Recognition has long been viewed as a soft, feel-good HR initiative—but the data says otherwise. When delivered strategically, recognition becomes a powerful engine for engagement, productivity, and performance. It helps reinforce desired behaviours, connect employees to purpose, and surface hidden skills and contributions. And yet, many organisations still treat recognition as a one-off program or culture “add-on.”

As organisations face record levels of employee stress and disengagement, forward-thinking HR and Total Rewards leaders are realising that recognition isn’t just about making people feel good; it’s about helping them do great work, more consistently. From reducing unplanned absences and preventing burnout to boosting retention and surfacing hidden talent, recognition delivers outsized returns when it’s embedded strategically into the fabric of daily work.

Join senior HR and Rewards leaders who explore how to build recognition programs that directly impact organisational resilience and performance. Learn how data-rich recognition strategies can reduce people risk, strengthen culture, and make your workforce more agile, engaged, and ready for what’s next.

Discussion points

Strategic Recognition Design: Discover how to architect enterprise-wide recognition programs that go beyond feel-good moments to deliver measurable business value.
Spotting Early Signs of Disengagement Through Recognition: Discover how recognition data can help identify overlooked contributors and flag morale dips before they lead to absenteeism or attrition.
Surfacing High-Impact Talent: Learn how to use recognition data to identify key contributors, behaviours, and skills that drive performance and culture.
Linking Recognition to Reduced Turnover and Higher Productivity: Explore how the most forward-thinking organisations tie recognition to improved retention, lower absenteeism, and stronger business outcomes.

Panelists

Sharon John, Vice President, Global Total Rewards and Mobility at Thoughtworks
Himanshu Saxena, Vice President HR - Total Rewards at Unilabs (A.P. Moller - Maersk)
John Beadle, Former Global Head of Performance and Reward at ABB
Clare Moncrieff, Senior Principal, Consulting at Workhuman
Motahar Panabad, Senior Director, Total Rewards at HAVI
[Moderator]: Chris Rainey, CEO & Co-Founder at HR Leaders