Employee recognition ideas: The ultimate guide

What makes your employees feel motivated, engaged, and committed to your organization? Sure, the paycheck certainly helps – but plenty of research indicates that employee recognition plays a key role in building a culture where people want to stay, grow, and give their all.

Fortunately, most leaders are already making recognition a priority. According to Culture Amp data, 70% of employees say their leaders demonstrate that employees are important to the company’s success. Yet there’s still room for improvement, with a separate study finding that nearly a quarter of employees feel underappreciated at work.

Letting good work go unnoticed is a risk you can’t afford. We’re taking a closer look at why employee recognition programs seriously matter, as well as some creative employee recognition ideas you can implement to make sure you’re giving people the kudos they deserve.

What is employee recognition?

Employee recognition is the practice of acknowledging and celebrating the contributions, achievements, and efforts of your team members. It’s far more than an occasional, hearty pat on the back or a genuine “thank you” (although those don’t hurt). Effective employee recognition is:

• Timely: Don’t wait for performance reviews or project wrap-ups to call out the great work your employees are doing. Offer recognition in real-time to make it more meaningful.
• Frequent: Make recognition a core piece of your culture by regularly calling attention to contributions and achievements, even with something as simple as a quick shoutout.
• Specific: Generalities and vague praise feel half-hearted and potentially even insincere. Highlight exactly what the employee did and why it mattered. This not only recognizes good work but also reinforces those behaviors.
• Visible: Public recognition (as long as the employee is comfortable with it) allows colleagues to celebrate each other’s wins and reinforces a culture of appreciation.
• Inclusive: Ensure your employee recognition efforts are equitable, so all employees have opportunities to be applauded.
• Values-based: Tying recognition to company values helps reinforce the behaviors and outcomes that truly matter.

While even small efforts go a long way in making people feel valued, formalizing an ongoing employee recognition plan and selecting the right employee recognition tools can provide the structure and consistency that make recognition a strategic priority.

Why is employee recognition important?

Employee recognition has a direct impact on all of the outcomes you care about. We’ll dig into two of the big ones – employee engagement and performance – in detail a little later, but first, let’s take a higher-level look at some of the other big benefits of intentional and regular recognition:

• Stronger company culture: Acknowledging and celebrating workers for their contributions fosters a more positive and people-first culture of appreciation.
• Improved employee well-being: Research indicates that people have an “intrinsic need for esteem and belonging,” and regular recognition satisfies that need. As a result, recognition improves job satisfaction, well-being, and morale across your organization.
• Increased trust: Regular and consistent feedback – whether positive or constructive – strengthens the relationships between managers and employees. Recognition reinforces that employees’ efforts are noticed and valued, which helps build more trust and credibility over time.
• Better employee retention: When employees don’t feel appreciated, they’re more likely to hit the road. Data shows that well-recognized employees are 45% less likely to have left the company after two years. That’s significant not just for morale, but for your bottom line. The cost of turnover is anywhere from 30% to 200% of the departing person’s salary.

These benefits are compelling and important, but your employee recognition strategies have the largest impact on employee engagement and performance.

How does recognition impact employee engagement?

Employee engagement represents the levels of enthusiasm and connection employees have with their organization. It's a measure of how motivated people are to put in extra effort and a sign of how committed they are to staying.

When employees feel like their hard work is constantly overlooked and unrewarded, it makes sense that they would struggle to feel enthusiastic, motivated, or committed.

So, recognition plays a crucial role in engagement. Recognition activates reward and motivation systems in the brain, which can drive engagement and discretionary effort – how hard people are willing to work. According to David Rock's SCARF model, public acknowledgment increases one’s status, which is motivating. Regular, specific recognition increases intrinsic motivation and encourages employees to go above and beyond.

Regular appreciation also reinforces purpose. When people see the link between what they do every day and the bigger goals of the business, they’re more likely to stay engaged, contribute beyond the basics, and stick around for the long haul.

How does recognition impact employee performance?

Recognition doesn’t just make employees feel good – it drives performance. When employees are fully engaged, they’re far more likely to perform to their full potential. On a related note, Culture Amp research found that the need for recognition is particularly strong among high-performing employees.

Regular recognition reinforces the behaviors and outcomes you want to see. Whether it’s day-to-day shoutouts for small wins, informal rewards for contributions, or formal awards for major achievements, acknowledging employees signals that their work matters. This encourages them to continue excelling and sets a standard for others to follow.

Ultimately, employee recognition creates a feedback loop: Employees perform well and receive recognition for doing so. This motivates them to maintain the same level of performance or even raise the bar. Over time, this boosts individual performance, as well as team and organizational performance.

How to build an employee recognition program

Employee recognition ideas come in all shapes and sizes – and you can start implementing them today. Look out for great work and meaningful contributions today, and call attention to them, even without a formal program or approach in place.

That said, clarifying your approach and expectations can help all of your company’s leaders and managers get on the same page about why recognition matters and how to deliver it effectively.

If you’re ready to go beyond occasional compliments and make recognition a core piece of your company culture, follow these steps to build or refine your employee recognition program:

1. Start with a clear purpose

Decide what your program is meant to achieve, ideally with quantifiable metrics to measure and monitor its success. Whether you’ve set your sights on boosting retention, improving engagement, or something else, a defined purpose will guide everything else in your program.

2. Involve your employees

Ask your team what types of employee recognition matter most to them. Do they prefer peer-to-peer shoutouts, manager praise, small rewards, public acknowledgments, or a combination of all of the above? Getting their input will help you create a program that resonates.

3. Pick a manageable system

How will leaders and managers deliver recognition? Whether it’s through a dedicated platform or a combination of communication channels, choosing a method to share recognition makes it more likely that good work will get noticed – simply because there’s a system designed to capture it.

4. Measure and iterate

Track participation, feedback, and whether or not you’re improving the metrics you defined in the first step. Use data to continue to tweak and improve your program over time.

5. Keep it fun and varied

Rotate different employee recognition program ideas or rewards to keep things fresh and exciting. Small, creative touches – like themed recognition weeks or personalized rewards – go a long way toward making recognition feel more meaningful.

20 employee recognition ideas that work

You have the foundation in place. Now, you’re ready to execute your plan and start calling out your employees’ contributions and solid work. A heartfelt “thank you” goes a long way, but consider implementing other fun employee recognition ideas at the same time.

Below, we’re sharing some employee recognition examples that fall into two categories: recognition from leaders and recognition from peers. Some ideas work best for in-office employees, others are a great fit for remote teams, and many can be used for employees in any type of work arrangement. Of course, you’re welcome to adjust these examples to fit your organization’s values and setup.

Employee recognition from leadership

Employees appreciate recognition from company leadership and managers, with 37% of employees saying recognition from leadership is the most valued, with direct supervisors (32%) and colleagues (31%) following closely. It shows that senior-level staff are paying attention to them and appreciating their hard work, which is motivating and often a surprise for employees, who may assume their contributions are going unnoticed.

Below are employee recognition ideas for individuals and teams that leaders can implement to show gratitude and appreciation.

For the individual

1. Positive feedback. It seems simple, but it’s powerful nonetheless. Encourage leaders to share positive feedback regularly, whether in person or through digital means. It’s easy to do and offers effective employee recognition.

2. Value-based awards. Offer a monthly or quarterly company award for employees who exemplify the organization’s values in a notable way.This can make employees feel aligned with your company’s mission. At the same time, it encourages them to connect company values to their day-to-day work and to pay attention to how their peers embody those values.

3. Kudos at all-hands. If you know an employee appreciates public recognition, give them a shout-out at the next all-hands meeting. This will help the individual feel appreciated and expose the rest of the company to the great work others do. This visibility is also important for keeping the organization connected, particularly for hybrid or remote employees.

4. Lunch out. For an employee who prefers private conversation to public recognition, consider inviting them to lunch. This will foster deeper 1-on-1 conversations and give you a quiet space to share how much you appreciate their efforts.

5. Company swag. Believe it or not, many employees love a good branded mug, hoodie, or notebook. Not only are those gifts practical, but they’re also a great way to show off company pride. We recommend picking sustainably or ethically made products, which are usually of higher quality.

6. Experiential rewards. If you’re willing to invest more money into your employee recognition efforts, consider giving your top performers an experiential reward. Some companies let employees choose from a wide range of experiences – from skydiving to singing lessons – as a reward for their hard work.

For the team

7. Catered meal. If your organization doesn’t offer catered lunches, consider hosting one as a generous gesture. Or, if your company already does this, make the catered meal extra special by adding something like a s’mores bar, popcorn stand, or ice cream cart. Have a lot of remote workers? An unexpected gift card to a local restaurant or coffee shop will do the trick.

8. Sponsored volunteer day. If your company is passionate about giving back to the community, offer volunteer time off (VTO). For example, choose a day when everyone gets to take time off to contribute to a cause they’re passionate about. They can volunteer together as teams or individually.

9. Office outing. Instead of the standard office happy hour, treat your company to an office outing. Try to avoid drinking-based activities, since alcohol can isolate some employees. Instead, choose an outing that’s relaxing or entertaining and can accommodate a diverse group, such as trivia, bowling, mini-golf, or an escape room.

10. Surprise time off. If you can, surprise your employees with a day off as a “thank you” for their hard work. For example, some companies offer "Summer Fridays," where employees leave early (or get a full day off) on Fridays during the summer.

11. Wellness day. Employee wellness is a priority at many companies, and you can combine this with employee recognition by bringing self-care activities to the office. You can organize on-site massages, mindfulness sessions, or fitness classes for the team. For remote employees, consider giving time off (even just a couple of hours) that they can use to focus on their wellbeing.

Employee recognition from peers

Peer recognition is equally important for employees, particularly when close colleagues are the ones who know their daily work and contributions best. Creating a culture of peer recognition is also a great way to strengthen the bond between teammates.

12. Team trophy. The trophy doesn’t have to be a literal trophy. It could be a stuffed animal, a wand, or even a special emoji that appears next to someone’s name in your team communication channels. Every week or month, have everyone vote on which person they believe deserves this “trophy” due to their contributions or reflection of team values.

13. Sticky notes. Leave thoughtful sticky notes on your peer’s computer, keyboard, or favorite coffee mug. Discovering these kind words will be a pleasant surprise for them.

14. Virtual party. If you have a distributed team, throw them a virtual party where you gather everyone on a Zoom or Slack call. Send them some yummy treats in advance so the team can munch on them while spending time together.

15. Surprise treats. Who doesn’t love a homemade cookie? Take the time to bake your hardworking teammate their favorite treat. Not only is it meaningful because you made an effort to make it, but it’ll also bring moments of sweetness throughout their workday. You could also order treats – from cookies to flowers to fruit baskets – to be delivered to a remote colleague.

16. Handwritten note. If you’re really feeling appreciative toward one of your colleagues, sit down and write them a note or letter by hand. This is a thoughtful way to convey gratitude in a world where digital is dominant.

17. Video praise. Record a quick (even 15- or 30-second) video praising a coworker’s recent interaction and share it in a team channel. Seeing your face and hearing your voice can feel more resonant than only text, and you might inspire other people to share video shoutouts.

18. Pay it forward. Sometimes, people have a positive impact on us in both big and small ways, but we keep it to ourselves. Instead of hiding your appreciation, pay it forward by complimenting someone – whether it’s about their work or personality. Extra challenge: Do this for someone who isn’t directly on your team – you’ll probably make their day.

19. Wall of fame. Create a wall or a virtual whiteboard where you tack up photos of employees who produce truly exceptional work. If your colleagues don’t mind the public attention, nominate them for the wall so they can look at it and be reminded of how much their team appreciates them.

20. Recognition and rewards software. An employee recognition tool like Shoutouts makes it easy for people to share positive feedback through Slack or Microsoft Teams – further integrating recognition into your daily work and interactions.

Turn appreciation into action

Employee recognition is critical, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. By intentionally celebrating contributions and highlighting wins, you can build a culture where people feel truly seen, motivated, and valued. The employee recognition program examples in this guide offer plenty of inspiration, whether you’re just starting or looking to refresh your existing approach.

Ready to make recognition part of your daily workflow? Culture Amp Shoutouts make it easy to give meaningful, timely recognition that resonates. “Jamie, your marketing report was excellent. The charts were well done and easy to read. I really appreciate your hard work on this!”

Make recognition a part of your employees’ day-to-day

With Culture Amp Shoutouts, you can boost employee motivation and engagement by incorporating employee recognition into the flow of work.

Learn more