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The 6 Best Employee Recognition Platforms

The 6 Best Employee Recognition Platforms

Summary Celebrating wins, sharing appreciation, and building a healthy culture by recognizing team players fuels employee engagement. When praise is tied to your company’s core values and performance, employee recognition drives your culture in a positive direction.  Read more about the top 6 employee recognition platforms of 2025 Request Demo Employee recognition boosts morale, job satisfaction, and productivity. According to Deloitte, employee engagement, productivity, and performance are 14% higher than in organizations without recognition. Employee recognition also encourages teamwork, helps retain and attract talent, reduces stress, fosters innovation, and increases employee loyalty. In essence, it makes employees happier and benefits the organization at large. Frequent and intentional praise for positive workplace behaviors, in a public or private format, shows employees that their presence is valued and that their contributions are noticed and make a difference. Additionally, having the opportunity to recognize other colleagues for a job well done creates an environment of appreciation and solidarity. That is precisely how healthy workplace culture is created and embedded into everyday work life. The 6 Best Employee Recognition Platforms Choosing an employee recognition software that aligns with your company culture and is easily adoptable by your employees can be daunting. Ultimately, the best software for your team will be the one that: is user-friendly for everyone, from the corporate office, to the field, to frontline workers  supports the values that matter most to you integrates seamlessly into your everyday workflows  We have assembled a list of the top 6 employee recognition platforms that meet the above criteria and have highlighted what sets each platform apart, key features, and the specific problem each one solves.  1. WorkDove What is the platform? WorkDove allows you to save time and money with one integrated, affordable platform to streamline employee recognition, performance reviews, continuous feedback, and more all in one place. With WorkDove’s Recognition tool, you can celebrate wins, share appreciation, and build a healthy culture by recognizing team players based on your core values. Recognize employees directly in WorkDove, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Notable Features: Integrate Employee Recognition- Integrate recognition into perform performance reviews. Recognize employees through MS Teams™, Slack, or WorkDove Drive Culture- Visible public praise creates a culture of celebrating and recognizing employees within your work environment. Improve the employee experience with a culture of core value alignment, high performance, and appreciation. Increased employee engagement by recording and tracking who gives and receives recognition, keeping employee satisfaction, performance, and retention front and center The ability to keep in-office and remote teams more connected wit ha tool tha tstreamlines positive feedback and recognition   Best for: Driving a values-based culture of recognition through easy-to-use software for any level of technology familiarity. 2. Nectar What is the platform? Nectar is the building block of honey and the main ingredient that makes it sweet. Nectar believes that the building block of a strong company culture is frequent, meaningful recognition. This platform allows you to recognize great work, redeem rewards, make nominations easy, and communicate seamlessly- all in one simple culture platform.  Notable Features: Nectar’s Recognition & Rewards solution allows you to recognize great work, reinforce core values, and redeem meaningful rewards The Nomination Program makes nominating individuals for big awards an easy process where everyone in the company participates Internal Comms build and broadcast announcements, newsletters, and updates to employees in the channels where they spend time   Best for: SHRM recognition and rewards partner    3. Kudos What is the platform? Kudos is a results-driven employee recognition software designed to have an impact. Their purpose and north star is to enable everyone to reach their full potential, through belonging and purpose at work.  Notable Features: An extensive selection of rewards, from merchandise and gift cards to experiences, ensures there is something for everyone Insightful analytics uncover deep insights into performance, workplace culture, and the employee experience Simplified culture through automated employee celebrations, group eCards, pulse surveys, and nomination programs make it easy for HR leaders to build strong and resilient cultures   Best for: Automated employee milestones    4. Motivosity What is the platform? Motivosity is the people-first recognition and rewards solution that creates engaged employees, automates your programs, and connects people across teams. Its engaging people-first approach to employee recognition and rewards is about building software your entire company will use and love. Notable Features: Employee recognition program that simplifies processes, celebrates milestones, and cultivates a culture of continuous recognition. Flexible employee rewards from gift cards to to custom swag The ability to run all people programs in one place Connection between remote hybrid, and international workers through a social hub   Best for: Custom rewards for mid-sized companies    5. Guusto What is the platform? Guusto helps HR and Operations leaders create recognition programs that engage employees from head office to the frontline. It has been built to include employees at desks, on the floor, or out in the field, for industries like healthcare, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, and financial services. Notable Features: Employee recognition program designed for all people whether they’re on the store floor, in the field, or at a desk Offline recognition for employees who do not have company emaisl or phone numbers  Customer and milestone rewards  Integrations that allow for streamlined workflows for employee data management and login experiences   Best for: Industries with frontline workers  6. Bucketlist  What is the platform? Bucketlist is on a mission to help build the best cultures in the world. From recognition tools to rewards and incentives, Bucketlist allows you to access all you need to appreciate your people and inspire great results.  Notable Features: Peer-to-peer recognition that fosters a culture of recognition with easy team member participation Manager-to-report recognition that enforces regular positive feedback Group shoutouts with fun GIFs, memes, and more   Best for: Diverse reward options  Must-Have Features for an Employee Recognition Platform  Here is a list to assist you in refining your choices among the various employee recognition software solutions available. 1. Integration with existing systems. The flexibility to recognize

Lauren McGhee January 7, 2025
20 Employee Recognition Ideas That Drive Culture blog

20 Employee Recognition Ideas That Drive Culture

Employee recognition is the acknowledgment of positive workplace behaviors, work efforts, and achievements of an employee or team. Read 20 employee recognition examples here.

Lauren McGhee December 18, 2024
18 Best Performance Goals Examples for Employees

18 Best Performance Goals Examples for Employees

Performance goals are measurable objectives set by individuals or teams to push the organization’s vision forward and achieve desired business outcomes. By establishing clear performance goals, employees and managers can align their efforts with the organization’s mission and strategic objectives, fostering a culture of accountability and efficiency. 

Lauren McGhee December 3, 2024
top 3 Professional Development Plan Templates

Top 3 Professional Development Plan Templates

A professional development plan is a strategic tool used to hold employees accountable for achieving their career aspirations. Professional development plans provide tangible steps and timelines to reaching these goals so employees and their managers take ownership of growth and are aligned on expectations. 

Lauren McGhee November 19, 2024
7 Simple Steps for Effective Succession Management blog graphic

7 Simple Steps for Effective Succession Management

Summary Succession management is the process of identifying critical roles for success and developing a pipeline of talent to fill those roles. Succession management and succession planning are two distinct organizational practices that often share the same end goal. This blog provides 7 simple steps to help organizations develop succession management best practices. They include defining the long-term vision, identifying critical roles, developing skills, selecting potential talent, building the pipeline, assessing leadership potential, and partnering with reliable software.  Request Demo Succession Management: What Is It? Succession management is the process by which organizations identify critical roles for success and then develop a pipeline of talent equipped to fill those roles. This process helps business leaders assess if they currently have the right people in the right roles, and it helps predict future business needs, such as filling upcoming job vacancies or training and developing necessary skills.  Organizations that lack a succession management plan are at risk of being reactive instead of proactive when internal or external challenges arise. Successful businesses establish a concrete vision and define achievable goals to attain that vision; succession management is the process that maps out how that vision will be brought to life by the existing talent pool. Succession management ensures organizations have a clear and definable future. Succession Management vs. Succession Planning Though often used interchangeably, succession management and succession planning are two distinct organizational practices that often share the same end goal. The best way to categorize them is that succession planning is one piece of the overall function of succession management. The table below highlights the major differences between these two essential components.   Succession Management Succession Planning  Organization-wide assessment Specific leadership position(s) assessment  Builds a talent bench for long-term planning Identifies and develops individuals for shorter-term roles Creates large-scale leadership maps  Assesses individuals by performance and potential  Uses a suite of tools Typically leans on tools like the 9-box grid    Why is Succession Management Important? Sustainable and successful businesses recognize the need for business continuity. Implementing strategic practices like succession management ensures the organization is always moving toward a higher-performing culture and is ready to face challenges that may arise. The Shortlister statistics listed below help paint a clear picture of why succession management is so mission-critical.  46% of board members reported not having an effective process for CEO succession (HBR, 2020)  Companies in top-performing quartiles had planned successions 79% of the time, and also 79% hired for CEO positions internally (Strategy-business, 2015) Depending on the complexity of the job, it can take up to 1-2 years for a new hire to fully learn and excel in that role. (Forbes. 2024) Almost all employers (94%) said that having a succession plan positively impacts their employees’ engagement levels (Talexes, 2017)    What we learn from the first two data points is that there is a gap in understanding: though almost half of board members admit to having no CEO succession process, top-performing companies do have planned successions. It appears there is a link between high-performing organizations and implemented succession management processes. Not to mention that, according to the third statistic, it can take up to 2 full years for the newly hired individual to learn their role fully.  The last data point indicates a clear understanding that succession plans directly affect employees’ level of engagement. Transitions impact everyone in the organization to one degree or another, so the more smooth and well-communicated they are, the better. 7 Simple Steps of Succession Management  Succession management is not hard but it can be complicated. Read below for 7 simple steps to help your organization develop succession management best practices without over-complication. 1. Clearly define the long-term vision. The very first step in any organizational process is to develop a crystal-clear vision. Without a clear vision, employees lack a unified direction, leading to a scenario where everyone is paddling in different directions, each with their own goals and objectives. Once a vision is established, organizations can reverse-engineer the journey, pinpointing key milestones required to achieve that vision. This process enables them to craft specific goals and roles essential for reaching their ultimate destination. 2. Identify critical roles. With a strategy in place, the next best step is to identify the key job roles that will champion the organization’s vision. It is essential to concentrate on the pivotal roles that drive business success rather than attempting to identify every possible leadership position. Though capturing all necessary leadership positions is admirable and attainable, it is more realistic to hone in on the top 5 or 10 for organizations just beginning their succession management journey.  3. Develop (and agree on) competencies, skills, and behaviors. Once leaders reach an agreement on what those core roles are, the next natural step is to assess what skills, competencies, and experiences are required to succeed in those positions. While the instinct might be to focus exclusively on outlining the performance objectives for key roles, it’s equally crucial to evaluate the workplace behaviors/core values required to excel in those positions. Numerous accounts of leadership succession failures underscore the importance of assessing an individual’s leadership style and cultural fit within the organization.  4. Select potential talent. Now for the most well-known aspect of succession management- selecting future leaders. Though every organization’s practices will differ, the most common way to analyze an individual’s leadership potential is to look at their performance and behavior track record. Performance reviews, goals, and 360-degree feedback reports are great tools to lean on when determining which employees to evaluate. It is certainly possible to assess leadership potential for every single employee but the majority of organizations will focus on the high performers.  The 9-box grid is a reliable leadership succession tool used to evaluate performance and potential. Notable employees are placed in 1 of the 9 boxes, which can range in variation from ‘inconsistent player’ to ‘star.’ Ideally, once employees are placed, the placements are then calibrated based on multiple manager conversations to ensure there is fairness and accountability in leadership

Lauren McGhee November 5, 2024
Performance Management for IT Consulting

Performance and Talent Management for IT Consulting

Seasoned IT consultants understand that satisfied employees are key to satisfying clients. Therefore, performance management and talent management must keep pace with the rapidly evolving industry to attract top talent in a competitive landscape.

Lauren McGhee October 29, 2024
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