Everyday People. Doing Important Work.
How intentional recognition builds culture, connection, and engagement.
Employee engagement is widely recognized as a key driver of business success.
A key part of a healthy workplace culture is reward and recognition. When the behaviors you want across an organization are clearly identified and talked about regularly, people understand what matters. A strong recognition program is one way to strengthen culture and bring teams together.
I was hired by a large Canadian financial organization to develop a reward and recognition program for more than 5,000 employees. After watching organizations rely on outdated approaches — milestone cards, service awards, watches, and small gifts — I knew there had to be a better way. I wanted something more meaningful. Something that would encourage people every day and recognize the efforts of each team member. I believed every employee mattered and played an important role, from frontline staff to senior leadership.
My goal was to create a system where recognition could happen in all directions — not just from leaders to staff, but peer to peer and upward as well. I wanted people to feel comfortable acknowledging one another and empowered to celebrate good work.
To do this, I focused on helping executives understand the difference between everyday appreciation and more formal recognition — knowing when a kind word in a team meeting was enough, and when someone truly going above and beyond deserved something more tangible, like a gift card or award. Helping leaders see the importance of bringing all reward and recognition into one platform created consistency across the organization and ensured recognition efforts were aligned, which supported stronger engagement and long-term success. In truth, it also made the workplace a more positive place to be. When appreciation was shared consistently, morale improved and positive momentum grew across teams.
Executive education was critical. Leaders across all business areas needed to understand the purpose of the program and support it. Their engagement made it possible to bring all recognition — both formal and informal — into one unified approach, which became a key factor in the program’s success.
The program was built around core competencies, so everyone knew what behaviors were expected and what should be recognized. This gave clarity across the organization and helped teams stay aligned.
The results were clear. Overall engagement increased by 13%, reaching 81%. In the first year alone, more than 90,000 peer recognitions were shared, helping recognition become part of everyday work rather than an occasional event.
That’s why I often come back to a simple question: Who has been a shining light on your team? In healthcare, it could be a nurse who stays late to comfort a patient, a radiologist who takes extra care to explain results, a home care worker who shows up faithfully day after day, or a medical office assistant who keeps everything moving while offering kindness to everyone who walks through the door. Peer-to-peer recognition matters because it gives everyone permission to notice those moments, appreciate everyday contributions, and build connection across roles and departments. In environments where burnout and turnover are real challenges, these small, consistent acts of appreciation help people feel valued and support retention over time.
Employee engagement is widely recognized as a key driver of business success.
According to research from Aon Hewitt, each incremental percentage point increase in employee engagement correlates with an additional 0.6% growth in sales.
Additional research from Gallup shows that organizations in the top quartile of engagement consistently outperform those in the bottom quartile, including higher productivity and profitability, fewer safety incidents, and lower absenteeism.
Highly engaged employees are also 87% less likely to leave, making engagement one of the most important factors in building long-term organizational strength.
The program continues to exist today, and that tells me the evidence is there — intentional, competency-based recognition works. When appreciation is aligned with clear expectations and supported by leadership, it creates lasting change. Recognition, when created with intention, becomes more than a program. It becomes part of how an organization relates to itself.