Recognising Managers and Leaders: The Forgotten Layer of Recognition
Managers drive team engagement but are often under-recognised. How to reward people managers and leaders — criteria, peer and upward nominations, and premium reward ideas.
Managers are expected to recognise their teams — but who recognises the managers? Middle managers carry heavy loads: hitting targets, developing people, managing change and absorbing pressure from above and below. Recognising great management is one of the most leveraged investments a company can make.
Why manager recognition matters
- Managers strongly influence engagement of their teams.
- Burnout risk is high among middle managers.
- Role modelling: recognised managers recognise others.
- Retention: losing a great manager often triggers team attrition.
What to recognise
Business results matter, but people leadership deserves explicit recognition:
- Developing and promoting team members
- High team engagement scores
- Low regretted attrition
- Inclusive team culture
- Successful change management
- Coaching and mentoring beyond the team
Recognition formats
Upward nominations
Team members nominate managers for awards — powerful and credible.
People leader awards
Annual or semi-annual awards based on engagement, retention and development data plus nominations.
Leadership shout-outs
Senior leaders call out specific manager behaviours in town halls.
Peer manager recognition
Managers nominate peers who helped them succeed.
Manager receiving a people leader award on stage
Reward ideas for managers and leaders
| Level | Reward ideas |
|---|---|
| First-line managers | Electronics, dining, fashion gift cards |
| Senior managers | Hotel stays, premium experiences |
| Leadership | Luxury travel, executive learning |
Beyond gift cards:
- Leadership coaching or courses
- Conference attendance
- Extra time off after demanding periods
- Visibility with executive leadership
Designing a manager recognition program
- Define people-leadership criteria
- Combine data (engagement, retention) with nominations
- Set reward tiers
- Announce winners with specific stories
- Share learnings from winning managers
Avoiding pitfalls
- Recognising only revenue-driving managers
- Ignoring team feedback
- Rewarding managers whose teams have high attrition
Upward nomination template
- Manager name and team
- What has your manager done to help you grow?
- Share a specific moment when your manager made a difference.
- How does your manager create a positive team environment?
Anonymised quotes from these nominations make powerful award citations.
Supporting managers to recognise others
Managers who are recognised are more likely to recognise their teams. Complement manager awards with:
- Recognition budgets that managers control
- Monthly nudges with recognition ideas
- Dashboards showing their team's recognition activity
- Training on specific, timely feedback
Sample people leader award criteria
| Criterion | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Team engagement | Survey scores and trends |
| Talent development | Promotions and internal moves |
| Retention | Regretted attrition rates |
| Inclusion | Team feedback on belonging |
| Recognition culture | Team recognition activity |
Key takeaways
Managers multiply engagement. Recognise people leadership explicitly, gather team voices through upward nominations and equip managers to recognise others.
Reward your people leaders with Orbit. Related: peer-to-peer recognition programs.
Frequently asked questions
Why are managers often under-recognised?
Recognition programs tend to focus on individual contributors and business results rather than people leadership.
How do upward nominations work?
Team members nominate their managers with specific examples of support, growth and positive culture.
What rewards suit people managers?
Experiences, learning opportunities and premium choice-led gift cards alongside public recognition.
Orbit Insights Team
The Orbit by SaverPe insights team works with HR, procurement and sales leaders to research what makes corporate gifting and reward programs effective.
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