Most employees feel underappreciated at work. Especially in this time of uncertainty and rapid change, workers are navigating major stressors while feeling undersupported, burnt out, and unacknowledged for their contributions at work. Which makes everything that much more stressful. This is fueling staggering levels of employee disengagement and turnover.

Many companies are turning to employee recognition and rewards to try to right the ship. To try to say to their employees: we see you, we value you, we recognize you. But even the best intentions don’t always translate into impactful action.

To truly impact employees, recognition must be cultural, flexible, and personal.