Workday and Achievers Join Forces to Tackle the Corporate Gratitude Crisis

Workday and Achievers: A Strategic Partnership

According to Achievers: Workday and Achievers have announced a partnership aimed at embedding employee recognition directly into the Workday environment. This integrated solution, called Workday Recognition provided by Achievers, is designed to boost engagement and gratitude among workers-two areas that are currently at alarmingly low levels. According to the Achievers Workforce Institute (AWI) 2026 Engagement and Retention Report, only 25% of employees feel genuinely appreciated, and just 26% describe themselves as engaged at work.

The same study revealed that nearly two-thirds of employees would consider returning to a former employer if it meant feeling valued again. Workday selected Achievers as its recognition partner after an extensive search for a solution capable of addressing these challenges. Achievers’ platform is built on social recognition, with a strong emphasis on peer-to-peer and frequent acknowledgment-key ingredients for fostering a culture of gratitude.

Embedding Recognition into Everyday Workflows

The recognition system is co-developed and certified to operate natively within Workday, rather than functioning as a separate add-on. This seamless integration allows recognition to serve as a signal to leaders about collaboration, skills, and contributions that might otherwise go unnoticed in formal performance reviews. As Achievers puts it:

“Recognition has a reputation problem,”

yet it can become a powerful tool for improving workplace morale.

Best practices recommend that recognition be given within 48 hours of the achievement, aligning with the principle that “recognition should become a habit.” According to Achievers,

“recognition needs to flow as smoothly as work itself.”

It is essential that the recognition system reflects the realities of modern organizations, where employees operate in hybrid teams, global structures, and matrix roles.

Achievers notes that “when recognition data stops living in silos, things get much more interesting.” Recognition can act as a beacon for leaders, helping them identify where collaboration is happening and uncover employee strengths and contributions that are often invisible in formal evaluations. Through this partnership, Workday and Achievers aim to improve overall company culture by enabling more effective and human-centered performance conversations, while making employees’ skills and strengths visible to everyone.

The collaboration between Workday and Achievers reflects current trends in human resources, where the focus is shifting toward employee engagement and appreciation. In an era of intensifying competition for talent, implementing a recognition system can be a crucial step for companies looking to retain their workforce and boost productivity. This solution has the potential to reshape the overall workplace climate, especially in hybrid work settings where traditional management models are no longer sufficient.

As organizations increasingly recognize the importance of employee appreciation, it's crucial to understand the broader implications of neglecting this aspect of workplace culture. Research indicates that unrecognized employees are significantly more likely to lose their connection with colleagues, which can further impact overall team dynamics and productivity. To explore the connection between recognition and workplace relationships, read more about how unappreciated staff can struggle to maintain bonds with coworkers.