Initiatives to fuel engagement and appreciation in workplaces might be working for HR professionals, but not across the overall workforce, according to a new report, which highlights a critical disconnect ahead of Employee Appreciation Day on March 6.

The 2026 Engagement and Retention Report from the Achievers Workforce Institute (AWI) found that 34% of HR professionals felt appreciated and highly engaged at work.

This is a major difference from the 25% of employees who said they were highly engaged and appreciated in their workplaces.

"HR professionals report feeling more appreciated and engaged than the employees they serve," the report read.

"This suggests that while HR teams may feel the impact of their own programmes, that experience isn't translating across the organisation."

Employee Appreciation Day

The findings come ahead of Employee Appreciation Day on 6 March, an event meant for employers to give thanks or recognition to their employees.

Appreciation is the "cornerstone of engagement and retention" in workplaces, according to the AWI report. It noted that employees who feel appreciated are 12 times more likely to find work meaningful.

These employees are also more likely to:

• Be connected to colleagues (17x)
• See a long-term career at their current company (17x)
• Be connected to their manager (41x)
• Feel supported in their wellbeing (47x)
• Feel connected to company values (56x)  

"Appreciation is the strongest multiplier in the employee experience, and Employee Appreciation Day is a great reminder that strategic tools exist that can dramatically reduce attrition, boost engagement, and accelerate culture change," said David Bator, managing director of AWI.

Read the full article here: