Recognition vs Appreciation: Why Your Top Performers Still Feel Overlooked (with Jasmine Liew)

You can't promote everyone, and the budget for bonuses only stretches so far, so what do you do for the people who are doing great work but won't see it reflected in a raise?  That's the exact tension Jasmine Liew, founder of Breakthrough Catalyst and Singapore's premier partner for the Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, walked into years ago as an HR leader reading engagement survey results. What she found reshaped how she leads: recognition vs appreciation isn't a semantic debate; recognition is tied to results, but appreciation is something you can offer every single person, every single day, regardless of KPIs.  In this conversation, Jasmine unpacks how the MBA Inventory takes the guesswork out of appreciation, why her own go-to language backfired with her team, and how psychological safety and words of affirmation are helping multigenerational teams push through AI adoption anxiety without feeling judged.  If you've ever felt like you're doing everything right and your team still doesn't feel valued, this episode is your reset. Connect with Jasmine via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-liew-psychsafety/ or by email at [jasmine@breakthroughcatalyst.org](mailto:jasmine@breakthroughcatalyst.org). Her website is breakthroughcatalyst.org. Interested in more training like this, where you can earn SHRM and HRCI continuing education credit? Check out the **Appreciation at Work® HR Professional Membership** at https://hr.joinaaw.com/.