Recognition Done Right: 5 Lessons from the Creator of Employee Appreciation Day

Employee recognition is an expectation for today’s workforce. And no one knows this better than Dr. Bob Nelson, the world’s leading authority on employee recognition, motivation, and engagement.

For decades, Dr. Bob has been at the forefront of the employee recognition movement, helping organizations build recognition programs that work. In 1995, he launched Employee Appreciation Day alongside the release of his best-selling book, 1,001 Ways to Reward Employees (now expanded to 1,501 Ways). 

His mission? To get leaders everywhere to understand this fundamental truth about motivation:

“It’s not a raise that motivates an employee, and it’s not a promotion—what really sparks a person to perform are those intangible, unexpected gestures that signify real appreciation for a job well done.”

Nearly 31 years later, Employee Appreciation Day has become a workplace staple, but most companies are still playing catch-up. According to Dr. Bob, many organizations are still relying on outdated, surface-level recognition tactics that fail to drive meaningful engagement or performance.

Here’s how organizations can level up their recognition strategy, straight from the world’s foremost expert. 

Recognition Done Right: 5 Key Principles

Most companies know that recognition matters, but far fewer know how to do it right. If you’re not sure where to start, Dr. Bob has an easy blueprint designed around five key tenets.

1. Recognition fuels great work 

Recognition isn’t just about making employees feel good—it’s about reinforcing the behaviors and contributions that drives positive outcomes, like better employee performance or stronger bottom-line results. When employees are recognized for a specific way of working, they’re far more likely to do it again.

“What you recognize gets repeated,” says Dr. Bob.

He shared an example from his consulting work with the IRS. Managers were listening to call center employees in real time, immediately pointing out mistakes and coaching them through corrections. Still, worker performance was low. 

“Instead of finding and highlighting their mistakes, I told managers to do the same thing whenever their employees did something right. The improvements stunned everyone,” he shares. 

The data backs this up too. Research shows that when employees are recognized for a specific action, they’re significantly more likely to take that action again, leading to substantial performance improvements. 

The lesson: Recognition is a tool for behavior change. 

2. Ditch passive recognition tactics

If your recognition strategy revolves around “Employee of the Month,” it’s time for a do-over.

“It’s lazy recognition,” says Dr. Bob. “We don’t need employees of the month. “Why would you put a quota on excellence?”

These programs fail because they’re arbitrary, exclusive, and infrequent. Instead of motivating employees, they often disengage the majority of the workforce. “We need employees of the moment. And we need them every single day.”

The same goes for service awards. Recognizing tenure has its place, but it can’t be the only way employees feel valued. Especially as job tenures shrink, a five-year pin just isn’t cutting it

“Millennials are leaving at a rate of 18 months, and for Gen Z, it’s even faster. Besides, I've never met someone that’s stayed in their job just to get their five-year pin.” 

Recognition should be woven into the day-to-day employee experience. Frequent, meaningful appreciation fosters a culture where employees consistently feel valued—not just once a month or after five years of employment.

The lesson: Ditch passive, infrequent recognition for real-time recognition.

3. Be timely and specific

One of the biggest mistakes companies make with recognition is waiting too long to give it. Dr. Bob stresses that the sooner you recognize great performance, the more impact it has.

“The sooner after the desired behavior you recognize it and the more you reinforce it, and the more likely it’ll be repeated,” he says.

Recognition also needs to be specific to be effective. A generic “Great job!” isn’t helpful. Instead, call out exactly what the employee did well:

‍Don’t: “You’re awesome.”
Do: “I really appreciate the way you stepped in to help your teammate finalize the RFP. Your collaborative skills and attention to deadlines made all the difference.”‍

The lesson: Specific, timely recognition sets the standard for great work and encourages others to follow suit.

4. Recognition starts with managers

Recognition isn’t just HR’s job—it’s a core responsibility of every manager.

“Managers have to accept responsibility that they’re in charge of the motivation of their people,” Dr. Bob stresses. 

We all know that a top reason employees quit is that they feel undervalued by their direct manager. The best leaders make consistent, meaningful recognition a habit, whether it’s through informal praise, public shout-outs, or a structured recognition program like Bonusly.

Recognition is about relationship-building, too. Dr. Bob encourages managers to get to know their employees as individuals:

"When a new team member joins, ask them: ‘What do you hope to learn while you’re here? Where do you want to be five years from now?’ Those conversations don’t have to wait."

The lesson: Managers must prioritize employee recognition and growth from day one to ensure their team feels seen, valued, and invested in.

5. Use technology to make recognition measurable

Top employee recognition platforms make it easier for organizations to recognize employees in real time, and, most interestingly, track recognition trends across teams and departments.

“One of the biggest benefits of technology is that it makes recognition measurable,” says Dr. Bob. “You can see how often it’s happening, who’s giving it, who’s getting it, and who’s not participating.”

This data helps leaders identify gaps and ensure equitable recognition across teams. For example, Bonusly user and sales leader Jenine Angell uses recognition data to see if her remote teammates need extra support:

“Bonusly helps me understand the work being done and figure out where I need to step in, whether it’s recognizing someone I’ve overlooked or providing extra support for a struggling team member,” she explains.

The lesson: Use a top recognition platform to ensure recognition happens consistently and at scale—and can be measured and improved. 

Action steps for Employee Appreciation Day 

Recognition has evolved from a workplace perk to a non-negotiable expectation. Employees today want to know their contributions matter. If companies fail to recognize their employees, they'll leave. Or worse, they'll stay, but stop contributing. Either way, your business suffers. 

But when done right, recognition is one of the most powerful tools for employee growth, retention, and performance.

So, this Employee Appreciation Day (and beyond), take a page from Dr. Bob’s playbook: 

• Recognize performance, not just presence
• Make appreciation timely, specific, and meaningful.
• Integrate recognition into everyday culture—not just once a year.

Are you looking to build a culture of recognition in your workplace? Bonusly makes it easier than ever to fuel great work every day. Get a demo to learn more.