Webinar Recap: Creating Recognition Experiences That Actually Matter

Why This Webinar Matters for HR Leaders

In today’s talent landscape, recognition is expected and can be used as a strategic lever for engagement, retention, and culture building. This session offers practical insights for HR, Internal Communications, and people leaders who are:

• Building or scaling a recognition program
• Seeking adoption across leadership levels
• Looking to tie recognition to measurable outcomes

Expert Voices & Perspectives

The conversation features real-world lessons from:

• Madeline Des Jardins, Global Sr. Director, Internal Communications & Employee Engagement, WalkMe
• Ryan Costella, Organizational Development Program Manager, Wayne County Airport Authority
• Christi Gilhoi, Communications Leader & Employee Experience Advocate, Cisco

Their collective expertise brings clarity to the challenges HR and comms functions face, from gaining executive buy-in to engaging deskless frontline teams.

Key Takeaways: How to Make Recognition Truly Impactful

1. Sell Recognition to Leaders Like a Strategic Product

Madeline Des Jardins emphasized that recognition programs must be sold to executives with data and business context, not just sentiment. Think ROI, retention, and performance metrics.

2. Redefine Milestones to Reflect Real Employee Journeys

Christi Gilhoi encouraged organizations to connect recognition milestones with meaningful experiences. For example, linking tenure milestones to actual impact rather than arbitrary calendar dates.

3. Recognition Drives Business Results, Not Just Feel-Good Moments

Ryan Costella shared how meaningful recognition can help reduce turnover, lower hiring costs, and improve workforce stability by making employees feel valued and connected.

4. Embed Recognition Into Daily Workflows (Not Just One-Off Tasks)

Leaders discussed practical tactics for helping frontline managers adopt recognition as a habit, from mobile tools to communication nudges that make recognition feel natural, not burdensome.

5. Use Positive Peer Visibility to Fuel Adoption

Sharing department leaderboards or recognition stats publicly can drive peer motivation and accelerate program engagement across teams.

Watch the Full Webinar

Watch the full on-demand recording to hear these insights directly from HR and communications leaders and discover actionable strategies you can implement today.