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