Recognition programs do more than celebrate employees; they deliver measurable business results. Companies that invest in structured recognition see higher engagement, stronger retention, and better performance. In short, they build workplaces where people actually want to work and stay.

See for yourself. Here is a list of 10 case studies that show how a recognition program through Awardco drives measurable ROI.

1. Lineage: Lineage transformed recognition for its 26,000+ mostly deskless employees by rolling out Awardco with a hands-on, leadership-led approach. The program has since driven a 20–30% reduction in attrition, a 133% increase in recognitions year-over-year, and expanded globally.

2. Citizens Business Bank: Citizens Business Bank launched a values-based recognition platform, High Five, to celebrate integrity, service, and community. Within months, the program drove a 25% reduction in attrition for recognized employees, sustained engagement through 88% login rates, and a 17% boost in productivity.

3. PMG: The B2B company centralized its recognition efforts with a branded platform called MyKudos via Awardco, achieving over 90% login rates and 80% reward redemption. Employees recognized early saw a 40% drop in attrition, those receiving 4+ recognitions were 50% less likely to leave, and recognition created a strong peer-driven “flywheel” effect—people were 30% more likely to give recognition after being recognized themselves.

4. Children’s Nebraska: By embedding a custom-branded recognition experience that mirrors their caring mission, Children’s Nebraska boosted recognition scores by 10% in a year, logged over 273,000 recognitions with 85% employee participation, and reduced attrition risk by 20% for newly recognized staff.‍

5. Aptive Environmental: This enterprise pest control company implemented Awardco to centralize and streamline its incentive programs across multiple U.S. operation centers. This transition provided budgetary control and visibility, eliminating reward breakage and ensuring efficient incentive spend management. The result? 3x growth in revenue.

6. Southern Oregon Head Start (SOHS): SOHS used Awardco across 25 locations to cut attrition from 45% to 8% in two years, saving thousands per retained employee. With 80–85% login adoption, the program boosted morale, reduced turnover, and delivered an estimated 8X ROI.

7. Alera Group: Alera Group drove 170%+ adoption of their recognition platform in just six months by giving managers monthly budgets and tying recognition to core values. Program participants with 4+ recognitions showed a 43% lower attrition risk than non-participants, and 83% of employees reported feeling valued.

8. WOW! mobile boutique: This B2C company boosted performance by 120% YOY and cut attrition by 30% after tying incentives and meaningful rewards into their copmensation strategy, ensuring each employee had the chance to be rewarded for their extra efforts. WOW! also raised engagement and productivity by 10% and 50% respectively.

9. Quick Quack Car Wash: Quick Quack was able to defy the odds in a high-turnover industry. Upon deploying its recognition program, the business successfully reduced turnover by 20% across its 180+ locations. Leadership buy-in allowed Quick Quack to ingrain recognition into the company’s DNA, and the peer-to-peer recognition program fostered a more enjoyable and positive work environment.

10. America First Credit Union (AFCU): During the pandemic, AFCU rapidly adapted its high-touch, biannual bonus program to support 1,800+ newly remote employees. With Awardco, they cut administrative time by 93% and boosted month-to-month recognitions by 307%.

We’re just scratching the surface. Explore the full collection of Awardco customer stories to explore how our platform can create a workplace that drives the metrics you and your organization deserve.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to earn meaningful results for your organization

On a human level, recognition fosters camaraderie and higher morale—key motivators that nurture trust and loyalty. Why miss out on this when your team and organization deserve this and more? 

Recognition works when it’s structured, measurable, and meaningful. Discover why companies choose Awardco.