5 Key Moments for Employee Recognition and Effective Ways to Do It

You just received a message from your star employee: they’re resigning. The reason? “I didn’t feel valued.” And yet, you had planned to give them a generous raise during their next performance review … in six months.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. A whopping 79% of employees who leave their jobs say lack of recognition is the main reason. The problem? Most managers wait for “the right moment” to recognize their team—the annual review, the holiday party, or project wrap-ups. But in the meantime, all the small daily wins go unnoticed.

So, what are the best ways to recognize employees more effectively?

The solution is simpler than you think: catch those micro-moments when a gesture of appreciation can have a major impact. You don’t need a big budget or a formal ceremony just the right timing and the right words.

Here are 5 key moments and practical ways to recognize employees that you can start using as early as this week.

1. Right After a Win: Strike While the Iron’s Hot

Timing is everything when it comes to appreciation. When someone lands a new client, solves a tricky issue, or delivers a project—that’s your cue to act. The longer you wait, the less powerful the recognition becomes.

Recognizing someone immediately strengthens the link between a positive action and the reward, encouraging repeat behaviour and building a strong performance culture.

Tangible ways to recognize employees on the spot:

• Send a quick Slack or Teams message in your team channel: “Nice work Marie on fixing that critical bug! Thanks to you, the client launched their campaign on time.”
• Drop by their desk or hop on a quick call to thank them in person within the hour.
• Send a personalized email recognizing their effort and impact.

2. When Goals Are Exceeded: Celebrate Excellence

Recognition should also happen when team members go above and beyond. If someone hits their targets before year-end, it’s a clear signal they deserve an extra kudos. These standout moments are rare—and worth highlighting. Exceeding expectations shows skill, dedication, and a drive to excel. That’s exactly the kind of behaviour you want to encourage and reward.

Ways to recognize employees who outperform

• Announce the achievement at your next team meeting.
• Share a shoutout on your recognition platform and award points they can redeem for a reward.
• Offer a well-earned half-day off or a week of flexible hours.
• Invite them for a coffee or lunch to acknowledge their extra effort.
• Mention their success in your next company newsletter.

3. During Tough Times: Recognize Effort Despite the Struggle

An often-overlooked opportunity for meaningful recognition? Acknowledging effort during hard times. Whether it’s a delayed project, a high-pressure crunch, or a personal life challenge—that’s when your team needs support the most.

Recognizing someone during difficult periods can make the difference between an employee giving up … or pushing through. It shows you see more than just metrics—you value the person behind the performance.

If someone is navigating a tough time but still showing up and contributing, acknowledging their resilience can build trust and loyalty, while fostering employee wellbeing. 

Ways to recognize employees during challenging times:

• Call it out during your 1:1: “I see how much you’re putting into this difficult project. Your positive attitude really lifts the whole team.”
• Offer to grab a coffee and check in on how things are going.
• Publicly recognize resilience in a team meeting “I want to highlight the IT team’s determination. For the past three weeks, they’ve been tackling some major technical hurdles—and instead of giving up, they’ve doubled down to find solutions. Your dedication is inspiring. Thank you!”
• Offer concrete help or extra resources.
• Allow for temporary flexibility in schedule or workload.
• Send a private message of encouragement: “I know things are tough personally right now. Just know your continued efforts at work don’t go unnoticed. Let me know if you need anything.”

4. After Growth or Learning: Celebrate Progress

Did someone recently complete a training, master a new skill, or improve in a specific area? That’s a perfect moment for recognition. Recognizing employee growth is a great way to reinforce a culture of continuous learning and send a clear message that development is valued in your organization.

This kind of recognition says: “We believe in your potential and we’re here to support your journey.” It’s one of the most effective ways to retain talent and strengthen engagement over the long term.

Ways to recognize employees for professional growth:

• Create an internal certificate celebrating their new skill.
• Award them a digital badge on your employee recognition platform.
• Invite them to give a short presentation to the team to share their learnings.
• Assign them a new project where they can use their new skill.
• Offer a mentorship opportunity to share their knowledge with others.
• Give them access to advanced training in the same area.

5. After Great Teamwork: Strengthen Collaboration

Not all recognition needs to be individual. Some of the most powerful ways to recognize employees come from acknowledging teamwork.

When you notice strong teamwork, spontaneous support between colleagues, or seamless collaboration that goes above and beyond—take a moment to highlight it.

Team-based recognition is a great way to strengthen your culture of collaboration and makes employees feel they’re part of something bigger.

Collaborative ways to recognize employees and teams:

• Organize a team lunch to celebrate a successful group project.
• Launch a quarterly “Best Collaboration” award that rotates between departments.
• Feature the team in your company newsletter, with photos and quotes.
• Offer a fun team activity (escape room, dinner, sports outing).

How to Start Recognizing More, Right Now

You now have 5 practical strategies and multiple ways to recognize employees in the moment. But let’s be honest—there’s often a gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. That’s where good intentions can get lost in the daily grind.

To make workplace recognition stick, remember that the most impactful way to recognize employees is:

• Timely: it happens at the right moment
• Specific: it clearly states what’s being recognized
• Genuine: it feels heartfelt
• Personalized: it fits the person’s style and preferences

Need a little help getting started? Download our free Recognition Challenge Cards. Each card includes a simple weekly challenge to help you build recognition into your daily management habits. No pressure, just small, meaningful actions to try one at a time.

Ready to explore new ways to recognize employees on your team?

Your next act of appreciation could be just around the corner.
Look around—who deserves to be recognized today?