Recognition Is the Employee Engagement Strategy You’re Overlooking

Most workplaces are searching for ways to improve employee engagement, which hit a 10-year low in 2024 according to Gallup. But few are using one of the simplest tools they have: recognition.

Employee recognition can take many forms, from verbal praise to tangible rewards. It’s immediate, motivating, and often the most accessible way to support a person’s emotional connection to their work. Not to mention, it has a clear business value: Well-recognized employees are 45% less likely to turn over.

Any workplace, no matter its size or resources, can build a culture of recognition. But too often, HR leaders assume that what their organization is doing now is enough. To reignite employees’ sense of purpose, a recognition program must be intentional, consistent, and aligned with what employees need to feel seen and valued.

What’s at stake when recognition falls to the wayside?

We’re currently living through a period coined the “Great Detachment.” As the name suggests, employees are increasingly disconnected and dissatisfied with their work, even if they still log on every day.

Plenty of factors (like organizational change and evolving expectations post-pandemic) are driving this detachment, but employees’ intrinsic need to feel valued often holds more weight than we realize. In fact, ZayZoon’s research on motivating employees found that today’s workers believe feeling recognized and appreciated for their work is one of the top qualities of good management.

So, why do so many organizations overlook recognition?

In some cases, leaders assume employees are already well-recognized. Other organizations may hesitate to invest in recognition, not because they don’t believe in it, but because they’re cautious about spending. When budgets are tight, launching a recognition program can feel like another costly initiative that might fall flat.

In reality, employee appreciation doesn’t inherently require a new platform or oversized budget. If you design recognition to be authentic and repeatable, it can naturally gain momentum and become a lasting part of your culture.

4 strategies to re-engage employees with recognition

HR leaders may put recognition on the back burner because it seems like a nice to have rather than a baseline workplace expectation. But the risk of employees feeling taken for granted or questioning their value is far greater than the effort it takes to make appreciation a workplace norm.

Most teams are already well-equipped to recognize employees effectively. The key is to stay consistent and iterate over time to deliver the support employees need.

1. Decentralize recognition from day one

It’s easy to assume recognition should always come from managers, but a top-down approach can limit its reach and impact.

Instead, find opportunities to encourage peer-to-peer appreciation in daily workflows. This might look like prompting shoutouts in team meetings or creating a dedicated channel for sharing kudos and celebrating everyday achievements.

Often, peer feedback carries unique credibility because it comes from people who understand the work and see the role-specific wins others might miss. While managers can reinforce recognition, involving employees across all levels signals that recognition is everyone’s responsibility.

2. Strive for specificity

A common employee recognition misstep is delivering praise that lacks substance. Saying “good job” might seem encouraging, but Gallup’s research on employee retention tells us that high-quality recognition is what makes the difference in preventing turnover.

To help managers deliver more meaningful praise, I recommend educating them about the SBI model: Situation, Behavior, and Impact. For example, “Yesterday, I saw you handle a frustrated customer. You maintained a calm, neutral tone and were fully engaged throughout the conversation. As a result, the situation was diffused quickly and the rest of the team could stay focused thanks to your leadership.”

Personalization is powerful, and can be used in any feedback setting, whether it’s a performance review, weekly one-on-one, or informal interaction. When managers model SBI feedback for employees, that can also give them new confidence to speak up and celebrate their teammates.

3. Anchor recognition in your values

There’s nothing wrong with transactional recognition, like acknowledging an employee for completing a specific deadline or hitting a target. However, transformational recognition goes a step further by linking a person’s contribution back to your organization’s mission.

Encourage managers to look for opportunities to connect feedback to company values. It might be as simple as them saying, “When you stepped in to support that customer, it showed others what it means to be customer-first.” Other low-lift tactics, like tagging recognitions in your shoutouts channel to a specific value, can help make value alignment a habit.

When pieces of recognition clearly reflect your company’s mission, everyday moments take on new meaning and employees feel a stronger sense of purpose in what they do.

4. Track patterns and evolve your recognition program overtime

The beauty of a recognition program is that it isn’t static. You can make targeted adjustments based on what your team needs and your budget allows.

For example, you might decide to attach rewards — like a $20 gift card or lunch credit — to recognitions that were already given. Performed retroactively, this kind of follow-up reinforces the moment and helps employees feel seen twice: once by a peer and again by the company. Non-monetary gestures, like a handwritten note or additional PTO, can further reinforce appreciation and personalize recognition.

At the same time, be intentional to track employee participation. Are the same people being recognized again and again? Is someone frequently receiving praise but never giving it?

As HR leaders, it’s our job to surface these gaps and provide guidance. A small nudge, like encouraging someone to recognize a teammate, can help maintain momentum and ensure no employee is overlooked.

Start building your employee recognition program today

Recognizing employees effectively doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive — it simply needs to be consistent and intentional. Your strategy can adapt over time, but the longer you wait to start, the more you risk disengagement taking hold in quiet, costly ways.

At its core, recognition should elevate the work employees do every day. When that appreciation is authentic, value-aligned, and shared across teams, employees show up with greater investment because they understand the value of their contributions.