October 7, 2025
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Launching an employee engagement and recognition strategy is an important step—but effective communication is what truly drives its success.
How you present your program determines its impact. In today’s workplace, where connection and purpose are key motivators, your communications plan is essential to the strategy’s effectiveness.
Here are five actionable tips to ensure your message resonates, motivates, and sustains momentum:
🌎 1
Make Recognition Inclusive and Accessible
Your recognition plan should be embedded into company culture—making it inclusive and accessible for all employees—regardless of location. Inclusivity is integral and fosters trust and a sense of belonging.
This is especially important in the age of the dispersed workforce. Employees that are based out of state, or even outside of the country, should feel valued and seen for their contributions—wherever they report.
⏰ 2
Prioritize Frequency and Timeliness
The Incentive Research Foundation reports that only one in ten employees receives timely recognition consistently, despite the importance that timeliness plays in a recognition strategy.
Employees who receive regular acknowledgment—weekly, monthly, or even daily—report higher job satisfaction and trust.1 Ensure that you deliver recognition as close to the moment of achievement as possible for the greatest impact.
🎯 3
Align Communications with Employee Values and Preferences
In a recent study, employees who reported that their managers were great at recognizing them were over 40% more engaged than those with managers who were not. These individuals were also reported to be more confident, felt better informed, offered more discretionary effort, and were less likely to quit.2 Effective communication starts with understanding what employees value and how they prefer to be recognized. Reflective recognition—asking employees what they’re proud of—can uncover unseen contributions and personalize appreciation.
🔑 4
Empower Managers as Engagement Catalysts
Managers play a pivotal role in driving team engagement and overall adoption of your recognition program. And, Gallup reports that 70% of team engagement is directly influenced by the manager.3 Training managers to deliver meaningful recognition and maintain regular, empathetic communication is essential and can make your program that much more impactful.
⚙️ 5
Use Technology to Scale and Sustain Recognition
Leverage technology to address organizational gaps and create a positive, accessible, and inclusive recognition culture. Digital platforms can serve as a central hub where recognition aligns with your company values and supports ongoing success.
Ready to elevate your employee engagement strategy?
Contact us today to connect with our recognition and engagement experts.🔍 Expand for Sources
- Building a Culture of Recognition The Incentive Research Foundation
- A Better Way to Recognize Your Employees The Harvard Business Review
- State of the Global Workplace Gallup