New Delhi, India, 16th June 2025 Vantage Circle, the world’s leading Behavioural-Science-Powered Global Employee Engagement SaaS-Platform, in collaboration with Great Place To Work® India, has launched a landmark research report titled “The Recognition Effect: A Leadership Blueprint for Emotionally Intelligent Workplaces.” Drawing from one of the largest datasets on employee experience in the country—spanning over 5.7 million voices across 2000+ organisations, this report uncovers how recognition, when done right, becomes a transformative force for workplace culture and performance.
At the heart of the study lies a powerful finding: recognition isn’t just about acknowledgment, it is a strategic lever for trust, agility, innovation, and retention. Organisations that build high-recognition cultures outperform their peers across multiple dimensions of employee and business outcomes. In these cultures, 91% of employees report feeling motivated, 94% say their organisation is a great place to work, and an equally high percentage affirm that their company delivers excellent customer service. Nearly all respondents in such environments also associate their organisation with innovation and express a strong intent to stay.
The report introduces a recognition maturity model grounded in the AIRe framework, which redefines how organisations should approach Recognition & Rewards. It encourages companies to move beyond transactional reward systems and design recognition practices that promote Appreciation, provide meaningful Incentivisation, consistently Reinforce cultural values, and build lasting eMotional Connect. The framework not only highlights the emotional outcomes of recognition—feeling appreciated, accepted, validated, and accomplished—but also provides a structured path for organisations to embed recognition as a daily leadership behaviour and a scalable cultural mechanism.
Importantly, the research also brings to light the demographic gaps in how recognition is experienced across gender, generations, roles, and tenure—signalling the need for more intentional, inclusive approaches.
Speaking about the collaboration, Partha Neog, CEO and Co-founder of Vantage Circle, said: “The true power of Recognition & Rewards lies not in what is given, but in what is genuinely felt. When done with intention, recognition becomes more than a moment—it becomes a cultural signal that shows people they matter. It builds trust, pride, and belonging. Through this collaboration with Great Place To Work® India, we hope to equip leaders with the insight and clarity to design recognition not as a perk, but as a strategic driver of both emotional engagement and measurable business outcomes.”
This joint effort combines Vantage Circle’s behavioural science-led expertise in recognition design with Great Place To Work® India’s rich legacy in culture measurement—offering leaders across India Inc. a timely, data-backed blueprint for building high-performing, emotionally intelligent workplaces.
“At Great Place To Work, we believe that a culture of recognition develops engaged and loyal employees. When organisations make employee appreciation an intentional and integral part of workplace culture, they unlock the true potential of their people. Recognition in the workplace helps employees see that their company values them and their contributions, fostering loyalty and engagement. Recognition programmes are a crucial part of the employee experience and a key driver of perceptions of fairness in workforce, and this is where our partnership with Vantage Circle plays a crucial role in making this key driver a strategic differentiator with programmes that are best fit for each organisation.” said Balbir Singh, CEO, Great Place To Work® India
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