Here’s how to spot your colleagues’ workplace love language persona

Written by Katie Rosseinsky

Struggling to bond with colleagues in the era of WFH? Getting to know their workplace love language could help you show your appreciation, according to careers experts at LinkedIn.

In the pre-pandemic era of the 9-to-5 office job, it was received wisdom that, like it or not, you’d probably discover that, if you crunched the numbers, you spend more time with your colleagues than with your family and friends .

Since then, the world of work has undergone a significant shift. With hybrid working and working from home now more common, we’re perhaps not getting quite as much IRL face time with our co-workers as we used to.

The time we do spend with the people we work with has arguably become even more important. According to new research from LinkedIn, 17% of British workers have vowed to make more of an effort with their colleagues this year as part of a new focus on ’career committing’, a work trend that’s all about focusing time and effort on your career, making it a constant during unpredictable times. 

So how can you build better relationships at work when you’re in and out of the office and much of your communication is through emojis on Slack or Teams? One new approach offered by the careers experts at LinkedIn is based around the theory of love languages.

In his 1992 book, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret To Love That Lasts, writer Gary Chapman laid out the idea that people tend to communicate love in one of five different ways, which he called their primary love language.

The languages in question are words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, receiving gifts and acts of service. Knowing which one works best for you can help you get the most out of your relationships, and similarly, learning about other people’s love languages can, in theory, allow you to better understand what makes them tick. 

According to LinkedIn’s career expert Charlotte Davies, we can use some of these love languages to better express our admiration for the people we work with. “Expressing appreciation in the workplace is something we all do, but perhaps not something we’ve all considered how to do best,” she says. “By viewing our colleagues through the lens of love languages, we can make sure to communicate on their level and ultimately forge stronger relationships.”

Intrigued? To make it work, first you’ll need to identify your deskmates’ workplace love language persona, so you can change the way you communicate with them accordingly. Here’s what you need to know about each personality type and the best ways to make them feel appreciated. 

The cheerleader

Inspired by: words of affirmation

Got a colleague who is constantly shouting out the great work of others in the all-company Slack channel? Cheerleaders are great at using compliments to express their admiration for others – and we could all learn from them.

According to LinkedIn’s experts, the best way to connect with these mood-boosting colleagues is simple: just treat them in the same way. Make a conscious effort to praise them, too, so that they know you appreciate them and their work. 

The helping hand

Inspired by: acts of service

A helping hand will always go out of their way to make their colleagues less stressed, whether that means taking a task off their to-do list, volunteering for an early start, a late finish or offering to read over a tricky email before you press send.

As with cheerleaders, reciprocation is key to building bonds with a helping hand. Make sure you’re checking in with them about their workload and ask them how you can help.

The conversationalist

Inspired by: quality time

A reliably social presence in the office who’s the driving force behind after-work socials and always pops over for a chat when you need a mood boost, a conversationalist values time with their colleagues above all, as they like to bond over shared experiences.

To get on their good side, make sure you give them your full attention rather than scrolling through emails when they’re talking to you. Including them in plans, even if that just means heading out on a quick stroll during lunchtime, will endear you to them, too.

The gifter

Inspired by: gifts

We’ve all had that one colleague who has the magic touch when it comes to finding the perfect present, whether it’s a birthday treat, a gift to mark a promotion or even something to say goodbye. And they’re probably good at smaller gestures too, like writing heartfelt messages in cards or knowing everyone’s coffee order inside out. To show your appreciation, make sure you schedule in some time to really think about their next birthday gift (rather than just rushing out for a box of chocolates) or turn the tables and pick up a coffee from their favourite place before they do. 

Images: Getty

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