User Interview: HR Leads on Building Trust Through Recognition

We spoke to four HR leaders about their recognition programs. Their stories highlight common themes: clarity of process, leadership involvement, and consistent follow-through. Below are curated insights and practical recommendations pulled from the interviews.

Participant profiles

Interviewees included HR leads from a mid-size SaaS startup, a non-profit, a manufacturing firm, and a global consultancy. Despite differences in scale and industry, their core challenges were remarkably similar.

Key insight 1: Leadership matters

All four leaders emphasized that leadership endorsement is crucial. When executives publicly participate — nominating peers, appearing at award ceremonies, or sharing stories — the program gains legitimacy and visibility.

Key insight 2: Process clarity reduces skepticism

Ambiguity in how winners are chosen breeds distrust. Each HR lead stressed publishing rubrics and timelines as a simple but impactful practice that improved perceived fairness.

Key insight 3: Don’t over-complicate nominations

Complex nomination forms suppress participation. Keep required fields short and offer optional attachments for depth. Encourage examples and metrics but avoid making the form a burden.

Key insight 4: Use technology to automate but don’t remove human touch

Automation reduces administrative overhead, but human storytelling drives empathy. Use platforms for nomination collection and scoring, then use internal channels to highlight narratives behind winners.

Key insight 5: Feedback loops matter

Collect feedback from nominees and nominators after events. One leader implemented a 3-question survey and used results to tweak categories and communications for the next cycle.

"The day-to-day recognition builds momentum, but the annual awards tell the story of who we want to be." — VP People, Global Consultancy

Practical recommendations

• Publish rubrics before nominations open.
• Limit required nomination content to a concise evidence statement (200–300 words).
• Mix peer and manager nominations to capture both grassroots and strategic impact.
• Use anonymized judging for objectivity where possible.
• Share winner stories with context — what was achieved and why it mattered.

Final reflections

Building trust through recognition requires consistency and humility. Leaders who treat recognition as a cultural practice — not a quarterly project — see sustained benefits. Start small, measure, and iterate.