Employee recognition statistics
How often people are recognized, what they prefer, what it is linked to and what organizations spend. Every figure links to its source.
How often people are recognized
22% of US employees strongly agree they get the right amount of recognition for their work.
4,439 US adults working full or part time, April 2024 · Gallup and Workhuman, The Human-Centered Workplace, 2024
40% of employees get recognition from a manager or leader only a few times a year or less.
7,636 US adults working full or part time, February 2022 · Gallup and Workhuman, Unleashing the Human Element at Work, 2022
21% of employees get recognition from a leader a few times a week or more; 27% get it that often from peers.
7,636 US adults working full or part time · Gallup and Workhuman, Unleashing the Human Element at Work, 2022
46% of employees get recognition from a peer at least a few times a month, compared with 38% from a manager.
4,439 US adults working full or part time · Gallup and Workhuman, The Human-Centered Workplace, 2024
55% of US employees get no recognition, or recognition that meets none of the 5 qualities that make it work.
4,439 US adults working full or part time · Gallup and Workhuman, The Human-Centered Workplace, 2024
Only 10% of employees are asked how they like to be recognized.
Employees in Gallup and Workhuman research · Gallup, A Great Manager's Most Important Habit, 2023
What people prefer
64% of employees prefer a mix of public and private recognition; 29% prefer private only and 7% public only.
7,636 US adults working full or part time · Gallup and Workhuman, Unleashing the Human Element at Work, 2022
What recognition is linked to
Employees who are well recognized are 45% less likely to have left their job 2 years later.
US employees followed over 2 years · Gallup and Workhuman, The Human-Centered Workplace, 2024
Employees who get the right amount of recognition are 4 times as likely to be engaged.
US employees · Gallup and Workhuman, Unleashing the Human Element at Work, 2022
Employees who get the right amount of recognition are 44% more likely to be thriving in their life overall.
US employees · Gallup and Workhuman, Unleashing the Human Element at Work, 2022
Employees whose recognition meets at least 4 of 5 qualities are 66% less likely to feel lonely on a given day.
US employees · Gallup and Workhuman, The Human-Centered Workplace, 2024
Budgets
64% of leaders say there is no budget set aside specifically for recognition.
US leaders, February 2022 · Gallup and Workhuman, Unleashing the Human Element at Work, 2022
46% of senior leaders do not know what share of payroll goes to recognition.
US senior leaders, February 2022 · Gallup and Workhuman, Unleashing the Human Element at Work, 2022
Among organizations with a recognition budget, 42% spend 0.1% to 0.3% of payroll and 20% spend 1.0% to 1.9%.
233 organizations with a recognition budget · WorldatWork, Trends in Employee Recognition, 2015
Dates
Employee Appreciation Day falls on the first Friday in March. In 2027 that is March 5.
Started in 1995 · National Day Calendar, National Employee Appreciation Day, 2026
Public Service Recognition Week is held every year in the first full week of May. It began in 1985.
US public servants · US Office of Personnel Management, OPM Marks Public Service Recognition Week, 2026
What these figures mean for a program
The gap between how often recognition happens and how often people would like it is large, and few people are asked how they like to be thanked. The free recognition preferences form and budget calculator start with both.
Download the data
All figures on this page in one spreadsheet, with sources and links.
Cite this page: Employee recognition statistics. Recognition Programs for Employees. https://recognitionprogramsforemployees.com/employee-recognition-statistics/