Are You Paying People In Their Preferred Currency?

During a heated discussion on reward and recognition, my friend Julie, who works for a charitable art foundation, said something that captured my curiosity.

“I
would rather get a holiday party than a holiday bonus.”Her theory was, a check for a thousand bucks could buy a lot of cool stuff. But
a night of celebration could deepen intimacy, create memories and build
friendships that last forever. To Julie, that was worth a lot more.

Of course, that’s just one person’s opinion. She values belonging and
connection over money, but I imagine all of her coworkers wouldn’t
automatically agree with her.

And they shouldn’t, either. They’re human beings. Each person speaks a
different love language. And if we want them to stick around, people ought to
be paid in their preferred currency.

Me, I would have taken the holiday
party.