Employee Recognition and Rewards: How Managers Can Be Empowered

BY Carrie Snider | March 05, 2025

Recognizing employees for their hard work isn’t just about making them feel good, it’s a strategic tool that drives engagement, retention, and workplace culture. But what makes recognition truly meaningful?

At From Day One’s Washington, D.C., five panelists explored how managers can be empowered to make recognition personal, timely, and effective. Steve Koepp, co-founder and editor in chief of From Day One, moderated the discussion.

When we think about recognition, we often focus on the recipient—how great it will feel for them to be acknowledged. “What we need to remember, and what our data show very clearly, is there’s [also] a benefit to the giver,” said panelist Naomi Dishington, director of consulting and Workhuman. This is why peer-to-peer recognition is so powerful. It creates a ripple effect across an organization, strengthening engagement and shaping culture.

“Every time I show up and give a moment or I nominate a fellow worker, I see a benefit,” said Dishington. “I see a boost to my engagement. I want to see what’s going right and call it out,” she said. 

However, meaningful recognition assumes that managers truly know their people. It requires consistent check-ins, whether weekly, biweekly, or at a set cadence, to understand employees’ preferences, values, and achievements. In a series of reports co-published with Gallup, WorkHuman found that one of the key elements that makes recognition meaningful and impactful is that it’s personalized.

Generic awards can miss the mark—or even backfire. “If we don't know our people,” she added, “and we give out a team award and it’s all the same for each one of them, it can almost backfire.” When recognition is tailored, it sends a clear message: You are valued as an individual.

‘RICE’ Framework for Recognition

Recognition isn’t just about rewards, it’s about reinforcing behaviors, celebrating achievements, and fostering engagement. That’s where the RICE framework comes in: Rewards, Incentives, Celebrations, and Engagement, according to Julie Gu, vice president of revenue in North America for Prezzee.

“If you can make sure that you are rewarding action, then you’re incentivizing behavior. You’re celebrating the moments,” said Gu.

The executive panelists spoke about "Employee Recognition and Rewards: How Managers Can Be Empowered"

At its core, meaningful recognition has a personal touch. Whether it’s peer-to-peer, manager-to-employee, or colleague-to-colleague, personalization makes recognition more impactful. “The appreciation is what makes you feel good in the moment,” she added. “The personal message is what makes it memorable.”

A well-thought-out reward isn’t just about the dollar amount, it’s about the connection behind it. Is it that the company gave an employee $5 towards something they really wanted? Actually, it’s less about the money and more about remembering that your colleagues paid attention to your interests outside of work, says Gu.

By integrating the RICE framework and focusing on personal, meaningful recognition, organizations can build stronger, more engaged teams, where people don’t just feel appreciated, but truly seen.

Mechanisms for Employee Recognition

Leaders and managers play a crucial role in shaping the workplace. A simple moment of recognition can make a lasting impact. “You are literally shaping someone’s day,” said panelist Boma Anyaogu, vice president of DEI at Compass Group.

To make recognition effortless and meaningful, Compass Group has implemented multiple mechanisms, including its Voice of the Customer (VOC) program. “When a customer highlights an employee by name, we make sure that employee sees it,” she said. “We have recognition months so when something goes right, we allow the customer to highlight them. We do kudos, newsletters, and other simple ways to make recognition quick and easy,” Anyaogu said.

One of the biggest challenges with traditional recognition programs is timing. Many managers have expressed frustration that recognition can take too long to process, often being saved for the end of a month or quarter. To counter this, Compass Group is shifting toward real-time recognition. “We’re trying to do things where we can capture it in the moment.”

Effective Recognition Strategies

Panelist Sunita Braynard, acting head of total rewards at Under Armour, emphasized that recognition doesn’t always have to be monetary. Peer-to-peer recognition, in particular, is a powerful tool because it drives recognition and engagement, making people feel valued for what they do. Whether it’s a small acknowledgment of effort or celebrating moments that matter, recognition should be embedded in daily interactions. Timeliness and specificity are key.

“When we say peer-to-peer recognition, we know that it’s more impactful when it’s timely, it’s instant, and it’s specific,” Braynard said. Recognition doesn’t have to be elaborate. Sometimes, a simple message can make all the difference.

Companies can structure recognition in various ways, from instant peer-to-peer acknowledgments to more formalized programs. “If the company has a formal recognition program, then you can think about how to assign points to that particular achievement,” Braynard said. While instant appreciation can be as simple as a quick email or a shoutout within a team, larger contributions over time can lead to structured rewards, such as a project-based bonus. “There are multiple ways to do it, but the easiest is to recognize instantly, make it specific, make it meaningful—a heart-to-heart connection that really goes a long way.”

Recognition shouldn’t be limited to work-related achievements, she added. Whether celebrating a birthday, a wedding, or the birth of a child, or offering support during a difficult time, recognition fosters a culture of belonging. “It’s about engaging with them so they start feeling that they’re not in it alone—that they’ve got people who have their back.”

Diversity in Recognition

According to panelist Shabrina Davis, head of diversity learning for AADA talent acquisition at Amazon, flexibility in recognition is essential. “Employees want their leaders to know them and who they are. We shouldn’t have a rigid structure where leadership can’t make changes, adapt, or offer just-in-time recognition.” Instead, companies need to equip leaders with the tools to be adaptable, ensuring they can acknowledge employees in a way that feels personal and meaningful.

Listening to employee feedback is another critical component. “Take the surveys and actually listen to the sentiment behind them,” Davis said. “Because if you make a mistake in your recognition system, it backfires.” Recognition should be driven by data and real employee preferences, not just assumptions from leadership.

As a global company, Amazon recognizes that effective recognition varies across cultures. “Part of diversity is diversity of thought. The behaviors we reward in America may be very different from the behaviors we reward in China or Germany. A recognition program needs to be localized—we need to reward people where they are succeeding, and that may look different for every person,” said Davis.

Beyond performance-based recognition, companies should also support employees in times of crisis. “At the enterprise level, companies can have mechanisms in place to support employees and their families during disasters, whether it’s war, wildfires, or hurricanes,” Davis said. “Giving managers the ability to make those decisions without question shows that you value employees not just for their work or output, but as human beings. That kind of recognition goes a long way in fostering inclusion and belonging.”

Employees thrive when they feel valued—not just for their output, but for who they are. Whether it’s a simple “thank you,” a personalized reward, or a leadership-driven initiative, appreciation fosters stronger connections, higher engagement, and a workplace where people want to stay and grow.

Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.

(Photos by Justin Feltman for From Day One)

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Katie Chambers March 04, 2025
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