Some bees haul water instead of nectar to help cool the hive. Not every contribution looks like honey.

A hive needs cooling as much as it needs food, and the bee carrying water produces nothing anyone would call a result. Groups of people are full of that work: the person who keeps the gear sorted, the one who sends reminders, the one who calms everybody down. Because it leaves no trophy, it gets counted as less. Remove it and everything visible stops working.

Name the unglamorous job in your group and say out loud who does it. Thank that person specifically rather than thanking everyone. Then take a turn at it so you know what it costs.