How 3 Large Companies Use Recognition to Drive Wellbeing

A modern approach to employee wellbeing, supported by meaningful recognition, has become a crucial part of a thriving workplace culture. Overlooking employee wellbeing not only hampers productivity but also increases burnout and drives costly turnover.

When employees thrive, the organization reaps tangible benefits: reduced absenteeism, enhanced performance, and lower turnover. Thriving employees create a cycle that strengthens organizational culture and fortifies the bottom line. And when wellbeing breaks down, the adverse effects are felt across the organization.

The employee recognition possibilities with O.C. Tanner’s Culture Cloud are leveraged around the globe by some of the world’s best companies to work for. Let’s take a look at how three companies use appreciation to enhance individual quality of life and also cultivate a workplace culture where engagement and success flourish.

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Employee Recognition at Navy Federal Credit Union

Recognized as a top workplace by Forbes, Fortune, and the Washington Post, Navy Federal Credit Union exemplifies a commitment to both organizational excellence and employee engagement. With a global workforce of 24,000 employees across 360 locations, the credit union plays a vital role in supporting the financial wellbeing of U.S. service members and their families.

At the heart of Navy Federal’s success is its mission-driven culture. Serving members is not just a goal—it is a shared passion. The organization achieves this through strategic employee recognition, transforming its mission into a source of inspiration and engagement for its people.

Situation

Navy Federal Credit Union has long embraced a culture of recognition but sought to modernize and centralize their approach. The goal was to implement a visible, accessible recognition platform that would empower employees to consistently celebrate achievements, creating a deeper sense of appreciation across the organization. The initiative aimed to elevate their culture of appreciation and ensure employees felt valued for their contributions.

To achieve this, Navy Federal partnered with O.C. Tanner to design an integrated employee recognition platform that highlights employee accomplishments and amplifies their impact. “O.C. Tanner really provided a vision for us, and we recreated that into our recognition mission. They are amazing thought partners, and we always go to them with creative ideas,” says Lovely Lawson, Employee Recognition Supervisor.

The result of this collaboration was Celebrate You—a platform that helps employees be seen and celebrated for their individual contributions.

Solution 

The Celebrate You platform exemplifies Navy Federal Credit Union’s commitment to recognizing employees throughout their careers, embedding appreciation into every stage of the employee lifecycle.

• New hires are welcomed with a tailored onboarding kit, complete with a personalized card to introduce them to Navy Federal’s culture. They also receive points to recognize others, reinforcing a sense of connection from the start.
• Milestones are celebrated with thoughtful gestures. Employee anniversaries feature the Careerscape™, a collection of icons symbolizing years of service, a customizable Yearbook with gift selections, and an acrylic plaque. On-campus celebrations—complete with games, food, and activities—further amplify the spirit of appreciation.
• Formal recognition is elevated with custom awards, including crystal keepsakes for annual achievements. Retirees are honored with a congratulatory crystal to mark the conclusion of their impactful careers.

“At Navy Federal, we build trusting environments that garner connection to our mission, community, and team members. We have programs that help to promote that, and we’ve woven recognition into every aspect of that programming,” explains Lawson.

Promoting wellbeing

Navy Federal Credit Union seamlessly integrates recognition into multiple organizational initiatives, leveraging its Celebrate You platform to enhance employee wellbeing and align with broader company values.

Recognition plays a key role in promoting wellness across the organization. Custom eCards are available to celebrate peers who champion various aspects of wellbeing. Winners of the President’s Wellness Challenge are rewarded with Celebrate You points and a custom icon added to their Careerscape™, reinforcing the importance of holistic health.

The Contact Center has adopted recognition as a tool to celebrate small wins and improve team engagement. “Recognition partners with CCO all year long, to help focus on recognizing the whole employee. We had a goal to send 80% of recognition without points, and they have met the benchmark every quarter this year,” says Stefanie Hunt-Sortz, Program Manager.

Results

Navy Federal’s commitment to its employees is reflected in key metrics:

• 91% of employees agree, “We have special and unique benefits here.”
• Over 332,000 recognition moments were logged in 2024, 10,000 more than the previous year

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Supporting Employees at AAA-The Auto Club Group

AAA–The Auto Club Group (ACG) is driven by a clear mission: to empower members to enjoy life’s journey with peace of mind. This commitment is realized through advocacy and innovative solutions that deliver value across automotive services, travel, finance, and insurance—whenever and wherever members need them.

At the heart of this promise are ACG’s people, whose dedication fuels exceptional service. Recognizing the vital role employees play, ACG has reimagined its longstanding recognition programs to support a culture where its employees can truly thrive. This transformation underscores ACG’s belief that a thriving workforce is the foundation of delivering outstanding member experiences.

Situation

The Auto Club Group (ACG) has a longstanding tradition of recognizing employee milestones, including career anniversaries, along with recognition programs tailored to various locations. However, as the organization continues to expand, the need for a more streamlined and scalable system to align recognition activities and manage associated costs has become increasingly apparent.

With growth comes change, and ACG has consistently evolved to meet shifting company objectives and employee expectations. “We’ve been doing recognition for over 40 years. We’ve seen tremendous growth. Our world has changed, our population has changed, our products and services have changed,” says Eric Bain, AVP of HR Optimization.

To keep pace, ACG set out to establish an enterprise-wide recognition platform capable of scaling with the business while connecting with the individual wellbeing of employees. Their goals included expanding access to recognition tools, enhancing the impact of recognition programs, and implementing metrics to measure success. The solution needed to be adaptable for various business units while ensuring recognition remained meaningful and relevant to employees.

Solution

ACG’s Celebrate as One platform revolutionized how the organization recognizes its 9,000 employees. It offers a suite of features, including eCards, award nominations, Initiatives to incentivize specific behaviors, and career milestone celebrations featuring Yearbooks™ and branded numerals. This centralized solution enhances accessibility, inclusivity, and alignment across all regions and roles.

Employees can seamlessly give and receive recognition through mobile capabilities and integrations with tools like Outlook and Teams. The platform’s Initiatives feature empowers leaders to design custom recognition campaigns, set criteria, and manage budgets effectively with transparent tools to prevent overspending. Metrics now track program activity and measure both cultural and business impact.

“One of the biggest things we did in our program refresh is aligned recognition to our core values. Instead of generic reasons to recognize, recognition is aligned to who we want to be,” says Bain. ACG provided training and communication about Celebrate as One and how to recognize in meaningful ways that are aligned to the company’s core values, so employees know how their work directly impacts the organization’s mission.

Empowering recognition champions

A critical element of the program’s success lies in its robust recognition champions network. This team of 181 employee volunteers drives engagement and adoption, promoting a culture of appreciation that connects people and helps them feel valued.

The champions’ network nurtures wellbeing through chat groups, breakout sessions, and even book clubs designed to inspire creativity and build community. “I love to see people smile and laugh. We try to support each other. And recognition helps us do that,” says McLemore.

The champions program has become essential to ACG’s wellbeing and morale. “Our champions program is so vital to the overall success of ACG as it provides the opportunity to recognize team members. My efforts have a powerful impact on the overall morale and well-being. Simply put, I find joy and am passionate about making someone’s day,” says a champion.

By aligning recognition with its values and empowering employees at all levels to celebrate success, ACG has established Celebrate as One as more than a platform—it’s a transformative force for wellbeing, culture, and connection.

Results

The transformation of recognition at The Auto Club Group (ACG) has delivered measurable improvements across usage, cultural alignment, and employee wellbeing. Key achievements include:

• 97% of employees recognized
• 33,000 eCards sent annually
• 89,000 award nominations given
• A 7% increase in employees who feel valued by ACG
• A 5% improvement in managers recognizing great work
• A 7% boost in employees feeling recognized for outstanding performance

These strides have propelled ACG to new heights. For the first time in its history, ACG has been recognized as a Top Workplace for four consecutive years, earning accolades for Innovation, Remote Work, and DE&I Practices.

ACG has seen critical improvements in employees’ sense of wellbeing and belonging. By aligning recognition with organizational values and leveraging data-driven insights, ACG has built a culture that not only celebrates employee contributions but also sets a foundation for overall wellbeing.

Hear the lessons learned over ACG’s 40 year employee recognition journey from Toi Johnson, ACG’s employee recognition leader, in our recent webinar.

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Mental Health and Employee Wellbeing at CIBC

‍CIBC, a leading North American financial institution, has made mental health a cornerstone of its organizational strategy, recognizing wellbeing as a shared responsibility between the company and its employees. A fundamental component of CIBC’s approach is investing in its team and recognizing employees for bringing its purpose to life for clients.

Situation

CIBC previously had a long-standing quarterly awards program to formally recognize employees for great work, as well as a career milestone program to recognize years of service. The bank wanted to modernize how they recognize employees and further enhance wellbeing.

Solution

CIBC worked with O.C. Tanner to integrate wellbeing into its MomentMakers recognition platform. This tool enables employees to celebrate peers who exemplify healthful habits or help others prioritize their wellbeing. By embedding recognition into its mental health initiatives, CIBC not only supports employees in thriving at work but also strengthens its culture of care and connection.

“Our CEO is a big sponsor of the MomentMakers program,” says Jackie Goldman, Senior Vice President, Rewards, Recognition & Performance. “His support helps make MomentMakers so successful in creating a culture of belonging, inclusivity, and caring at CIBC.”

To further support wellbeing, CIBC eliminated financial barriers to care, providing full reimbursement for mental health expenses up to an annual limit. Additionally, employees benefit from a comprehensive assistance program and a 24/7 virtual care platform that offers seamless access to nurse practitioners for medical and mental health support—directly through their mobile devices.

Leadership engagement is central to this commitment. The president and CEO serves as the executive sponsor for wellbeing, creating an environment of openness by sharing personal stories alongside other executives. These candid conversations are reinforced by frequent discussions about mental health on internal platforms, including employee posts detailing their own journeys. Leaders are equipped with online training and resources to better support their teams’ mental health, underscoring CIBC’s proactive approach.

Brad Bruce, CIBC’s senior director of benefits and wellbeing, shares how his team provides numerous programs and opportunities for wellbeing and recognition at CIBC in our recent webinar. 

Results

CIBC felt the impact of MomentMakers almost immediately. Leaders are taking ownership and giving recognition proactively. Employees are now being recognized for their daily efforts and great work, big and small, instead of having to wait for quarterly awards or be limited in how many awards they could give and receive.

Only 12 months after launch, the bank saw not only high engagement and usage of the program, but also a shift in its recognition culture:

• Over 215,000 recognition moments happened in 2021.
• Over 70% of employees received individual recognition in the first year.
• 88% of employees have logged into the system.
• eCard usage increased 5x compared to the previous program.
• Award nominations increased 9x compared to the previous program.
• 90% of employees say, “My manager gives me recognition for a job well done”, which is 6% higher than the industry benchmark and an increase of 7% from the previous year.
• 85% of employees feel “My personal contributions are recognized,” which is 8% higher than the industry benchmark.

CIBC’s holistic focus on mental health demonstrates how a strategic commitment to wellbeing can drive engagement, foster a supportive workplace culture, and empower employees to bring their best selves to work.

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‍More than 3,000 companies all over the world trust Culture Cloud by O.C. Tanner to help them attract and retain talent, strengthen teams, and build exceptional workplaces. Learn more at octanner.com.