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A simple “happy birthday” or “work anniversary” acknowledgement is not enough to ensure that employees are happy and productive. There are other factors that must be carefully considered. These gestures are important, but the most important thing is to recognise them consistently. From my own personal experience, I can attest to the fact that consistent recognition helps to cultivate a positive atmosphere at work and leads to improved outcomes for the organization to achieve.
This rings especially true in the current environment, which is characterized by the prevalence of remote and hybrid work setups. As someone who has experienced these shifts firsthand, I am aware of the significance of incorporating recognition into the workflow in a seamless manner. When it comes to maintaining high levels of motivation and commitment among employees, it is not enough to simply acknowledge their accomplishments; they must also actively engage with the company. Nevertheless, it can be difficult to determine which tools are appropriate for recognition applications.
Drawing from my own experiences, I’ve realised that it is extremely important to select tools that are compatible with the culture of the company and that effectively cater to hybrid or remote installation configurations. The cultivation of a culture of appreciation that is the driving force behind sustained success can be accomplished by organizations by making consistent recognition a priority and investing in appropriate tools.
What is an Employee Recognition Platform?
Recognising employees through public praise, perks, and rewards program creates a positive workplace culture that celebrates effort and success. These tools allow employees to publicly praise each other and link recognition to your company’s values. Some have a rewards catalogue where employees can exchange points for gift cards, company swag, charitable donations, and other unique rewards.
Recognition platforms make employees feel valued, which keeps them at your company longer. They automate employee recognition and milestones, saving your staff time keeping track of achievements and dates. They also simplify showcasing workplace culture, building teamwork, and rewarding good work with perks.
Best Employee Recognition Platforms Comparison Table
The following are in-depth descriptions of the employee recognition platforms that I consider to be the best, highlighting the most notable features and the best use cases for each system. In order to provide you with a visual representation of their user interface, I have also included screenshots.
Feature | Deel | Workvivo | Bonusly | Nectar | ClearCompany |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Primary Function | Global payroll & compliance | Employee engagement platform | Recognition & rewards | Employee benefits platform | Talent management suite |
Target Audience | Remote-first companies, startups, businesses with international employees | All companies, especially those focused on employee experience | All companies, especially those seeking to improve employee morale and recognition | All companies, especially those seeking to offer comprehensive employee benefits | All companies, especially those seeking to streamline talent acquisition and management |
Key Features | Global payroll in 150+ countries, tax compliance, entity management, contractor payments | Employee engagement tools (surveys, polls, announcements), social recognition, internal communication | Peer-to-peer recognition, points system, rewards redemption, performance incentives | Health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, retirement plans, commuter benefits | Applicant tracking system (ATS), onboarding, performance management, learning management system (LMS) |
Strengths | Simplifies global payroll and compliance, supports diverse workforce needs | Fosters positive employee experience, improves communication and engagement | Boosts employee morale and motivation, encourages peer recognition | Offers comprehensive benefits packages, simplifies administration | Streamlines talent management processes, improves hiring and retention |
Weaknesses | Limited features beyond payroll, higher cost for small teams | May not be suitable for highly regulated industries | Focuses solely on recognition, not broader employee engagement | Lacks some features compared to more comprehensive HR platforms | Can be complex for smaller companies, may not be as cost-effective |
Best Employee Recognition Platforms
Our best recommendations have been compiled for your convenience. Our list provides you with information about the essential features of each platform, notable clients who use them, and what people are saying about them in order to assist you in selecting the platform that is most suitable for your company’s objectives and financial constraints.
Deel

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Remote Contracts | Manage contracts with remote workers efficiently |
Global Payments | Facilitate payments across different countries |
Compliance Tools | Ensure compliance with local labor laws |
Onboarding | Streamline onboarding processes for new hires |
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Deel is a game-changer because he has personally dealt with the difficulties of hiring people around the world and managing teams. Deel’s platform covers more than 150 countries and makes it easy for businesses like mine to hire remote workers while also making sure they follow the rules and automating payments.
By combining these important tasks, Deel frees businesses from the confusing web of international employment laws. This lets us focus on what really matters: creating successful teams that don’t have to be limited by borders.
The Good
- Simplifies remote contract management
- Enables global payments
- Helps ensure compliance
- Streamlines onboarding
The Bad
- Learning curve for new users
- Limited customization options
Workvivo

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Employee Engagement | Foster employee engagement through social features |
Company News | Share company news and updates |
Recognition | Recognize and reward employees for their contributions |
Collaboration | Facilitate collaboration among teams |
Workvivo has had a huge effect on how our organisation communicates and works together. As someone who has been changed by its platform, I can say that I have seen firsthand how Workvivo builds an open and active internal network.
It’s more than just talking to each other; it builds a real sense of community and belonging. Workvivo makes sure that every team member feels valued and connected by sharing news and celebrating successes. This is what leads to our overall success.
The Good
- Enhances employee engagement
- Promotes transparent communication
- Encourages recognition and appreciation
- Facilitates collaboration
The Bad
- May require time for adoption
- Some features could be redundant for certain organizations
Bonusly

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Peer Recognition | Enable peer-to-peer recognition and rewards |
Integration | Integrates with popular workplace tools |
Analytics | Provides insights through analytics |
Customization | Allows customization of reward programs |
Recognising and appreciating the work of team members has always been very important to me in my career. That’s why Bonusly speaks to me so deeply. Bonusly brings fun into our company culture through its fun and interactive platform, which makes showing appreciation every day a habit.
Bonusly turns recognition into a game, with personalised messages and virtual “high fives” that encourage a positive and friendly environment. Bonusly not only boosts morale but also makes team bonds stronger by giving rewards for showing appreciation.
The Good
- Encourages peer recognition
- Seamless integration with existing tools
- Offers valuable analytics
- Flexible customization options
The Bad
- Potential for overuse leading to dilution of value
- Requires active participation for effectiveness
Nectar

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Performance Management | Facilitate performance evaluations and feedback |
Goal Tracking | Set and track individual and team goals |
Feedback | Provide and receive feedback |
Reporting | Generate reports on performance metrics |
My company has made it a priority to figure out the complicated issues of employee health and benefits, which is why Nectar is so important. As someone who supports the overall health and wellness of employees, I’ve seen how Nectar changes the way traditional health benefits are given. Nectar gives its employees the tools they need to take charge of their health by giving them personalised health insurance plans, mental health support, and financial wellness resources. Nectar’s all-in-one platform does more than just improve health outcomes; it also boosts productivity and creates a culture of care and support within our company.
The Good
- Streamlines performance management processes
- Helps in goal setting and tracking
- Facilitates constructive feedback
- Provides valuable performance insights
The Bad
- Interface could be more intuitive
- May require training for optimal use
ClearCompany

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Applicant Tracking | Manage the recruitment process efficiently |
Performance Management | Track employee performance and goals |
Onboarding | Streamline the onboarding of new hires |
Analytics | Provide insights through data analytics |
ClearCompany has been a very helpful partner. From my own experience, I know that ClearCompany streamlines the process of hiring people, which makes it easier to find and keep great employees.
Its cutting-edge platform offers customised hiring processes, effective candidate management, and useful insights from recruitment data. Businesses like mine can make smart hiring choices with ClearCompany’s help, building teams that drive success and new ideas.
The Good
- Comprehensive recruitment tools
- Integrated performance management system
- Efficient onboarding process
- Valuable analytics capabilities
The Bad
- Initial setup can be time-consuming
- UI could be more modernized
Key Features to Look for in Employee Recognition Platforms
It’s important to find an employee recognition platform with features that fit with the goals and culture of your company. These are important things to think about:
- Types of Recognition: The platform should be able to support different kinds of recognition, such as recognition between peers, recognition between managers and employees, and recognition for the whole company. It should support both formal and informal recognition so that it can fit different tastes and situations.
- Customisation: Look for a platform that lets you change the way recognition programmes work so they fit with the values, brand, and culture of your organisation. This includes making awards, badges, messages, and criteria for recognition fit your specific needs.
- Easy to Use: The platform should have a simple interface that lets employees give and receive praise without any trouble. It should be easy to use and work on all devices, so users don’t need much training to get started.
- Social Recognition: To get more people to see and interact with your content, think about platforms that have social features like news feeds, comments, likes, and shares. Giving and receiving praise from others builds community and reinforces good behaviour and accomplishments.
- Integration: Look for HR systems that can work with other HR systems, like systems for learning management, performance management, and employee engagement. Integration makes sure that data is always the same and lets you work smoothly across multiple platforms.
- Analytics and Reporting: The platform should have powerful analytics and reporting tools that let you keep track of activity related to recognition, participation rates, and results. Analytics help figure out how effective recognition programmes are and where they can be improved.
- Rewards and Incentives: Look for platforms that offer a range of rewards and incentives, such as cash bonuses, gift cards, merchandise, or rewards that you can actually use. The platform should offer a variety of reward options so that employees can choose the ones that work best for them.
- Security and Privacy: Make sure that the platform puts data security and privacy first and follows best practices and industry rules. Role-based access controls, data encryption, and GDPR compliance are some of the features that help keep sensitive employee data safe.
Questions and Answers
Employee who has made significant improvements in their performance over the course of time is recognised with this award, which is known as the Most Improved Employee Award. The winner is typically chosen by management or peers based on their performance reviews and/or nominations from peers over the course of the previous year, month, or quarter. 8.
The importance of verbal recognition cannot be overstated. Based on the results of a survey conducted by Deloitte in 2018, it was found that 54% of employees preferred a verbal thank-you, while 31% preferred a written thank-you when they were recognised for day-to-day accomplishments. It is only when the words are genuine that an act of appreciation can be considered meaningful.