In this episode, we’re exploring why more than a third of employees say they don’t receive enough recognition from managers or peers. We’ll be breaking down why recognition remains so underutilized, what it costs your culture, and how to make it part of your daily rhythm.
And here to help Beth make sense of it all is Kelly George, Culture Coach here at Up Your Culture.
Kelly offers great insights, like:
- How employees who feel recognized are 4X more likely to be engaged at work
- Why offering vague praise is missing the chance to reinforce behaviors that you’d like to see more often
- And, finally, why recognition is one of the most powerful drivers in your toolkit to fuel engagement, performance, and retention
Recognition Is Fuel Not Fluff
Kelly opens by framing recognition as something that should be embedded into the daily rhythm of work, not treated as a bonus or an afterthought. Leaders do understand its value, she says, but the hustle of daily responsibilities, lack of structure, or uncertainty around how to do it effectively often gets in the way.
The stakes are high: employees who feel recognized are four times more likely to be engaged, and those who don’t feel recognized are twice as likely to be actively disengaged.
Why Specificity Matters
One of the key takeaways from the episode is the difference between appreciation and recognition.
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Appreciation says: “I see you.”
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Recognition says: “I see what you did and here’s why it mattered.”
When leaders take time to be specific (naming what an employee did and the impact it had) it reinforces valuable behaviors, boosts performance, and creates a sense of purpose. Generic praise, on the other hand, misses the opportunity to reinforce what should be repeated.
Recognition and Retention Go Hand in Hand
The absence of recognition shows up in tangible ways:
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Decreased initiative
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More absenteeism
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Lower morale
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Weaker collaboration
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Higher turnover
And the cost is staggering. According to Gallup, disengagement results in $438 billion in lost productivity annually.
When employees feel invisible, they don’t just leave jobs; they disengage emotionally. Kelly puts it simply: “This is not fluffy. This is fuel.”
Don’t Overlook the Middle Managers
ENGAGE 2025: The Company Culture Report report also revealed that only 58% of middle managers feel recognized by senior leadership. That’s a problem.
Middle managers are the bridge between strategy and execution. When managers feel overlooked, it undermines their ability to energize their teams, which, too often, results in a ripple effect of disengagement.
“They can’t pour from an empty cup,” Beth notes. And Kelly agrees: if organizations want their cultures to thrive, they must intentionally recognize and support their managers.
Personalize It Without Overcomplicating It
The good news? Making recognition more effective doesn’t mean launching elaborate programs. It can be as simple as asking your team members how they prefer to be recognized (publicly or privately) and being intentional in your delivery.
According to Kelly, the most effective recognition is:
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Personal (tailored to the individual)
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Purposeful (specific and tied to impact)
Even small gestures (like a handwritten note or a sincere email) can have a long-lasting effect when they’re timely and thoughtful.
Kelly even shared that she still has folders of notes from managers and clients that she’s saved over the years. Those words of recognition meant something and they truly stuck with her.
How to Recognize in a Remote World
With more hybrid and remote work environments, virtual recognition has to be just as meaningful. Kelly shares a few ideas that translate well across screens:
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Public praise in tools like Slack or Teams
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Personalized video messages
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Handwritten notes mailed to employees’ homes
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LinkedIn endorsements
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Digital kudos boards
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Recognition shoutouts at the beginning of virtual meetings
Just like in-person praise, the key is sincerity and specificity.
Kelly also highlighted a recurring example from Up Your Culture’s own practices: High Five Fridays, where team members recognize each other for collaboration, going above and beyond, or simply showing up with excellence. That regularity builds a culture of appreciation that becomes second nature.
Make Recognition a Ritual
To embed recognition into your leadership habits, Kelly suggests this simple mantra: Make recognition a ritual.
Here are a few ways leaders can do that:
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Start every team meeting with shoutouts
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Set weekly goals to recognize at least three team members
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Build recognition into one-on-ones or dashboards
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Create consistent rituals like High Five Fridays or monthly kudos calls
According to ENGAGE 2025: The Company Culture Report, companies with consistent recognition practices see up to 23% higher employee satisfaction.
One Powerful Step You Can Take Today
If you’re a manager who realizes you’ve unintentionally fallen into the “recognition gap,” don’t worry. There’s an easy place to start.
Kelly recommends this: Send one specific, authentic note of recognition to someone on your team today. It doesn’t have to be tied to a major milestone; recognizing small wins or contributions that had real impact can mean the most.
Recognition isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s a human need. And when used well, it becomes one of the most powerful levers you have to engage, retain, and inspire your team.
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