13 Lessons Learned: Best Practices on Recognition Program Strategy, Design, Change Management, and Success Metrics

13 lessons learned on employee recognition best practices from Workhuman’s 20+ years working with top organizations.


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In the face of an evolving workplace, it can be easy to forget that employees are at the center of any organization’s success.

Recognition is the key to binding workplace cultures together. It fortifies and revitalizes the humans behind the work – inspiring connection, driving innovation, promoting adaptability, and building stronger workplaces. At Workhuman®, we call that recognition done right.

We’ve partnered with some of the largest, most complex, and highly admired companies in the world over the past 25 years. Our data analytics help these customers see how recognition programs impact the metrics they care about – reduced attrition, increased engagement, higher productivity – through hard-dollar ROI. We’re so confident in our ability to drive recognition-based outcomes for our customers that we’ve developed the HR industry’s only ROI Guarantee.

The following evidence-based best practices are derived from our expertise gained through these successful partnerships. Use them to guide your strategy and equally leverage the power of recognition to drive improved talent and business outcomes and measurable, bottom-line impact.

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