Why it matters
Recognition often starts declining months before people resign. Watching team-level trends gives leaders a rare early window to reconnect, rebalance workload or fix a problem before a regretted departure.
How to run it
- Each month, note how often each team gives recognition.
- Compare with that team's own baseline — not with other teams.
- Flag a 15–20% dip as an early warning; a 30%+ drop as urgent.
- Start a conversation, not an investigation: the leader checks in with the team about workload, changes and morale.
- Act within the next two months — and keep watching the trend.
Watch out for
- Tracking individuals — keep it at team level
- Treating a naturally quiet team as a problem; look for change, not level
When not to use it
Don’t use it as a performance metric for managers — it’s a conversation starter, not a score.
