We have an application internal to Groupon called the "Love Monster". It was written, in large part by Devin Breen. There are other contributors, but Devin is the one that made it happen. He didn't do it because it was on a roadmap or because it's part of our quarterly objectives. He did it because he and others wanted something like this to exist. So he willed it into existence.

The idea is simple - send people love. If somebody on your team goes above and beyond, send them some love. If somebody helps you through a tough time, send them some love. If somebody does something that exemplifies our company values, send them some love. When you send love, the recipient gets an email and the love note is recorded for all to see. Anyone can give love. Anyone can receive love.

This makes me happy. Not only do I enjoy getting a little love now and then, but I really enjoy giving love. I have a recurring reminder to reflect on the past couple of days and to give out some love.

The science on appreciation tells us that gratitude is not only lacking in most work environments, but even a little bit of appreciation can lead to a better work environment and higher performance. People start to feel better about themselves, perform better as a result, and are more likely to show appreciation to others, creating a virtuous cycle of performance and appreciation.

Let's Start an Epidemic by Doc Norton from Groupon Engineering on Vimeo.

Let's Start and Epidemic!

Let a family member, friend, or co-worker know how much you appreciate them. Tell us about the awesome way you show appreciation at work. Share a quote related to showing appreciation, leading with gratefulness, or brotherly love. If you use social media, tag it with #LoveContagion.