Case Study: How Solstice Inc. Boosted Recognition Participation by 62%

When Solstice Inc. faced dwindling participation in its annual awards program, HR partnered with the communications team and implemented a new nomination workflow using Nominee.app. The result: a 62% increase in nominations, higher cross-team awareness, and measurable morale gains.

Situation

Solstice is a 650-person software company with distributed teams across three continents. Historically, nominations were collected via email and spreadsheets — a process that was time-consuming to manage and opaque to employees. Participation tapered off as deadlines were missed and forms were inconsistent.

Goals

• Increase nomination participation by 40% year-over-year.
• Improve diversity of nominees across departments.
• Reduce administrative time spent managing submissions by 70%.

Approach

The team took a three-pronged approach:

1. Implement a centralized nomination system (Nominee.app) with structured forms and mobile support.
2. Design a communication campaign to raise awareness and explain the new process.
3. Introduce anonymous judging for objective categories and provide judges with rubrics.

Execution details

The rollout focused on clarity and convenience. The nomination form required: nominee name, team, category, and a 300-word evidence statement. Optional attachments were allowed for customer impact. The communications plan included a launch email, Slack channel pins, and short videos demonstrating how to nominate from mobile devices. Managers were encouraged to nominate peers and join a judge panel.

Outcomes

After the first cycle using Nominee.app, Solstice reported:

• A 62% increase in total nominations (from 210 to 340).
• Participating teams increased from 14 to 21 (50% growth in cross-team representation).
• Admin time reduced from ~30 hours of coordination to ~8 hours (a 73% reduction).

What drove the results

Several factors contributed:

• Lower friction: Mobile-friendly forms and Slack reminders made it easier to nominate on the go.
• Clear guidance: Example nominations and a rubric raised submission quality.
• Transparency: Publishing timelines and announcing shortlists kept momentum high.

Lessons learned

Solstice also identified areas to refine. Judges requested better context for cross-functional roles, and some teams wanted more category flexibility next year. Solstice plans to add training for nominators and a category review session before the next cycle.

Key takeaways for your organization

If you're considering a similar change, start by mapping your current manual steps and identify high-friction points. Use structured forms, integrate where your people already work (Slack, Teams), and invest in a short communications plan that explains the "why" and the "how."

Final note

Recognition programs are living processes. A platform like Nominee.app can be the operational backbone, but the cultural work — storytelling, leadership endorsement, and continuous improvement — makes the difference between a one-off event and an enduring practice that fosters recognition across the organization.

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