Reward Gateway | Edenred, a global leader in employee engagement and HR technology, today released its 2025 Appreciation Index Report, examining how appreciated employees are feeling, the impact the workplace has on individual human experiences, and the outcomes that drive businesses. Looking at key drivers across gender, age, sector, seniority, organization size and tenure, the survey found that employees who feel appreciated reported the tendency to work harder, stay more engaged in their tasks, take their jobs more seriously and experience higher levels of job satisfaction.
Today most management practices rely on measuring employee success by productivity and absenteeism, but this no longer meets the mark. Employees are seeking human-centric workplace experiences that go beyond transactional relationships; they want to feel fulfilled with their work, and employers play a pivotal part in this. Appreciation is more than just acknowledging people’s accomplishments at work, it’s about recognizing that someone is valuable and important as a person, addressing deeper emotional and psychological needs.
Drawing on insights from organizational psychology and behavioral science, the Appreciation Index employs a psychometric test to capture employees’ expressed views – what they think – and their underlying emotions – what they feel. The Appreciation Index was calculated by combining the explicit and implicit elements, providing a score from 0 to 100, reflecting a level of sentiment to how strongly employees feel towards the statements. This score then reflects how much appreciation employees feel at work. Based on that, the U.S. appreciation score came in at 66.3 – just above the global mean of 65. While globally, employees were more likely to report feeling appreciated at work than not, the average score of 65 out of 100 highlights substantial room for improvement.
“At work, the individual human experience is extraordinarily important, not just for employees, but for a business’ bottom line,” said Anthony Knierim, Managing Director, Americas of Reward Gateway | Edenred. “People are a company’s greatest asset, and by fostering a genuine culture of appreciation, organizations can unlock employee potential and success, transforming the world of work at every level.”
The study uncovered clear disparities in how appreciation is felt across different demographics, including:
- Men reported higher levels of appreciation (67.0) compared to women (65.0).
- Employees with children or caregiving responsibilities felt more supported by their managers, (over 60), compared to those without such responsibilities (58.2).
- Employees in smaller organizations (fewer than 500 employees) felt more appreciated, while larger organizations (over 2,500 employees) consistently reported they felt less appreciated.
- Those who have more control over their work, such as autonomy and flexibility in their jobs, feel more appreciated (70), compared to those who don’t (60).
These disparities point directly to the need for targeted strategies that could further elevate workplace satisfaction, especially in areas where these gaps remain.
For decision-makers in the U.S. looking to better prioritize appreciation, additional findings from the report identified five principal drivers:
- Recognition received from managers, highlighting the profound impact managers have on the employee experience and the importance of providing managers with the right tools to ensure consistent recognition.
- Recognition and reward, specifically whether an employee feels adequately rewarded for their hard work, signaling the importance of a positive feedback loop.
- A sense of belonging, underscoring the importance of recognizing the human experience at work.
- Managerial support, again demonstrating the critical role managers play in employees’ lives.
- Recognition and praise from the organization as a whole, highlighting the importance of recognition as a strategy, not just an occasional behavior.
For more information about Reward Gateway | Edenred and to read the full report, please visit: https://www.rewardgateway.com/resource/report-the-appreciation-index
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