Two companies turning employee recognition data into engagement

• Key Insight: Discover how integrated recognition data reveals skills, engagement, and retention drivers.
• What's at Stake: Missed recognition signals risk talent loss, reduced productivity, and misaligned L&D investments.
• Forward Look: AI-driven recognition metrics will shape talent development and retention strategies.
  Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review

Employee recognition data can reveal what truly drives engagement and productivity across a workforce — and two platforms are partnering to bring those insights directly to organizations.

HR tech company Achievers and AI-powered workforce platform Workday have partnered to launch Workday Recognition, a workplace AI tool that lets employees easily give and receive recognition and rewards for strong performance. The aim is to combine acknowledgement and appreciation into everyday work, while also giving leaders using Workday clearer visibility into how recognition impacts engagement, skills and retention across the workforce.

"These capabilities are increasingly critical as tech experimentation grows within organizations," said Bob Memmer, Achievers' chief revenue officer. "We're providing a real-time view of what's working and what's not to empower leaders to make smarter decisions about where to invest and how to maximize its impact." 

Read more: Transforming benefits with AI: A new era of human-centric solutions

In practice, an employee or manager can quickly send a recognition message when someone does something well, specifically when it's linked to particular workplace values, practices and job skills. That recognition can include points or rewards, which the recipient can later redeem for employer-chosen options like gift cards, experiences or company perks. Behind the scenes, the system tracks this recognition data in real time, noting who is being recognized, for what behaviors, and where that employee's engagement with work is strongest. They can also look for skill areas that go unmentioned as a way to craft development opportunities.  

"Identifying skill [disparities] can help organizations build smarter learning programs that

draw on the behaviors and competencies of their top performers," Memmer said. "They can then use those [findings] to help align their strategy to benefit the whole workforce."

Boosting productivity and improving morale

Recent research from the Achievers Workforce Institute revealed that recognition is one of the strongest drivers of employee engagement, productivity and retention. In fact, the platform's State of Recognition report showed that employees who receive recognition weekly are nearly three times more likely to be productive and six times more likely to remain with their organization long term. Despite this evidence, however, recognition is still too often viewed simply as a "nice-to-have" workplace perk, Memmer said, instead of an investment that could drive measurable results. 

"It makes sense that when recognition is specific, personal and impact-oriented, it improves performance and boosts morale," Memmer said. "It helps employees make sense of their effort."

Read more: Beyond engagement: Why benefits leaders must focus on enablement

According to Memmer, both organizations have already seen the system succeed among their clients. For example, one of Workday's partnering companies, supermarket chain Sobeys, used feedback surveys, quizzes, incentive and recognition to engage employees around operational best practices. As a result, the company saw a 12% increase in proper delivery truck utilization, meaning they carried more product per trip with less empty space, Memmer said, improving efficiency, reducing waste and lowering costs. 

Recognition and actionable feedback can assist leaders with their investments in progressive technology such as AI as well, Memmer said, noting it can show them where employees may need additional training and which new capabilities are becoming most valuable. 

"This kind of information can be game-changing," Memmer said. "In the big picture, [having more information] can only help organizations."