Why appreciation?
- Showing appreciation makes the world a better place.
- We believe New Zealand organisations need to show appreciation more often.
- Showing appreciation should feel as natural as taking a breath.
- Organisations that foster a culture of appreciation will ultimately attract and retain great talent, propelling them to future success. After all, engaged employees show 21% greater profitability for their companies, and 59% less employee turnover.
There is a wide range of benefits to showing more appreciation at work. Research suggests that a culture of appreciation helps employees perform their jobs better, increases job satisfaction, increases social interaction at work and encourages people to be more helpful and generous. A culture of appreciation also protects against burnout and stress and improves employee wellbeing.
It is the responsibility of leaders to set the tone and foster a culture of appreciation in their organisation. Human behaviour is imitative, so the more leaders show appreciation and gratitude, the more it becomes embedded in the culture of the organisation.
It’s also a human tendency to focus on problems, especially in the workplace. Business leaders are problem-solvers after all. But leaders can switch their focus by identifying and showing appreciation for the things that ARE going well. Leaders can lead by example by regularly demonstrating what they appreciate and are grateful for at work, and they should invite their staff to do the same. This helps to shift the culture to be one of appreciation and gratitude.
At Bonfire, we’re committed to coach and inspire leaders and supervisors to genuinely show appreciation at work. And in doing so, create great employment brands that attract the best talent.
We are bringing this to life through the annual Bonfire Employee Appreciation Awards.
These awards give well-deserved recognition to great employees; the unsung heroes who ultimately underpin the success of our organisations in New Zealand.
Our goal is to amplify the importance of appreciation in the workplace by bringing it front-of-mind. By showing more appreciation, we hope to make our workplaces better places to work.
Expert Judging Panel
There are five award categories in total, all of which are awarded with a golden statuette. Winning an award will bestow kudos and status on the individual, while representing an opportunity for the whole organisation to celebrate.
Richard Daubney
Independent Consultant, Greater Than
Richard is an Independent Consultant at Greater Than, a boutique coaching firm dedicated to getting the most out of people. Greater Than is on the cutting edge of people practices for business, and advocates that people are the single most important success factor. Richard works closely with companies on a day-to-day basis to help them unlock the full potential of their people. Richard has held leadership roles at some of New Zealand’s leading companies including the Co-operative Bank and ANZ, and is an expert in understanding what builds a culture of success in the workplace.
Dr Christopher Howard
Social Anthropologist and Senior Researcher at MBIE
Chris Howard is a social anthropologist with an interest in organisational culture, technological change and the future of work. He explores these topics through a range of perspectives, including systems theory, philosophical anthropology and design ethnography.
Chris is also a senior researcher at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and a lecturer in anthropology for Chaminade University of Honolulu.
Show appreciation to your valuable employees & customers with the gift of choice – Bonfire Gift Mastercard
Bonfire Gift Mastercard is the perfect rewards or incentives solution to show appreciation to your valued employees and customers.
Bonfire, the gift of choice, can be used at millions of places Mastercard is accepted.
You can even use our end-to-end fulfilment service to get cards personalised and send cards to valued team members and customers.
Contact us on 0800 86 44 38 or visit our website to find out more:
