In this episode, Thankbox Co-Founder Tsvetelina Hinova sits down with Sarah McVanel, a global recognition expert, professional speaker, and founder of Greatness Magnified with over 25 years of experience in HR. Together they explore why appreciation isn’t a “nice to have” at work,  but a fundamental human need with serious business consequences.

Sarah makes a compelling case for recognition as a serious leadership practice. She shares why most organisations undervalue the thing they’ve always known how to do, what a genuinely appreciative culture looks and feels like in practice, and why her movement - “Forever Recognize Others’ Greatness” - is less a slogan and more a daily discipline.

💡 What you’ll learn

• Why recognition is hardwired into us - and why that’s exactly why we undervalue it at work
• The busyness trap: how rushing through the day means missing the people right in front of us
• What a real culture of appreciation looks like - and how you can tell the difference between lip service and the real thing
• The F.R.O.G. mindset: why Forever Recognising Others’ Greatness means always scanning for ordinary moments of extraordinary contribution
• Why recognition needs to be woven into the full employee journey - from before someone applies to long after they leave
• How to build the commercial case for appreciation - and what a “people balance sheet” could mean for your organisation
• Why grand appreciation events mean little if people don’t feel seen the other 364 days of the year

Check out the ROI of Recognition calculator that Sarah references here: https://greatnessmagnified.com/roi/

In this episode, Thankbox Co-Founder Tsvetelina Hinova sits down with Vicki Yang, a fractional Head of HR with over 20 years of experience spanning startups, nonprofits, and major tech companies including Google and Looker, to explore one of the most underrated levers in building a thriving company: appreciation.

Vicki makes a compelling case for why appreciation needs to be woven into every process, from hiring to offboarding. She shares why most organisations wait too long to start, what it looks like when peer recognition actually works, and why her mantra - “process creates culture” - is the key to making appreciation stick.

💡 What you’ll learn

• Why appreciation is strategic and how it connects directly to retention, engagement, and performance
• Why most organisations don’t start with appreciation (they don’t object to it, they just never begin)
• The “process creates culture” mindset: why one-off gestures don’t build culture - and what does
• How public, peer-led recognition helps remote and global teams discover each other’s strengths and collaborate better
• Why specificity is the secret to appreciation that actually lands
• How to build the commercial case for appreciation - starting with values, data, and embedding it across the employee lifecycle
• Why the offboarding experience matters just as much as onboarding - and what it signals to the team left behind

In this episode, Thankbox Co-Founder Tsvetelina Hinova sits down with Toby Kheng, Co-Founder of Freeformers, to unpack one deceptively simple idea: why saying “thank you” at work is so rare, and why that’s a problem.

Drawing on his experience redesigning employee experiences, Toby explains how many organisations treat appreciation as a checkbox exercise e.g. generic perks, vouchers, or gamified rewards,  rather than something deeply human and personal.

Together, they explore what happens when appreciation is missing, how it impacts motivation and performance, and why businesses that ignore it risk creating purely transactional relationships with their people.

💡 What you’ll learn

• Why most workplace appreciation efforts fail (and feel meaningless) 
• The concept of “clustomers” - and why treating employees the same doesn’t work 
• Why a simple, genuine “thank you” often matters more than money or perks 
• How lack of appreciation leads to disengagement and “bare minimum” work 
• The disconnect between what managers think they’re doing - and how employees actually feel 
• Practical ways to measure and improve human relationships at work 

In this special episode, Host Tsvetelina Hinova is joined by globally recognised HR thinker Perry Timms to unpack their newly launched co-authored STAY Report - and why it’s set to change how we think, talk about, and apply appreciation at work.

Together, they explore a simple but overlooked truth: You don’t have a choice about appreciation, you’re sending signals either way.

We cover:

• Why organisations are never neutral - your culture is shaped by the signals you send every day 
• The hidden cost of silence (and how it slowly erodes trust and performance) 
• Why appreciation isn’t a “nice to have” - it’s infrastructure for performance, trust, and retention 
• How employees are constantly “scanning” for what gets noticed - and what gets ignored 
• The real reason engagement drops (hint: it’s not sudden - it builds quietly over time) 
• How to shift from “doing appreciation” to “being appreciative” 

About the STAY Report

The STAY report reframes appreciation as a system of Signals that influence Trust and Attachment, and shows how to develop your own appreciation infrastructure – Your way. 

It combines science, real-world insights, and practical questions to help leaders bring appreciation into the boardroom—and make it actionable.

Download the STAY report and start thinking and talking differently about the signals your organisation sends: https://www.thankbox.com/business/stay-report?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=launch-show&utm_campaign=stay-report

In this episode, Tsvetelina Hinova sits down with David Liddle - a leading voice in people, culture, and leadership transformation.

With over 25 years of experience, David shares why appreciation is not a “soft” concept, but a critical driver of performance, connection, and meaningful work.

They explore why many organisations still struggle to take appreciation seriously -often relying on legacy systems built around control, hierarchy, and metrics - and what needs to shift for businesses to thrive truly.

David introduces the idea of “and, not or” leadership - showing that leaders don’t have to choose between empathy and accountability. The most effective organisations are learning to do both.

The conversation also dives into real-world transformation. 

At organisations like the BBC, traditional grievance processes are being replaced with a “resolution-first” approach, focused on dialogue, trust, and early intervention. Managers are trained in “quality conversations” - building skills like active listening, curiosity, and emotional awareness to resolve issues before they escalate.

David also shares examples from his work with organisations such as Aviva and Burberry, where embedding appreciation into leadership and culture has helped shift performance, engagement, and relationships at scale.

If you’re rethinking leadership, culture, or how to build a more human workplace, this episode is full of actionable insights to get you started.

In this episode of Lead With Thanks, Thankbox Co-Founder Tsvetelina Hinova sits down with Vikki Gledhill, a seasoned Reward leader with over 20 years’ experience shaping how organisations recognise, support, and celebrate their people. Now Head of Reward & Pensions at Yorkshire Water 

Vikki brings a career’s worth of wisdom from major organisations, including Cox Automotive, Manchester Airport Group, Northern Foods and 2 Sisters Food Group.

And yes - she’s as passionate about appreciation as we are.

Vikki shares why effective recognition shouldn’t be a once-a-year HR initiative—but an always-on campaign, just like the best marketing efforts. If brands have to stay visible to build emotional resonance, why wouldn’t internal reward programs do the same? 

Together, Vikki and Tsvetelina explore:

• Why reward and recognition work best with continuous promotion, not set-and-forget schemes. 
• How a simple “thank you” can create the kind of emotional reaction that boosts motivation and engagement. 
• Why recognition must align with employees’ personal values - not assumptions.
• The role of wellbeing, benefits, and total reward in shaping a modern employee experience. 
• Her path across multiple industries and what each taught her about people. 
• Why she believes recognition is a strategic tool, not a “nice to have”.

If you're curious how to make recognition feel meaningful (and not just mandatory), Vikki’s insights are pure gold.

What fun! In this lively conversation, Tsvetelina Hinova speaks with Debra Corey, six-time author and Chief Pay It Forward Officer at Step it UP HR, about the significance of appreciation in the workplace. 

Debra shares her extensive experience in HR and the various phases of her career, and they discuss how understanding individual preferences and cultural considerations can enhance recognition programs. 

To bring the theory to life, Debra shares fantastic stories from different companies and practical steps for building a culture of appreciation, encouraging leaders to train their teams and make appreciation a daily habit.

Key takeaways from the conversation:

• Appreciation can be both financial and non-financial.
• Understanding individual preferences is crucial for effective appreciation.
• Cultural considerations are important in recognition programs.
• Creative and unique recognition can enhance employee engagement.
• Peer-to-peer recognition is often more meaningful than top-down recognition.
• Training leaders on appreciation is essential for success.
• Daily appreciation builds a strong culture of recognition.
• Recognition should align with company values.
• Creating a fear of missing out can encourage appreciation among employees.

Matthew Phelan is a co-founder of The Happiness Index, a two-time author on workplace happiness ('Freedom to be happy' and 'The Happiness Index') and podcast host, Matt champions positive organisational cultures. 

A sought-after keynote speaker, including TEDx, Matt travels globally, sharing data-driven insights on how culture fuels business success.

In this conversation, Tsvetelina and Matt explore the significance of appreciation in the workplace. Matt shares his journey to co-founding the Happiness Index, a tool designed to measure and enhance workplace happiness. 

They discuss the profound impact of appreciation on employee well-being, the challenges of overcoming scepticism, and the importance of personalising recognition. 

Highlights include:

• Appreciation is crucial for workplace happiness and engagement.
• Personal experiences shape our understanding of appreciation.
• Data can help identify the impact of appreciation on performance.
• Different individuals respond to appreciation in unique ways e.g. public recognition may not be suitable for everyone.
• Building relationships and understanding people’s unique preferences is key to effective appreciation.
• Appreciation should be genuine and not commoditised.

If you want to learn more about Matt, you can find him below:

• The Happiness Index (his company): https://thehappinessindex.com/
• The Happiness Index Podcast (his podcast): https://thehappinessindex.com/podcasts/
• Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewphelan/ 

In this episode, Tsvetelina had the absolute pleasure of chatting to Dawn Smedley from WorkBuzz and host of The Culture Whisperer Podcast. 

A former “Appreciatologist” Dawn has spent 16 years in culture and employee engagement, championing the small things that make the biggest difference. 

Dawn is passionate about helping organisations move beyond surveys to truly listen, understand, and act on what matters most to their people. 

Some of the highlights of the conversation with Dawn include:

• An emotional story of her 5-year work anniversary where her company got her family involved to share stories and recognise her effort and impact
• A practical framework for sharing appreciation in a way that feels genuine and is connected to organisational values
• Why appreciation is a strategic driver for the things you want to see more of within the organisation
• How to empathise with and convert the appreciation cynics within your organisation

This conversation is absolutely packed full of practical advice and heartfelt stories that are a goldmine for anyone working looking to create a more connected workplace. 

You should also check out Dawn’s brilliant podcast The Culture Whisperer, just search on any major podcasting platform. 

WOW, Lead with Thanks is off with a bang! 

Our first guest is the brilliant Amanda Arrowsmith, CPO at Royal British Legion, formerly at the CIPD, and she brings honesty, energy and passion by the bucket load!

Amanda has spent over 25 years in senior HR and transformation roles, putting people at the heart of transformation. She’s also the founder of Sisterhood of Women, which supports women to grow and lead with confidence.

Amanda shares:

• A story of the quiet thank-you that matters the most
• Practical ways you can create more daily acts of appreciation
• The magic of minor-stones, and how we ensure everyone feels equally appreciated
• And why we should all have more kitchen discos!

This conversation is full of laughter, honesty, and practical wisdom for anyone who wants to build a workplace where people feel truly seen, heard, and valued.

For anyone who wants to have a kitchen disco, here’s a link to Amanda’s playlist: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/16NtYlVSkyUaWY7UtRCa5e?si=1806ee4af6564bac⁠