Recognition Builds Connection: A Causal Story
Dr. Alexander Lovell and Dr. Cristen Dalessandro of O.C. Tanner Institute

The O.C. Tanner Institute has continued to find that employee appreciation significantly impacts the employee experience and workplace culture. But this year, we had a breakthrough: empirical evidence that a causal relationship exists between peer recognition and connection.
Join Dr. Alexander Lovell and Dr. Cristen Dalessandro, with moderator Meghan Stettler of The O.C. Tanner Institute as they reveal the results of a groundbreaking experiment and research study newly published in our 2022 Global Culture Report. Tune in to learn about:
- The Causal link between recognition and connection
- How you can elevate recognition in your organization today
- The importance of micro-monetary and monetary recognition, and the associated impact on the individual and organizational outcomes
- The influence of employee personality on recognition preferences and impact
Register for the webinar here:
A political sociologist with more than a decade’s worth of deep methodological, research, and practitioner experience, Dr. Alexander Lovell conducts extensive research on workplace culture, employee experience, and assessment methodologies for the O.C. Tanner Institute. He also curates the perspectives of more than 40,000 leaders and employees, revealing relevant workplace trends for the Institute’s annual Global Culture Report, which is informed by his research in field theory, inter-generational dynamics, and culture change.
His dynamic insights transform the cultures of numerous Fortune 100 and Global 2000 companies as he works to develop targeted culture assessment programs, predictive models, evaluation plans, and listening strategies that help people thrive at work. He finished his doctoral training at the University of Utah and holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from American Military University.
A political sociologist with more than a decade’s worth of deep methodological, research, and practitioner experience, Dr. Alexander Lovell conducts extensive research on workplace culture, employee experience, and assessment methodologies for the O.C. Tanner Institute. He also curates the perspectives of more than 40,000 leaders and employees, revealing relevant workplace trends for the Institute’s annual Global Culture Report, which is informed by his research in field theory, inter-generational dynamics, and culture change.
His dynamic insights transform the cultures of numerous Fortune 100 and Global 2000 companies as he works to develop targeted culture assessment programs, predictive models, evaluation plans, and listening strategies that help people thrive at work. He finished his doctoral training at the University of Utah and holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from American Military University.
Cristen is a senior researcher and sociologist at O.C. Tanner, who specializes in the study of social inequalities as well as qualitative and quantitative research methods. As part of the O.C. Tanner Institute, Cristen’s research focuses on workplace culture and the employee experience using a social science lens.
Cristen has a PhD from the University of Colorado Boulder and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Utah. She has published over 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals and a book, Intimate Inequalities: Millennials’ Romantic Relationships in Contemporary Times.
Cristen is a senior researcher and sociologist at O.C. Tanner, who specializes in the study of social inequalities as well as qualitative and quantitative research methods. As part of the O.C. Tanner Institute, Cristen’s research focuses on workplace culture and the employee experience using a social science lens.
Cristen has a PhD from the University of Colorado Boulder and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Utah. She has published over 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals and a book, Intimate Inequalities: Millennials’ Romantic Relationships in Contemporary Times.
As a trusted voice for the O.C. Tanner Institute, most recently via its ground-breaking COVID-19 weekly webinars, Meghan specializes in knitting together key sentiments and perspectives across the table to identify win-win strategies for workplace culture success. Throughout her career, she has forged diplomatic partnerships with countries and companies in the Middle East, the Americas, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific regions, interfacing with CEOs, energy secretaries, ambassadors, and governors.
She has also addressed over a million viewers as an award-winning journalist and producer with Al Jazeera, News 12 New York, and Network News Service, a pioneering organization serving ABC, CBS, and FOX. Meghan was recently named to the HRD Global 100, a list of the best and brightest industry leaders in HR.
As a trusted voice for the O.C. Tanner Institute, most recently via its ground-breaking COVID-19 weekly webinars, Meghan specializes in knitting together key sentiments and perspectives across the table to identify win-win strategies for workplace culture success. Throughout her career, she has forged diplomatic partnerships with countries and companies in the Middle East, the Americas, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific regions, interfacing with CEOs, energy secretaries, ambassadors, and governors.
She has also addressed over a million viewers as an award-winning journalist and producer with Al Jazeera, News 12 New York, and Network News Service, a pioneering organization serving ABC, CBS, and FOX. Meghan was recently named to the HRD Global 100, a list of the best and brightest industry leaders in HR.
O.C. Tanner is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.
This Program has been pre-approved for 1 credit hour toward a PHR®, aPHRi™,PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™and SPHRi™ recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®).