New research from Quantum Workplace shows when companies design recognition well, employees are 7.2 times more likely to say it would take a lot to get them to leave.
OMAHA, Neb., Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Quantum Workplace, a connected talent management platform that helps leaders build thriving teams, released new research on the state of employee recognition programs today. The report reveals that while 67 percent of employees say their organization has a formal recognition program, 40 percent of employees at those same organizations say the recognition they receive isn't meaningful. Additionally, one in five employees surveyed received zero recognition in the past year.
The findings, published in "The Cost of Unnoticed" and based on a study of 593 U.S. employees, outline what lack of meaningful recognition is costing organizations. Just 38 percent of employees who are never recognized are highly engaged, compared to 80 percent of those recognized monthly or more. Employees who don't feel recognized are also less motivated, less likely to advocate for their organization and more likely to say they'll leave — while employees at companies that design recognition well are 7.2 times more likely to say it would take a lot to get them to leave.
"Right now, employees aren't leaving — but not necessarily because they're engaged," said Anne Maltese, vice president of people insights at Quantum Workplace, who led the research. "Leaving right now feels risky. But when the market inevitably shifts, the employees who felt consistently seen and valued will be the ones who stay — and those who felt unnoticed will be first to go. Investing in recognition and rewards is a fairly cheap insurance policy for exactly that moment."
Other key findings from the study include:
- Two in three employees want more recognition for their work, yet nearly half don't believe they'll be recognized even if they contribute to the organization's success.
- Eighty-two percent of employees say recognition is more impactful when it includes a reward — but 54 percent don't receive rewards as part of their company's recognition program.
- When employees say recognition at their company is consistent and embedded, 88 percent say it would take a lot to get them to leave, and 96 percent say they'd recommend their organization as a great place to work.
The data suggests that the ideal state for recognition programs is within reach, as 53 percent of employees at companies with formal recognition programs already describe recognition as consistent and embedded — meaning about half of organizations are already on the right path.
"We tend to over-engineer recognition and then wonder why it stops meaning anything," Maltese said. "Approval chains, rigid criteria, big moments saved for quarterly events — every one of those decisions feels intentional. The sum of them is recognition that arrives late, comes only from managers, and slowly stops mattering. The fix isn't more effort but less friction. Recognition fails when it's treated as a program to control rather than a culture to build."
The full findings are available at https://hubs.la/Q04rK0Rq0
About the Study
"The Cost of Unnoticed" is an original quantitative research report published by Quantum Workplace. The study surveyed 593 employees across the United States in March and April 2026, assessing recognition program prevalence and effectiveness, employee experience, and the relationship between recognition maturity and engagement, motivation, advocacy and intent to stay. Engagement was measured using Quantum Workplace's E9, a scientifically validated nine-item index of engagement outcomes.
About Quantum Workplace
Quantum Workplace helps leaders build thriving teams. Its connected talent management platform unifies engagement, performance, development and recognition, using intelligence at every layer to surface the signals leaders would otherwise miss.
Founded in Omaha in 2002, the company pioneered employee engagement and performance software. Today, thousands of organizations — including Forvis Mazars, Fossil Group, Alteryx and Getty Images — rely on Quantum Workplace to build better managers, identify and develop high performers, and retain top talent.
Quantum Workplace is also the survey engine behind Best Places to Work, which has ranked top workplaces on employee voice since 2004 and now surveys more than 440,000 employees at 10,000+ organizations annually.
Learn more at quantumworkplace.com.
Media Contact
Kristin Ryba, Quantum Workplace, 1 4027084173, [email protected], https://www.quantumworkplace.com
SOURCE Quantum Workplace
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