An Internal Comms guide to recognition

Last week I was out celebrating the winners of the PRmoment Awards. It was a fantastic evening and it was great to see the passion and the energy as the winners were revealed.

Winning matters. It’s about recognition.

When someone takes the time to recognise our efforts and tell us why it mattered, it feels good. Which is why, in the workplace, recognition isn’t just a nice gesture. It’s one of the most powerful tools we have to shape behaviour, build trust, and create cultures where people want to contribute.

Recognition helps colleagues feel valued

Multiple studies show that recognition is one of the most effective ways to help employees feel valued. When people feel recognised by their managers, they’re more likely to trust them, recommend their organisation as a great place to work, and feel engaged, productive, and connected.

And yet, only around 15% of employees say their manager regularly recognises them. That gap is a problem because it sends a signal that their efforts don’t really matter. Some organisations try to fill that gap with recognition schemes and awards. And while these can play a role, if managers aren’t taking the time to recognise good work day-to-day, they won’t land.

The role of internal communication

Internal Communications teams do not "own" recognition, but can help by shaping the conditions that make it visible, consistent and meaningful.

IC can help organisations get clear on what “good” looks like. That means translating values and strategy into a small set of behaviours worth recognising, helping equip leaders and managers with the language and confidence to do this well. Through messaging, leader support, and visibility, IC can turn recognition from a good idea into something people actually experience.

IC also plays a critical role in making recognition visible. Not in a performative way, but in a way that reinforces culture. Sharing real examples of people living the values helps others see what “great” looks like in practice.

Five practical tips for internal communicators

1. Build recognition into your messaging

Make recognition part of the narrative. Don’t just communicate what the organisation is doing highlight who is making it happen and why it matters.

2. Equip leaders with simple language

Give leaders ready-to-use examples of what good recognition sounds like. This removes awkwardness and makes it easier to do consistently.

3. Support managers with prompts and structure

Recognition often gets lost in the rush of work. Build prompts into leader briefings, team rhythms, and key moments so it becomes a habit.

4. Translate values into behaviours

Values are often too abstract to act on. Work with HR to turn them into clear, everyday behaviours that leaders and managers can recognise in practice.

5. Make recognition visible through storytelling

Case studies are a practical way to recognise good work and amplify it across the organisation – connecting individual contributions to the bigger picture and reinforcing what “good” looks like in action.

Recognition doesn’t need to be loud. It needs to be consistent. When internal comms gets the messaging right, and supports leaders to follow through, it becomes part of how the organisation works.