Modern Approaches to Total Rewards: Why Recognition Matters

It’s 2025 and today's workplace isn't just about paychecks and perks—it's about the whole experience. A modern Total Rewards strategy covers it all: compensation, benefits, career growth, well-being, and, of course, recognition!

Recognition is like the secret sauce that makes everything better. It fuels engagement, builds an awesome culture, and makes people feel genuinely appreciated. When recognition is baked into your company culture, it helps you attract top talent, keep teams motivated, and boost retention. 

Let’s break it down into three fun and easy stages: Attract, Engage, and Retain.

Attract: Recognition That Reels People In

Want to stand out and snag top talent? Show them the love from the start! Instead of just saying you have a "great culture," prove it with your recognition game.

• Put Recognition in the Spotlight:
  Shout about your recognition programs in job postings—let candidates see how much you value your people.
• Show, Don’t Just Tell:
  During interviews, give candidates a sneak peek at how your team celebrates wins. Let them check out recognition in action via your Slack or Teams channels.
• Make It a Selling Point:
  People want to work where they feel valued. Share feel-good stories of how recognition has made an impact on your team.

Engage: Recognition That Sticks

Make recognition a fun and regular part of your team’s day-to-day—don’t let it be an afterthought!

• Create Fun Rituals:
  Start weekly and monthly habits like:
  • "Taco Tuesday" shoutouts
  • Monthly top taco givers and receivers celebration
  • Peer-nominated awards for living out company values, AKA the Core Values MVP
• Take It Beyond the App:
  Recognition isn’t just a button click. Bring it into team meetings, shoutouts in all-hands, and 1:1s to keep it fresh and personal, and end live meetings with a gratitude section. 
• Get Everyone Involved:
  Recognition works best when it's a team effort. Empower your team to come up with new, fun ways to celebrate each other.

Retain: Recognition That Grows With You

Keeping great people means keeping your recognition game strong and evolving with their needs.

• Mix It Up:
  Stay flexible! Keep an ear out for feedback and tweak your rewards and rituals to fit changing preferences.
• Speak Their Love Language:
  Not everyone loves a public shoutout or a gift card—some might prefer a thoughtful note or an extra coffee break. Be mindful of the 5 Languages of Appreciation (words, service, gifts, quality time, and touch) and tailor recognition and rewards accordingly.
• Make It Personal:
  One-size-fits-all doesn’t cut it—treat recognition as an n=1 experience. Keep track of what works best for each person and make it count. Is it work? Yes. Is it worth it? 100%yes.

By making recognition a core part of hiring, engaging, and retaining your team, you'll build a workplace where people feel valued, motivated, and excited to be part of the journey!

Want to learn how HeyTaco can help? Check it out here.