is more important than you think

Appreciation in the workplace does more than just brighten your day. According to new research from an American university, recognition from colleagues helps people process negative experiences at work better.

And that is more important than you might think. Just like friendships at work, but that is another story .

The study found that employees are more likely to feel bad on days when they are given more unreasonable or pointless tasks than usual. Think of writing a report that no one reads, or suddenly having to do tasks as a senior employee that should be done by a junior.

That bad feeling doesn’t stop when you close the office door behind you. The researchers saw that employees are more likely to keep brooding at home on those days and have more difficulty relaxing. That makes it harder to really disconnect from work and recover from daily work stress.

But there is also good news: appreciation from colleagues can break this negative spiral. On days when people felt less appreciated, the negative effects of meaningless tasks were stronger. Appreciation therefore appears to offer a kind of protective layer against stress and frustration.

Professor George Michaelides explains in the study that “unreasonable tasks” undermine the sense of fairness. “But appreciation in the workplace acts as a buffer. It helps employees to process these negative experiences better.”

According to the researchers, companies can actively do something about this. Managers should limit unnecessary tasks and focus more on core tasks. In addition, there should be more attention for a work culture in which colleagues appreciate each other and express this. "Make sure that people know how to show appreciation," says Michaelides. "That contributes to a more resilient work climate."

The study distinguishes between two types of tasks that can lead to frustration:

1. Unnecessary tasks: tasks that lead nowhere or contribute nothing to your job. Think of writing a report that no one reads anyway.

1. Unreasonable tasks: tasks that are outside your function, knowledge or experience. For example, a manager who has to do basic tasks that do not fit his or her role.

Both types undermine the sense of professionalism and respect and can therefore have a significant emotional impact, according to the researchers.

Appreciation means: receiving recognition for your efforts, achievements or qualities, from colleagues or managers. According to lead researcher Evie Michailidis, this recognition is necessary to prevent feelings of bitterness. "Without appreciation, these frustrations linger. They affect your private life, which means you can't mentally detach from work," says Michailidis. "That can be detrimental to your well-being in the long run."

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