How to use Microsoft Teams for Employee Recognition and Engagement

Employee recognition and engagement go hand-in-hand, luckily Microsoft Teams makes it easy to succeed in both areas. Here's how!

March 8, 2021
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How to Use Microsoft Teams for Employee Recognition and Engagement

Harvard Business Review report shows that of more than 550 executives, 72% rank recognition given for high performers has a significant impact on employee engagement.

Employee recognition and engagement go hand-in-hand, and luckily Microsoft Teams makes it easy to succeed in both areas. 

How Do You Increase Employee Engagement on Microsoft Teams?

According to a Gallup State of the American Workplace report, companies with high employee engagement outperform competitors by more than 100% in sales growth. If you want to run a successful business in today's work environment, employee engagement is no longer a nice-to-have; it's a need-to-have.  

Here are ways to increase Microsoft Teams employee engagement:

  • Encourage use of the chat feature during calls. Never underestimate the power of a funny GIF or meme.
  • Ask for opinions. Use the poll functionality in Teams to gauge feelings about new projects, ideas, and more. 
  • Create an open space for collaboration by using Microsoft Teams Whiteboard. 

How Do You Set Up an Employee Rewards or Recognition Program on Microsoft Teams?

Designing an impactful rewards or recognition program doesn't have to break the bank. It needs to be simple enough to use, and it must align with your core values and culture.

Make Microsoft Teams employee recognition simple and effective with these tips:

  • Set up the Assembly app to give and receive employee recognition in Microsoft Teams quickly.
  • Utilize Leaderboards in Assembly to see who on your team is helping others frequently.
  • Enhance Microsoft Teams gamification with Assembly by creating fun rewards your employees can earn, such as lunch with the CEO.

How Do You Give Praise & Recognition on Microsoft Teams?

Praise and recognition elicit feelings of belonging and pride in employees, and great recognition says to an employee, "I see you." Microsoft Teams makes it easy for both leaders and peers to give consistent employee recognition across an organization.

Use these ideas to share meaningful Microsoft Teams praise and recognition:

  • Encourage employees to give specific praise by integrating your core values into recognition.
  • Recognize teams assigned to various projects. Express gratitude and encourage teams throughout a project rather than just at its completion.
  • Encourage leaders to search activity feed often to see their team member's received praise. Employees want to know that managers are aware of their success, too.

How Do You Create Communities on Microsoft Teams?

Microsoft Teams allows you to build a community across your organization no matter where your team members live or work geographically.

Here are great ways to build community in Microsoft Teams:

  • Utilize the Yammer app to host company-wide events like town halls or Q&A sessions about major organizational news.
  • Assign ambassadors to ask less formal questions each week. Questions about employees' favorite places to travel or the first concert attended can build meaningful connections that wouldn't exist otherwise.
  • Allow each department to share more about their team in Yammer. They can share recent accomplishments, explain their goals for the year, and introduce team members.

Browse our Free Employee Recognition Guide

Get the foundational knowledge on creating an employee recognition program that boosts employee engagement and helps them feel valued.

Explore Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Assembly SOC 2 compliant?

Yes, at Assembly, security is a top priority. Each quarter, we have ongoing security work that is everyone’s responsibility. While we maintain a strong security posture, it was important for us to prove to our customers that we do everything we claim to do. This led us to pursue a SOC 2 Type II report that would provide evidence of our compliance with industry gold-standard security practice.

What's the ROI for employee recognition?

There is study after study showing that employee recognition leads to increased engagement. This in return creates an environment where employees are happier and more motivated which increase productivity and reduces voluntary turnover significantly. In order to filled critical roles, companies tend to spend nearly twice the value of an annual salary. Assembly is an investment in your employees that supports your bottom line.

Does Assembly offer longer-term contracts?

Yes, we will offer contracts for companies with longer-term agreements to help larger customers have more certainty around future costs.

The minimum agreement term is a 12-month subscription.

Does Assembly offer onboarding support?

We do and for FREE! Any new customer needing further support to get started with Assembly to ensure you're set up for success can request custom onboarding support. Improving your employee experience is about much more than just using our amazing software; it’s about transforming your business to create a workplace that people love. That’s much easier to do with the personal support and advice from our passionate people experts.

How much do rewards cost?

At the time of redemption (when your employees exchange their points for a paid reward) you'll pay face value. If a reward is a $10 Amazon gift card, your cost will be $10. All paid rewards are billed for on a monthly basis.

The good news is that you don't have to pay for rewards upfront because we only charge you when points are redeemed, not when they're earned.

Does Assembly offer discounts?

We offer discounts or educational or charitable organizations. In order to secure a discount, you'll first need to book a demo with a customer support specialist.

For all other organizations, we are willing to consider longer-term agreements in exchange for discounts. To set up annual plans or longer, you will need to book a demo with a customer support specialist.

How do I cancel my plan if needed?

If you're on a month to month plan, you can go here and cancel anytime. If you're having concerns or need help setting up your account for success, you can always book a demo with a customer support specialist.

If you're on a longer-term custom plan, you'll need to reach out to your customer support specialist to cancel your account or email us at support@joinassembly.com.

What customizations are available?

Great question! You can customize your core values to match your organization's to boost and track alignment. You can change your currency from the 🏆 emoji (our default) to any emoji of your choice. You can swap our logo for your own. You can also set up company culture rewards such as, "Lunch with the CEO," "Buy a book on us," and so much more!

Who can give or receive recognition?

While we recommend a peer to peer set up where anyone in your organization can give or receive recognition, you can set up Assembly however you want. If you need to limit the people who can give or receive recognition, that's perfectly fine and can be done from your Admin, here.

What integrations are available?

Assembly connects to the tools your employees use every day to offer an easy, seamless experience with minimal change management.  

Assembly has integrations with HCM/HRIS systems like ADP, Google, Office 365, and Slack. We also integrate with communication tools like Slack and Teams so you and your employees can access Assembly wherever they work now.

What's your average adoption rate?

That depends on the company's permissions set up. That said, over 90% of the employees on Assembly's platform are recognized on a monthly basis. That means nearly every employee across all of our customers are receiving regular recognition from their peers, managers, or leadership. We're extremely proud of this.

Must rewards be set up to use Assembly?

They are not required. You can use Assembly without having rewards set up. However, we don't recommend it if you intend to have a high adoption and usage rate. You can always keep the costs down by offering internal culture rewards that are fulfilled by you internally.

Are points required to use Assembly?

No, you can remove allowances from anyone or everyone. It's up to you but we do recommend using points whether they're worth a real dollar value or not. Companies that use points have a much higher engagement rate even if those points don't exchange for real dollars.

Could find the answer you are looking for?

Please schedule time with an expert and we will help you to get all your questions answered