Research shows that recognition is the eighth-strongest driver of employee engagement.

But how can a company go about fostering recognition at scale without being disingenuous or forced?

One great example is at the company Collectors, where recognition ranges from Slack shout-outs to custom-made, collectible-style cards of the person being awarded.

To learn about how Collectors put together such a unique culture of recognition, I met with their VP of Talent and Organizational Development, Dr. Eliza Wicher.

In this interview, we covered:

1. What it looks and feels like to have a "40-year start-up culture"

Company culture revolves around:

• deep passion for the collectible items
• trade nights and game nights
• employees who are best friends and family members

2. Why she honed in on recognition and how

• Her team's engagement survey unveiled the need
• Then they rolled out a system of authentic, relevant awards to make recognition flow with the culture (i.e. collectible cards made of the person being recognized)

3. How behavior-based leadership development sets leaders up for success

• Wicher honed in on six critical behaviors for managers
• Now, she's rolling out modular training for each behavior
• Long-term, she plans to make manager effectiveness a part of performance evaluation.

We covered all of the above in greater detail, and much more. Enjoy!