A fifth (19%) of UK employees say they have never been thanked by their employer for a specific work achievement, while more than half (51%) admit they do not feel valued in the workplace, according to new research from Moonpig for Business.
The study of 2,000 UK adults highlights a growing recognition gap in the modern workplace. Over half (53%) of respondents said a lack of appreciation negatively impacts their motivation, and nearly six in ten (59%) revealed they would consider quitting their job if their hard work continued to go unnoticed.
Financial rewards (71%), promotions (66%), and private thanks from a manager (65%) ranked as the most preferred forms of recognition. Yet small gestures still carry weight: two-thirds (65%) of workers said that receiving a thoughtful card or handwritten note would make them feel genuinely valued.
However, many employees feel their workplaces are neglecting personal milestones. One in five (20%) say their birthday has never been acknowledged at work, despite 41% expecting it to be, while a third report that their work anniversaries have never been celebrated.
Even more worryingly, a fifth of respondents said they’ve seen colleagues recognised for their efforts while they themselves were overlooked, despite contributing at a similar level. Some have even experienced “recognition gone wrong” — 9% received a card with their name spelled incorrectly, and 8% said they were left out of a group thank-you card.
“Recognition doesn’t need to be complicated to be meaningful,” said Laura Dixon, People Director at Moonpig. “Remembering birthdays, work anniversaries, or simply acknowledging everyday effort can have a huge impact on morale. The key is making people feel seen and appreciated for what they do.”
HR experts agree that consistent and genuine appreciation has a powerful effect. Emma Cromarty, Director at EC Human Resource, noted that many organisations — particularly SMEs — still struggle to make recognition part of everyday culture. “Day-to-day pressures, tight budgets, and a focus on outputs can sometimes overshadow the human side of work,” she said. “Recognition isn’t just about grand gestures; it’s about small, meaningful moments that show people they’re valued.”
Moonpig's new platform was developed to help companies make appreciation easy and personal. It enables organisations to celebrate employees, clients, and customers through branded cards, curated gifts, and automated sending features — allowing for meaningful recognition at scale.
Nickyl Raithatha, CEO of Moonpig, explained how the idea began during the pandemic: “Moonpig for Business started during Covid when we used our own personalised card service to recognise our employees and keep them connected. We saw how powerful it was, so we automated the process, and it became clear that the need for this was bigger than us.”
He added: “In a busy hybrid world, business leaders struggle to make employees feel genuinely seen. We built Moonpig for Business to make that process effortless — one single platform for personalised cards and gifts that makes recognition simple, timely and scalable, helping companies build stronger relationships with their teams.”
The platform’s time-saving tools allow businesses to send personalised, branded messages and gifts to multiple recipients quickly, ensuring staff feel valued throughout the year. Impressively, 83% of companies already using Moonpig for Business say it has boosted employee engagement.
As HR consultant Liz Sebag-Montefiore summed up: “Positive reinforcement, praise, and encouragement are far more likely to inspire and engage than blame, nitpicking or overdue feedback. For the most part, the carrot works better than the stick.”
In a world where employees are increasingly seeking meaning and belonging at work, one message is clear — a little recognition goes a long way.
