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11+ Recognition Programs To Improve Engagement [2024 Guide]
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# 11+ Recognition Programs To Improve Engagement [2024 Guide]



July 23, 2024

4 Min Read





















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#### Table of Contents:

To succeed as a business in today’s world, you need a high-performance environment. But how do you get that? With a recognition program, of course!

Recognition programs not only celebrate individual employees but also create a sense of community. Even better, they boost employee morale and create a more team-focused environment. If that sounds like the kind of culture you want to create, keep reading!

In this guide, you’ll get to see the many employee recognition programs available in 2024. From there, you can learn how to implement them to boost employee engagement in your organization. Let’s get started!

## What are recognition programs?

At their simplest, recognition programs are structured initiatives to acknowledge your employees' efforts and reward them for what they do in the workplace. A recognition program can take many forms, including verbal praise, written awards, monetary bonuses, accolades like extra time off, or company-wide recognition. No matter which type of employee recognition program you choose, having a way for your employees to receive recognition will create an environment where everyone feels valued and appreciated.

If you choose to recognize employees with a recognition program, you can go for a formal or informal recognition approach. For example, some organizations have elaborate ceremonies where employees receive awards, but others make time for simple shout-outs during team meetings instead. It all depends on your workplace culture, your organization’s goals, and the company's values.

At the end of the day, the recognition program you choose to implement should align with your company’s mission statements and reinforce the behaviors that drive outcomes for your organization. By celebrating achievements that reflect company values, an employee recognition program will create a cohesive and motivated workforce. And when you use a recognition system to give positive feedback to team members, you’ll direct employee engagement towards those company values.

## Why are recognition programs so important?

As you can see, employee recognition programs have a big role to play in shaping your workplace culture. By making employees feel valued, a successful recognition program will boost engagement and morale. But before you implement a recognition system that will reward employees and create a positive company culture, you should understand why employee recognition programs are so important.

Recognition programs: Importance

Recognition programs: Importance

### 1. Boosting employee morale

When employees are recognized and appreciated for what they do every day, team members tend to respond with an increase in morale. The reinforcement that employee appreciation programs use also leads to higher levels of job satisfaction, so your employees will feel more loyalty and commitment to your organization. In fact, it’s been shown that employees who receive regular recognition are more likely to stay with their employer than other team members who don’t receive positive feedback.

Employees who are valued also contribute more positively to the work environment. And when morale is high, employees are more productive, not to mention more creative. So, an employee recognition program can help you create a workplace where collaboration and innovation are encouraged.

### 2. Enhancing employee engagement

Engaged employees are those who feel connected to what they do. An employee recognition program is a great way to ensure that this is the case. When employees are valued, they know their efforts are acknowledged, and therefore, they are more likely to put in the effort and go the extra mile.

Plus, higher engagement leads to better performance. According to Gallup’s Q12® Meta-Analysis, companies with highly engaged teams achieve 21% more profitability than companies that don’t put employee appreciation first. The numbers speak for themselves, but to reiterate, investing in employee recognition programs will pay dividends for your organization’s bottom line.

### 3. Attracting and retaining talent

Today’s job market is competitive, so it’s hard to attract and retain top talent. More often than not, prospective employees want to work for companies that will value their contributions while prioritizing their mental health and physical well-being. One of the best ways to position your company as an employer of choice is to explore employee recognition program ideas.

As a business owner, you know customer satisfaction is key, but without the ability to retain talent, you won't have any business in the first place, so you need to make every employee feel special. By exploring employee recognition program ideas and implementing an employee recognition program for your team, you can create a culture of appreciation that will attract potential hires. Then, when you hire them, new employees will see your company culture as a positive workplace, and therefore, your business will experience higher talent acquisition and employee retention.

## 11 best recognition programs

Here are 11 successful employee recognition programs you can try!

### 1. Matter

Matter is changing the way we celebrate our employees. With its user-friendly interface and impressive features, Matter puts peer recognition first. Essentially, this recognition platform allows employees to send kudos to their peers via customizable peer recognition messages, so every employee will have a personalized experience. With Matter, organizations can create a culture of social recognition by rewarding good behavior.

### 2. Bucketlist

Bucketlist makes recognition fun and rewarding. This program allows employees to create their own bucket lists of experiences they want to have. Recognition points are awarded for achievements, and employees can redeem them for activities or rewards. By linking recognition to personal goals, Bucketlist increases employee engagement and retention.

Recognition program: Bucketlist

Recognition program: Bucketlist

### 3. Giftbit

Another recognition program for those who want to drive employee engagement, Giftbit takes the employee reward and recognition process to the next level by offering personalized gift cards. With Giftbit, employees can receive gift cards to redeem at various retailers so your employees have the freedom to choose rewards based on their personal preferences. Giftbit also makes it easy for organizations that use this recognition platform to track and manage their employee recognition budgets to get maximum ROI.

Recognition program: Giftbit

Recognition program: Giftbit

### 4. Cooleaf

Next up is Cooleaf. As a platform that takes a holistic approach to employee well-being, Cooleaf allows organizations to celebrate work-related achievements and acknowledge personal milestones, like birthdays or anniversaries. From customizable rewards and peer recognition to wellbeing initiatives and more, Cooleaf is a recognition platform worth considering.

Recognition program: Cooleaf

Recognition program: Cooleaf

### 5. Motivosity

Motivosity is all about creating a positive feedback loop among employees within an organization. This employee motivation platform allows peer recognition through its cool interface, where employees can send notes to each other. Motivosity shows how individual contributions fit into the bigger picture so employees feel like they’re part of the team. Organizations can use this employee appreciation platform to track recognition trends, too, so you can see patterns and areas for improvement.

Recognition program: Motivosity

Recognition program: Motivosity

### 6. Nectar

Nectar stands out because of its timely recognition. The platform allows employees to give formal recognition to their peers in real time so team members can celebrate each other’s achievements as they happen. With the ability to publicly recognize employees who do well, Nectar is a great way to reinforce good behavior and create a culture of appreciation. Nectar also gives you analytics so you can measure what you’re doing to make sure you’re aligned with the business goals.

### 7. PerformYard

When it comes to recognizing employee achievements and designing employee rewards, PerformYard takes a more structured approach because the platform integrates performance reviews. This employee rewards program links recognition to performance improvement. By linking recognition to specific goals and outcomes, PerformYard ensures that recognized employees know the value of their contributions. This strategic alignment helps organizations create a culture of accountability and growth.

Recognition program: PerformYard

Recognition program: PerformYard

### 8. Guusto

Guusto is an employee engagement platform that allows organizations to send gifts and rewards to team members with ease. The platform’s recognition ideas include monetary recognition via gift cards, tangible rewards like once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and the ability to send donations to their favorite charities. This flexibility means organizations can tailor their recognition programs to their employees’ preferences. By making recognition personal, Guusto creates deeper connections and increases employee satisfaction.

Recognition program: Guusto

Recognition program: Guusto

### 9. Thrive.App

Thrive.App is designed to focus on mental health and physical wellbeing alongside recognition. The platform allows employees to celebrate their achievements while focusing on personal growth. With features for continuous feedback and goal setting, Thrive.App helps organizations create a culture of support and motivation. That way, organizations can create a more engaged and resilient workforce.

Recognition program: Thrive.App

Recognition program: Thrive.App

### 10. Awardco

Awardco makes recognition simple by providing a single platform for rewards and appreciation. Organizations can customize their recognition programs to fit their unique culture and values. With a wide range of reward options, including gift cards and experiences, Awardco makes recognition meaningful. The platform also gives you valuable insights into employee engagement so you can tailor your recognition strategy.

Recognition Program: Awardco

Recognition program: Awardco

### 11. Bonusly

Bonusly is a fun recognition platform that allows peer to peer recognition. Employees can award “bonuses” to their colleagues for their contributions, yielding a sense of team spirit and togetherness. This program creates a culture of positivity and gratitude by making recognition a big deal. With its playful approach, Bonusly helps organizations create a culture where appreciation grows.



Recognition program: Bonusly

## Pros and cons of recognition programs

On the one hand, recognition programs have many benefits, but on the other, they’re not without their drawbacks. As you look for the best way to reward your employees who work for your organization, keep the following pros and cons of employee recognition software in mind.

### Pros of recognition programs

Recognition programs: Benefits

Recognition programs: Benefits

Here are three benefits of implementing a consistent recognition experience:

1. Boosts Employee Morale: Employee recognition programs make employees feel more confident by recognizing their contributions, so they’re more satisfied with their jobs.
2. Encourages Overall Engagement: With an employee recognition program, you’ll see increased engagement because employees will feel valued. This means they will be more likely to participate and contribute to the organization.
3. Fosters Recognition Culture: An employee recognition program creates a culture where recognizing employees is the norm, so collaboration and teamwork will happen in the workplace.

### Cons of recognition programs

Recognition programs: Drawbacks

Recognition programs: Drawbacks

And here are three drawbacks to an employee recognition program:

1. Creates Potential Inequality: If you don’t adequately manage any employee recognition program ideas that you implement, your employee recognition program could make employees feel like favoritism is at play.
2. Increases Business Expenses: Implementing an employee recognition program means taking on extra costs, especially if you decide to recognize employees with cash rewards or awards with monetary value.
3. Requires Ongoing Effort: Recognition programs that encourage employees to do their best are only successful if you put effort into maintaining them, so you’ll need to allocate extra time to your employee recognition program.

## How can remote teams benefit from recognition programs?

With remote work on the rise, employee recognition programs are more important than ever. Thankfully, employee recognition programs can help you bridge the gap caused by physical distance. From there, you can instill a sense of belonging among employees, which is especially important for remote team members.

### 1. Enhancing communication

With an employee recognition program, you can facilitate communication between remote workers much more easily. It’s a way to regularly acknowledge the achievements of your employees even from afar. Plus, with an employee recognition program, team members can connect and share their successes, which creates collaboration despite geographical barriers.

### 2. Building community

One of the biggest concerns for remote teams is isolation. After all, it’s hard not to feel lonely when you don’t show up in person to a shared workspace and collaborate with your team members daily. But by prioritizing your company’s recognition efforts, you can create opportunities for team members to celebrate each other’s successes, and this will create the sense of community that remote teams may be missing.

### 3. Promoting engagement

It’s no secret that keeping remote employees engaged is tough. But when you implement recognition methods that shine a light on deserving remote employees, you can help work-from-home employees stay motivated. An employee recognition program can also help them feel connected to the organization’s goals even from afar, which will manifest as higher employee retention and satisfaction rates.

## Important metrics for measuring the impact of recognition programs

When measuring the success of your company’s employee recognition programs, consider tracking the following metrics, which will give you insight into employee engagement and satisfaction.

### 1. Employee satisfaction surveys

Employee satisfaction surveys are one way to measure the effectiveness of your recognition programs. By asking your employees for feedback on their experiences, you’ll gain valuable insight into what works and what doesn’t.

### 2. Participation rates

Have you thought of tracking the participation rates of your employee recognition programs? This will show you what percentage of your employees are actively engaged in the initiatives you’ve put in place. When you look at the data, remember that high participation rates mean your employees feel valued because of your employee recognition program and low engagement means you need to make adjustments.

### 3. Performance metrics

Make sure you track performance metrics so you can measure the impact of employee recognition programs on productivity and overall performance. By monitoring these metrics, you can ensure your recognition efforts deliver the desired results.

## Recognition program tips and tricks

To maximize the results of employee recognition programs, give these tips a try:

- Be Timely: Employee recognition programs should reinforce positive behavior soon after it happens. There's a saying that goes, “Better late than never!” but timely recognition will leave a much longer impression than belated recognition. Consistency is key, so create a workplace where consistent recognition is the norm.
- Customize Recognition: Tailor your recognition ideas to each employee. In other words, instead of awarding everyone the same way, remember that you have a diverse workforce. Recognize each deserving employee in a way that takes into account their preferences.
- Involve Everyone: Encourage all employees to participate in your company’s employee recognition program. This will create an inclusive culture of appreciation that celebrates all achievements, not just one employee’s work.
- Monitor Feedback: Continuously gather feedback from your employees and use the information to measure the effectiveness of your recognition programs. Look for opportunities to improve and make the adjustments to close those gaps.

## Final thoughts on recognition programs

Employee recognition programs are about more than acknowledging achievements in the workplace. They also contribute to a culture of appreciation where engagement levels excel, overall productivity soars, and retention rates climb. It all comes down to understanding your options and selecting the best employee recognition program for your company.

Do you think an employee recognition program is what your workplace is missing? With Matter, rewarding team members who perform well has never been easier. To create a company culture where everyone feels appreciated, start by adding Matter — available for Slack or Microsoft Teams — to your workspace today!

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