{"id":20260,"date":"2025-04-09T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/the-silent-power-of-recognition\/"},"modified":"2025-04-27T10:38:12","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T08:38:12","slug":"the-silent-power-of-recognition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/the-silent-power-of-recognition\/","title":{"rendered":"The silent power of recognition"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“Why showing people that they matter changes wellbeing<\/strong>“. It was a title that gave me pause. Claire Hilbrinik-Damen, Head of People at grape insurance<\/a>, was about to take the stage at the HR Festival in Zurich on March 25. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

As someone who has worked in the insurance industry for decades, I am always on the lookout for the brave ones – the companies that dare to put people’s well-being at the heart of their business.<\/p>\n\n

Not just in advertising slogans, but in their systems and corporate culture.<\/p>\n\n

In business, we speak the language of pressure – targets, deadlines, results. There is an unspoken myth that pressure increases performance. That it fuels success. <\/p>\n\n

But what if that’s not true?<\/p>\n\n

What if we start showing appreciation and creating connections instead? If we replace exhaustion with creative energy, apathy with commitment and burnout with real achievement? <\/p>\n\n

When I saw Claire’s talk on the agenda, I was really curious. How does a fellow woman from the insurance world tackle such an important – and often overlooked – topic as wellbeing in the workplace? <\/p>\n\n

Can you remember a moment when you felt truly valued and seen?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n

A sea of raised hands. Claire struck a nerve. A warm, pleasant atmosphere filled the room. We were all taken back to that moment when a manager sincerely thanked us. Or when a colleague said: “Thank you for your help, I couldn’t have done it without you.” <\/p>\n\n

Recognition inspires motivation and lifts people up. It creates connection, meaning and energy. It reminds us that our work – and we – are seen. <\/p>\n\n

And we all need that. Not just to perform, but to feel valued, seen and creative. According to a study cited in the Harvard Business Review<\/a>, employees whose managers regularly recognized them were 40 percent more engaged than those whose managers did not. <\/p>\n\n

Let that number melt in your mouth – 40 percent more engagement through something as simple as: “Thank you, you did a great job today.”<\/p>\n\n

If it’s so easy – why aren’t there many more committed employees? And why is commitment so important anyway? <\/p>\n\n

How do you create a culture in which people feel seen and valued?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n

The Gallup report “State of the Workplace”<\/a> states that active resignation in the workplace has the same effect as feeling unemployed – or worse. Decades of research show that a good manager who builds relationships based on respect and recognition helps employees to find meaning and fulfillment in their work. <\/p>\n\n

According to the same report, a lack of employee engagement causes around USD 8.8 trillion in economic damage worldwide – equivalent to 9 percent of global GDP.<\/p>\n\n

Engagement is not a feel-good indicator. A Gallup meta-analysis found that companies with high employee engagement are 18 percent more productive and 23 percent more profitable<\/a> than those with low engagement. <\/p>\n\n

Claire reminded us that recognition doesn’t belong to HR or senior management. It belongs to everyone. From the CEO to the intern – anyone can say: “That was thoughtful.”“I appreciate how you handled that.” Or simply: “Nice to have you here.” <\/p>\n\n

It doesn’t have to be elaborate. But it has to be genuine. <\/p>\n\n

Some of the most significant gestures of recognition I have experienced have happened in ordinary, quiet moments. After a long meeting. At the end of a busy week. Or simply in passing. A glance. One sentence. A brief pause: “I see you.” <\/p>\n\n

Such a culture does not come about by chance. It grows through every single encounter. And the more often we live it, the more we move away from pressure and performance anxiety – towards trust, security and genuine commitment. <\/p>\n\n

Recognition is not a “nice-to-have”. It is not a soft HR measure for newsletters or annual appraisals. It is a deeply human – and deeply cultural – need. And when it is embedded in everyday life, it changes the way people show up for work. <\/p>\n\n

Why this is a turning point<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n

When a company that relies on data, risk and protection puts recognition at the heart of its business, it is a sign of change. A shift away from reacting to problems and towards promoting growth and well-being. <\/p>\n\n

So it was really inspiring to hear an insurance company talk about recognition – not as a bonus, but as a foundation for wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n

Grape insurance is not just a provider of employee benefits. Its aim is to promote the health of the workforce – through a combination of insurance, proactive health services and real-time analyses. <\/p>\n\n

And as far as I can tell: They live it internally too. Claire’s message was simple and powerful: recognition creates trust, security and humanity. <\/p>\n\n

These are not “soft skills”. They are the foundations for high-performance, resilient teams. <\/p>\n\n

In a world where well-being is still too often seen as a private task, grape shows that culture counts.<\/p>\n\n

And culture is not bought – it is created. One moment of recognition after another. <\/p>\n\n

Responsibility and recognition belong together<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n

If you want better results: Yes, make a plan. Set clear goals. Take responsibility. But one thing is clear: responsibility and recognition are not contradictory. They work together. <\/p>\n\n

If you want people to care, stay and grow – show them that you see them. Not just once a year. Not just when they exceed expectations. But in everyday life, in all the little moments that are often overlooked. <\/p>\n\n

Because sometimes all it takes is one sentence: “I see you. And what you do is important.”<\/p>\n\n

We talk endlessly about strategies for retention, engagement and performance. But real, human recognition in everyday life could be one of the most powerful tools we have. <\/p>\n\n

If we want people to stay, grow and do their best – then we should stop pretending that pressure is the answer.<\/p>\n\n

Mirela Dimofte<\/p>\n\n

Read also: Kyan: the game changer in the holistic ON wellbeing revolution<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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