Reaching deskless employees isn’t easy—but for Lineage, it’s become a strategic advantage.

With more than 450 facilities worldwide and thousands of team members who don’t sit behind a desk, Lineage faced a familiar challenge: how do you help every employee feel seen, valued, and connected to the company’s mission?

In Awardco’s recent webinar, Leanne Woody (Program Administrator at Lineage) and Troy Schaefer (Regional VP at Lineage) joined Shanay McCluskey from Awardco’s Center of Excellence to discuss how intentional recognition transformed engagement, improved retention, and strengthened culture across their global workforce.

Read the recap below or watch the full webinar here.
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Building a culture of recognition that reflects company values

Recognition at Lineage starts with purpose. “Our goal is simple,” Leanne shared. “We want Lineage to be an awesome place to work. That starts by living our values every day.”

Those values—safe, trust, respect, innovation, bold, and servant leadership—are more than words on a wall. They guide decisions, behaviors, and now, how recognition is structured across the company.

Recognition with Awardco allows every employee to connect their work to those shared values. Whether it’s a driver ensuring safety, a warehouse employee innovating a process, or a manager demonstrating servant leadership, every recognition reinforces what matters most.

“Recognition isn’t an add-on,” Troy said. “It’s part of the ecosystem of our culture. It drives engagement, retention, and ultimately, performance.”

Listening first: how employee feedback shaped the approach

Before implementing Awardco, Troy and his team recognized that something was missing at their Allentown site. Engagement was low, morale was slipping, and collaboration had slowed.

So they started with employee listening sessions—surveys, one-on-one conversations, and daily check-ins—to uncover what employees were really feeling.

“Listening is powerful,” Troy explained. “It lets the team tell you what they need to succeed. Once we started hearing their feedback, it became clear: recognition mattered.”

Team members wanted to be seen for their daily efforts, not just major milestones. They wanted fairness, visibility, and acknowledgment across all shifts and sites.

The insights were eye-opening—and became the foundation for a new, consistent approach to recognition.

From handwritten cards to a global recognition platform

Eight years ago, recognition at Lineage was simple: handwritten notes, safety tickets, and occasional shoutouts during team huddles. They worked, but only to a point.

“Those small gestures made an impact,” Troy said. “But we realized they weren’t scalable. We needed a way to connect recognition across shifts, sites, and even continents.”

That’s when Lineage partnered with Awardco to build a unified, automated recognition platform.

Now, employees can recognize peers, celebrate achievements, and connect across the organization instantly. Managers can track engagement, celebrate milestones, and ensure recognition is consistent, visible, and aligned with company values.

“It’s a game changer,” Troy added. “Recognition now flows from building to building, region to region. It’s visible, real-time, and authentic.”
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Recognition that reaches every worker—no matter where they are

With 80% of the global workforce considered deskless, Lineage made accessibility a priority.

“Our warehouse employees don’t have computers or phones on the floor,” Leanne explained. “So we had to be creative.”

Here’s how Lineage ensures every employee stays connected:

• Shift meetings: Each shift starts with a “recognition moment,” where managers highlight recognitions from the Awardco feed.
  
  
• Printed highlights: Recognitions are printed and displayed on breakroom boards so employees can see and celebrate each other’s wins.
  
  
• On-site celebrations: Many locations host events where recognitions are shared out loud.
  
  
• AwardCodes: Physical cards with QR codes let managers hand out real-time recognitions—even without access to technology.
  

Awardco’s flexibility makes these moments possible, blending digital and in-person recognition seamlessly.

The measurable impact: higher engagement and lower turnover

The results speak for themselves.

Since adopting Awardco and embedding recognition into daily operations, Lineage has seen dramatic improvements:

• 60% reduction in turnover at high-engagement sites
  
  
• 18% increase in pallets per hour, a key productivity metric
  
  
• Higher engagement survey scores across multiple regions
  

“When recognition became consistent and visible, everything improved,” Troy shared. “Engagement, retention, morale—it all connects. Recognition builds trust and respect, and that leads to better performance.”

Core and more: balancing structure with flexibility

One of Lineage’s biggest successes is balancing global consistency with local autonomy.

Leanne describes it as a “core and more” approach:

• Core programs—such as onboarding, service awards, birthdays, and peer-to-peer recognition—run automatically across the organization.
  
  
• More programs—like safety awards, team member of the month, or local barbecues—are created at the site level to reflect each team’s unique culture.
  

“We want to give teams flexibility,” Leanne said. “Our culture is global, but how we celebrate it should feel local.”

Expanding recognition without limits

Lineage continues to scale its program globally, with active rollouts in APAC and plans for Europe next.

A centralized platform allows employees to connect across countries and time zones, celebrating shared wins in real time. “My favorite recognitions,” Leanne shared, “are when teams in different regions thank each other for collaborating. Recognition builds connection—even across oceans.”

The company also uses Awardco for unique initiatives like:

• Driver Appreciation Week: where digital banners and system-wide messages encouraged company-wide recognition for drivers.
  
  
• Foundation partnerships: using the platform to recognize servant leadership and community impact through the Lineage Foundation for Good.
  
  
• Certifications and development: celebrating employees who complete training and continuous improvement programs.
  

Lessons from Lineage’s success

Leanne and Troy’s advice for organizations building recognition cultures:

• Start with listening: Employee feedback reveals what really drives motivation.
  
  
• Be flexible: Recognition isn’t one-size-fits-all. Adapt it to your people.
  
  
• Find your champions: Identify those already driving culture and empower them to lead.
  
  
• Leverage technology: Use platforms like Awardco to bring visibility, data, and consistency to recognition.
  
  
• Tie it to values: Recognition that reflects your mission builds pride and connection.
  

“Recognition creates value and belonging,” Leanne said. “When people feel appreciated, they bring their best selves to work.”

Recognition that drives real results

Recognition with Awardco can lower turnover by up to 31%, improve engagement, and build cultures where everyone—deskless or not—feels seen and valued.

Lineage’s story proves that when recognition is part of your culture, not an afterthought, it can transform workplaces, unite teams, and create belonging across borders.

Because when recognition knows no limits, neither do your people.