We wanted something that employees could see, that leadership could measure, and that tied directly to who we are as a company.
– Joyce Murray, Director, Colleague Experience SHRM-CP
“WorkProud provided the technology and flexibility we needed to bring our vision for STARS to life.”
— Claude Rousseau, Senior Managing Director, Culture & Colleague Experience, SHRM-SCP, CCP
When Webster Bank merged with Sterling National Bank, it brought together two strong organizations with two very different recognition approaches. One relied on an existing recognition tool, but with mixed adoption. The other used emails, spreadsheets, and gift cards distributed by hand.
Both approaches had good intentions but created silos. Recognition lacked visibility. Managers didn’t know if their teams were being acknowledged, and employees often didn’t know when they were recognized at all. Reward redemption required extra steps, and tracking budgets for rewards was a slow and cumbersome process.
Webster needed more than a replacement tool; they needed a cultural unifier. A way to make recognition visible, measurable, and meaningful across every branch, business unit, and level of the organization.
They found it in WorkProud.
Comparing Manual and Unified Systems
Manual tracking, limited visibility, and slow approvals hinder employee recognition efficiency and engagement.
Employees actively participate in recognition, leading to a positive workplace culture.
Centralized platform enhances visibility and engagement across the entire organization.
A +265% increase in recognition activity showcases the effectiveness of the new system.
Successfully transitioning to a unified recognition culture requires commitment and planning from all levels.
– Joyce Murray, Director, Colleague Experience SHRM-CP
Before STARS, recognition might have been a quiet “thank you” in a branch or an email sent to one manager. Now, recognition is posted to a live, social-style feed that is accessible to all employees.
Whether an employee is in a corporate office, a branch, or working remotely, they can see colleagues across the organization being recognized and be inspired to do the same. This visibility turned recognition from a private transaction into a public celebration.
It also helped unite two post-merger cultures. As new teams formed, STARS made it easy for employees to connect with colleagues beyond their immediate teams. Departments that had never interacted before began engaging in recognition exchanges.
– Claude Rousseau, Senior Managing Director, Culture & Colleague Experience, SHRM-SCP, CCP
In a regulated industry like banking, recognition programs can’t just be engaging; they have to meet strict compliance standards.
Before WorkProud, tracking who received rewards, why, and for how much required manual record-keeping. Audit preparation involved reviewing spreadsheets and email chains to ensure accuracy.
STARS changed that completely. Every recognition event is logged automatically, with full details of the recipient, sender, reason, and reward value. Reports are generated in seconds.
What was once an administrative burden became a strategic advantage. Managers can view budget usage in real-time, finance teams can reconcile expenses without delay, and compliance teams have audit-ready records at their fingertips.
One of the most significant changes was the decentralization of budget control.
Before WorkProud, the corporate HR or operations team had to manage and approve most reward transactions. This slowed recognition and sometimes discouraged managers from participating in the process.
With STARS, budgets are allocated to each business unit, allowing managers to recognize and reward employees without requiring central approval. They can see exactly how much budget remains, track trends in their team’s recognition activity, and adjust on the fly.
This empowered managers to recognize contributions in the moment, without waiting for permission or paperwork.
“When you put recognition tools in the hands of managers, you see the frequency and quality of recognition go up immediately.”
– Joyce Murray, Director, Colleague Experience SHRM-CP.
Technology made recognition easy. But Webster knew that habits only form when the experience is rewarding for both the giver and the receiver.
STARS was intentionally designed to encourage participation:
Leaders reinforced the behavior by using STARS themselves. Recognition flowed both top-down and peer-to-peer, creating a culture where appreciation wasn’t a quarterly initiative but a daily practice.
In the first months after its launch, STARS transformed the recognition experience at Webster Bank.
Employees who were previously invisible in the recognition process, like back-office support staff or new hires, were now visible to the entire organization. Teams began recognizing each other for cross-departmental support, not just within their teams. Branch managers could see great service stories from different locations and share them with their teams.
Since launch, recognition activity has soared:
Same data as above, seen differently:
Year | Hi-Fives (Recognition Posts) | Points Awarded |
| 2023 | 3,698 | 52,525 |
| 2024 | 13,416 | 138,727 |
| 2025 | 17,730 | 254,358 |
This surge in usage reflects more than enthusiasm; it signals strategic alignment. The program scaled seamlessly across acquisitions, new hires, and remote teams. With decentralized budget ownership, increased usage drives visibility, cultural cohesion, and measurable return.
In Webster Bank’s annual employee engagement survey, overall scores improved by 3 points year-over-year, with the recognition-specific question showing a 5-point increase. These gains underscore how STARS not only drives activity but also strengthens how employees feel about the culture, visibility, and appreciation within the organization.
“Recognition gave us a common language right away. No matter where you came from, it was something we could all share.”
– Joyce Murray, Director, Colleague Experience SHRM-CP.
The platform also played a key role in reducing churn and confusion during acquisitions. As newly acquired employees entered the organization, WorkProud helped eliminate friction by replacing inconsistent, manual recognition processes with one unified system. The ability to immediately participate in a shared culture—through peer and leader appreciation—helped new hires feel welcomed, celebrated, and aligned. What could have felt like a disruption instead became a smooth and motivating transition.17,730
Mergers and acquisitions can strain even the strongest cultures. Two organizations come together with different histories, processes, and ways of working, making it easy for employees to feel like “us” and “them” instead of one cohesive team.
When Webster Bank acquired another company, its leadership recognized that cultural integration could be a significant challenge. In many organizations, recognition programs are one of the first things to be put on hold or left behind, which can make new employees feel undervalued.
With WorkProud powering the STARS program, Webster did the opposite. They made recognition a central part of the onboarding process for the acquired team. New employees could see and participate in Webster’s culture through a shared recognition feed, aligned categories, and peer-to-peer appreciation.
The result: instead of a slow, awkward integration, recognition created an immediate sense of belonging. New employees weren’t outsiders looking in; they were being celebrated and welcoming others within their first weeks.
“It gave us a common language right away. No matter where you came from, recognition was something we could all share.”
– Joyce Murray, Director, Colleague Experience SHRM-CP.
Webster Bank’s experience offers several lessons for any organization considering a recognition platform:
Today, STARS isn’t just a program; it’s part of Webster Bank’s culture. Recognition is visible, value-driven, and woven into the daily fabric of the organization.
And behind it all is WorkProud, enabling every recognition moment, every connection, and every data point that makes the program sustainable.
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