Initiatives to fuel engagement and appreciation in workplaces might be working for HR professionals, but not across the overall workforce, according to a new report, which highlights a critical disconnect ahead of Employee Appreciation Day on March 6.
The 2026 Engagement and Retention Report from the Achievers Workforce Institute (AWI) found that 34% of HR professionals felt appreciated and highly engaged at work.
This is a major difference from the 25% of employees who said they were highly engaged and appreciated in their workplaces.
“HR professionals report feeling more appreciated and engaged than the employees they serve,” the report read.
“This suggests that while HR teams may feel the impact of their own programmes, that experience isn’t translating across the organisation.”
Employee Appreciation Day
The findings come ahead of Employee Appreciation Day on 6 March, an event meant for employers to give thanks or recognition to their employees.
Appreciation is the “cornerstone of engagement and retention” in workplaces, according to the AWI report. It noted that employees who feel appreciated are 12 times more likely to find work meaningful.
These employees are also more likely to:
- Be connected to colleagues (17x)
- See a long-term career at their current company (17x)
- Be connected to their manager (41x)
- Feel supported in their wellbeing (47x)
- Feel connected to company values (56x)
“Appreciation is the strongest multiplier in the employee experience, and Employee Appreciation Day is a great reminder that strategic tools exist that can dramatically reduce attrition, boost engagement, and accelerate culture change,” said David Bator, managing director of AWI.
But Bator underscored that appreciation for employees should not be limited to a single day.
“When employees feel seen and valued by their leaders during Employee Appreciation Day and year-round, they’re more connected to their organisation’s mission and their peers, more productive, far more likely to stay, and more committed to giving their all each and every day. Recognition isn’t symbolic. It’s strategic.”
What can HR leaders do?
The disconnect between HR teams and the wider workforce on engagement and appreciation exposes significant gaps in how workplace initiatives are making an impact.
“HR sets the tone for engagement strategy,” the report read. “If their experience is out of sync with the broader workforce, leaders risk designing programmes that look good on paper but miss the mark in practice.”
To close the gap between intention and impact, the report suggested the following strategies:
- Make recognition frequent and inclusive — weekly, not yearly
- Empower every employee to recognise peers, not just managers
- Connect recognition to values, growth, and wellbeing, so it feels meaningful
- Listen deeply and act on feedback to ensure HR programmes resonate beyond HR
- Audit recognition practices regularly to identify gaps and improve consistency
“Employees are the heart of an organisation’s success,” Bator said.
“But appreciation can’t live on the calendar alone. The organisations seeing measurable gains are the ones building recognition into everyday leadership habits, empowering managers and peers to acknowledge meaningful contributions in real time. That’s when appreciation shifts from a calendar moment to a competitive advantage.”