10 Meaningful Things You Can Recognise Your People For at Work

Employee recognition isn’t just about calling out the big wins. The best workplace cultures are built on acknowledging the small, everyday moments that show effort, initiative, and alignment to your company values. When recognition becomes part of the natural rhythm of work, teams feel more connected, employee engagement rises, workplace productivity improves, and performance naturally lifts.

Whether you’re a manager, a People and Culture leader, or simply someone who wants to build a more positive team environment, here are ten meaningful moments you can recognise people for at work. These everyday behaviours are often overlooked — but they’re the ones that build momentum, strengthen values-led culture, and help your people feel genuinely valued.

1. Running a great meeting

A well-run meeting is a superpower. Recognise people who create clarity, manage time well, and keep things on track. Celebrating effective meetings encourages stronger leadership skills and boosts overall workplace productivity.

2. Delivering an awesome presentation

Whether it’s a project update or a client pitch, presenting takes preparation and confidence. Acknowledge strong presentation skills and great communication at work — it reinforces confidence and inspires others to step up.

3. Smashing end-of-month or EOFY

Finance teams often work behind the scenes. Recognising seamless processes, early closes, or reduced errors shines a light on excellent finance team recognition, strong EOFY processes, and a healthy accounting culture.

4. Landing a big new client

Sales wins matter, but they rarely happen alone. Celebrate sales recognition while also acknowledging the marketing, product, support, and operations efforts that strengthen client acquisition and overall team performance.

5. Turning a difficult customer into a brand advocate

When someone transforms a challenging customer situation into a positive one, it deserves recognition. This supports a strong customer service culture, improves customer experience, and drives long-term brand advocacy.

6. Going above and beyond to help a teammate

Teamwork accelerates results and builds trust. When someone supports a colleague without being asked, call it out. This strengthens teamwork recognition, enhances collaboration at work, and improves cross-team relationships.

7. Sharing knowledge that lifts the whole team

From documenting a process to mentoring a junior, knowledge-sharing is powerful. Recognising it encourages employee development, better skill building, and a culture where knowledge sharing becomes the norm.

8. Spotting an issue early and preventing a bigger problem

Proactive behaviour saves time, money, and stress. Celebrate people who identify risks early and take action. You’ll reinforce strong problem-solving skills, reward proactive employees, and increase overall workplace efficiency.

9. Bringing fresh ideas that improve how you work

Innovation doesn’t always come from formal brainstorming. Recognise the everyday ideas that streamline processes or spark new ways of working. This encourages a strong innovation culture, continuous improvement, and better workplace ideas.

10. Living your company values in the day-to-day

Values only matter if they’re lived. Recognise behaviours that reflect what your organisation stands for. This is one of the fastest ways to strengthen employee engagement and create a truly values-led culture.

Why these small moments matter

Most people don’t crave grand celebrations; they crave being seen. Recognising small wins builds trust, reinforces great behaviour, and creates a workplace where people feel valued, motivated, and connected.

When you invest in everyday recognition, you strengthen performance, culture, and retention in real, measurable ways.

Make recognition effortless with Employi

If you want to bring more recognition into the everyday, Employi makes it simple. Our platform integrates directly into Slack to help teams celebrate wins, embed company values, and build a culture of appreciation through real-time, consistent recognition.

Explore how Employi can help your people feel valued at employi.com.au.