How to Provide Impactful Praise and Productivity

How to provide impactful praise and impact productivity, why praise matters, recognition that resonates, praise that makes a lasting impression, and why investing in ongoing learning and development shows employees their work matters while inspiring them to give their best and grow with the company.

Acknowledging employees influences how they feel about the company. For praise to be impactful, it should be specific, genuine, personal, and balanced.

By investing in HSI’s learning and development program, you’re helping them stay motivated and perform at their best.

There’s a positive correlation between employee recognition and employee engagement. According to Gallup research in partnership with Workhuman, when recognition is done right, employees are more satisfied, productive, and engaged at work. Praise in particular plays a critical role in how employees feel valued, and it has a way of permeating the entire company culture. Research continues showing the power of praise in driving employee satisfaction and performance. Therefore, incorporating praise into employee recognition can have an even greater impact in positively engaging employees.

Why Does Praise Matter?

Research has shown that employees want more feedback – and a lot of it. In a study, career expert Zippia found that 65% of employees wanted more feedback. Whether it’s praise or constructive feedback, it can help employees gauge their goals and realign as needed.

Feedback can also have a positive impact on employees’ performance, as it can be a form of praise. According to Zippia’s survey, 69% of employees stated they would work harder if their efforts were recognized through feedback. With companies investing so much to boost employee productivity, praise is an easy way to keep your team members motivated.

Recognition That Resonates

There are many ways companies can recognize employees. Whether it’s praise for going the extra mile, meeting a tight deadline, or acknowledging a life event, taking the time to acknowledge employees can change their outlook on the company. Here are a few meaningful ways managers can make an impact:

1. Written praise or formal feedback: This can be done in multiple forms, such as email, an employee recognition portal, or a shoutout in a meeting. Written recognition is effective for any size of wins. It’s more about taking the time to acknowledge a particular project, extra effort on a project, or overall performance. Written recognition can also continue to pay dividends for employees when preparing for a performance review or asking for a raise. If not the direct manager, CC the employee’s leadership to amplify the feedback and praise.
2. Rewards and bonuses: Taking it further, utilizing gifts, bonuses, or company perks can be another valuable form of recognition. Hard work should be rewarded: providing additional perks is an actionable way to accomplish this. Examples include cash bonuses, vouchers to the company store, or travel and experiences like seats in the company box at a sporting event.
3. Remembering important dates and milestones: This might seem obvious, but taking the time to recognize an employee’s work anniversary, birthday, and life events shows they are more than a number. This information is readily available to managers. Companies should implement a strategy to recognize these days and ensure each employee receives equal treatment. Leading this charge can be the employees’ direct manager, as they are likely to have the closest relationship and knowledge regarding the employees. Make it part of their leadership evaluation to provide praise to their reports, especially on these particular days.
4. Growth opportunities: The reward for good work isn’t always more work. If employees show promise, provide ways for them to grow and develop. This can include inviting employees to attend a workshop or industry conference, encouraging them to join a professional development group or mentorship program, or allowing the employees to work on a special project of interest. Offering online self-directed leadership training assures the employees that the company values them and is preparing them for future roles and responsibilities. Providing opportunities for employees to grow at a company, there’s a better chance of retaining that employee.

Praise That Makes a Lasting Impression

Giving recognition should be more than checking a box. For it to truly be impactful, it should be:

• Specific. Saying “good job” isn’t enough. Be specific in what an employee did well and why they’re being recognized. Meaningful feedback will not only boost morale but also provide positive reinforcement of desired behaviors.
• Genuine. Consider the messenger. Leaders play a significant role in how employees perceive the company and its culture. The relationship between employee and manager can affect how praise is received. Recognizing an employee’s extra effort on a larger stage, such as a team or all-hands meeting, can reinforce the sincerity of praise and that management is dedicated to the employee’s success.
• Personal. Blanket recognition will not have the desired effect. Taking the extra time to personalize and give very specific praise will have a lasting impact on the employee and their performance.
• Balanced. Ensure that each employee's recognition is distributed equally. Acknowledge each member of the team and the contribution they made to the project. Additionally, don’t offer preferential treatment to certain employees. Recognition should be applied fairly and consistently to ensure every employee feels equally valued.

HSI Can Help

Building a culture of recognition is powerful! Companies might not think there is a way to quantify employee recognition, but in fact, it saves companies up to $16 million annually in turnover costs. The cost of not recognizing employees’ accomplishments is too high.

When you invest in ongoing learning and development, you’re not just showing employees you value their work—you’re helping them stay motivated and perform at their best. In addition, ninety percent of organizations say providing learning opportunities is their number one retention strategy, according to LinkedIn Learning’s Workplace Learning Report 2025.

HSI’s award-winning microlearning professional skills development and leadership training is what today’s workforce craves. HSI offers a comprehensive online learning experience that caters to diverse learning styles and preferences. Our video-based microlearning provides engaging visual content that captures attention and facilitates comprehension. This approach creates a synergy that maximizes culture change and empowers employees to achieve their professional development goals in the flow of work. Our learning management system delivers, manages, and tracks training.

Interested in learning more? Reach out for a consultation!

Additional Resources

• How to Give Positive Feedback to Employees
• Tips for Cultivating Gratitude in the Workplace
• Conquering Feedback Strategies to Level-up Workplace Feedback