Artificial Intelligence is everywhere these days, from how we shop to how we work. But when it comes to recognizing employees, can AI really help without making things feel… robotic? That’s exactly what we explored in our recent webinar with RPI, Employee Recognition in the Age of AI. Emily Gatton and Andrea Shepherd from Engage2Excel shared some eye-opening insights on how to strike the right balance.
We all know that AI is changing the HR game—BUT people still want people to speak to someone. Companies using AI-driven tools report 40% faster hiring, 25% better engagement scores and 18% lower turnover. Impressive, right? But here’s the catch: while 68% of organizations are looking at AI-powered recognition platforms, 82% of employees say they still want recognition that feels personal and authentic. So, the question becomes: how do we use AI without losing the human touch?
Think of AI as your assistant, not your replacement. When done right, AI can make recognition easier and more meaningful. It can spot patterns, flag employees who might be overlooked and even suggest the best timing for recognition. One company shared that after using AI for insights, not automation, they saw a 31% jump in recognition frequency and a 28% boost in engagement. The key? Managers still wrote their own messages and had real conversations. AI just gave them the nudge.
On the flip side, some organizations let AI take over completely—automatically generating messages and selecting rewards. Sounds efficient, but it backfired. Recognition frequency skyrocketed, but engagement dropped. Employees could tell the messages weren’t real. One even said, “I’d rather not get recognition than fake recognition.” Lesson learned: efficiency isn’t the goal, connection is.
Finding the Sweet Spot
Emily and Andrea introduced a simple framework:
- Keep high-empathy moments human—like handwritten notes or face-to-face thank-you’s.
- Use AI for assisted automation—nudges, reminders, and insights that help managers recognize more consistently.
- Avoid over-automation—because nothing kills authenticity faster than a computer-generated “thank you.”
Here’s a quick roadmap of how to get started:
1. Assess what you’re doing now—Are your recognition moments personal, timely, and authentic?2. Start small—Add nudges for service anniversaries or dashboards showing who hasn’t been recognized lately.
3. Level up—Introduce personalization and predictive analytics for timing.
4. Make it cultural—Embed AI-assisted recognition into your broader engagement strategy.
By 2027, 90% of recognition platforms will include AI features. The question isn’t whether AI will change recognition; it already has. The real challenge is making sure it helps us connect, not disconnect.
Want to see the full conversation? Watch the webinar by clicking the WATCH button below!
