Employee Engagement Software That Teams Actually Use
Build a stronger, more connected team with peer recognition that happens right inside Slack and Microsoft Teams — not a separate app employees have to remember to use.
Slack
Microsoft Teams
4.8 on G2 • Loved by 3,000+ teams worldwide
What Is Employee Engagement Software?
Employee engagement software helps organizations build workplace connection, participation, and motivation. HeyTaco is employee engagement software that creates engagement through everyday peer recognition inside Slack and Microsoft Teams, rather than through surveys or periodic programs. Teammates recognize each other in seconds, in the tools they already use — so appreciation becomes a daily habit, not an annual event.
Engagement Isn't Built in Platforms. It's Built in Moments.
Most employee engagement software struggles for the same reason: engagement can't be forced through a program. Quarterly initiatives, top-down recognition, and dashboards nobody checks don't change how connected people feel — they just add another task.
A quick thank-you after a late push.
Recognition for helping a teammate.
Celebrating progress together.
These small moments shape how people feel about their work — and whether they stay. The role of good software isn't to manage engagement from a dashboard. It's to make these moments visible and repeatable, right where the moment happens.
Traditional engagement tools ask employees to visit a separate platform. HeyTaco doesn't — it lives inside Slack and Microsoft Teams, so recognition happens in the same conversation as the work itself.
How HeyTaco Drives Employee Engagement
Engagement doesn't come from an annual survey or a quarterly program — it comes from small behaviors repeated often enough to become a habit. Here's the loop HeyTaco runs on:
- Someone does something worth recognizing — helps a teammate, solves a problem, ships good work.
- A teammate gives them a taco right in Slack or Microsoft Teams. It takes seconds.
- The recognition is visible in the channel, not buried in a private dashboard.
- Others react, add their own tacos, or recognize something similar — participation spreads.
- Tacos accumulate into rewards, becoming a real signal of who's contributing and how.
- Repeated daily, appreciation stops being an event and becomes a habit. That's engagement.
Six product mechanisms make that loop work:
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Peer-to-peer recognition
Teammates recognize teammates in seconds, without waiting on a manager or a review cycle. Peer-to-peer recognition spreads faster because everyone can give it, not just a handful of managers.
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Daily taco allowance
Everyone gets five tacos a day by default, and unused tacos don't roll over. That scarcity keeps each taco intentional instead of automatic.
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Visible recognition
Appreciation happens in the team's own conversation, not a private dashboard. Good work becomes visible, which reinforces the behaviors a team wants more of.
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Rewards
Tacos add up and can be redeemed for gift cards or custom rewards a team chooses, giving recognition a tangible payoff.
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Milestones
Birthdays and work anniversaries are celebrated automatically, so recognition happens consistently instead of getting missed.
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Analytics
Participation and recognition activity are tracked automatically — a real signal of engagement and culture trends, without sending another survey.
Works inside both Slack and Microsoft Teams, with setup in under five minutes.
Turns out, people really like tacos.
Loved by thousands of teams. Recognized by G2 for ease
of use, adoption, ROI, and more.
It's simple, but meaningful—being able to give a taco with a quick message of thanks or recognition helps build a stronger, more positive culture without feeling forced.
DeAnna R., QA Manager
I love how HeyTaco encourages peer-to-peer recognition in a lighthearted and engaging way. It has strengthened our team culture and helped everyone feel appreciated.
Daniel Alberto J., Fraud Analyst
See our Wall of Love
What to Look For in Employee Engagement Software
Not every team will choose HeyTaco — but any team evaluating employee engagement software should ask these questions first:
Will employees actually use it?
Adoption is the real measure of success. Software people ignore doesn't improve engagement, no matter how many features it has.
Does it work inside existing workflows?
Tools that require a new login or a new habit rarely get used. The best options live inside Slack, Microsoft Teams, or wherever the team already works.
Does it support peer-to-peer recognition?
Manager-only recognition doesn't scale. Peer-to-peer recognition means anyone can notice and acknowledge good work, not just a handful of managers.
Does it encourage frequent participation?
Daily or weekly use builds a habit. Software used once a quarter behaves more like a survey than a culture tool.
Does it make recognition visible?
Recognition sent in a private message or hidden in a dashboard doesn't reinforce culture the way public recognition does.
Can you measure participation?
Look for real usage data — who's giving and receiving recognition — rather than sentiment scores collected once a year.
Does it support remote and hybrid teams?
Distributed teams lose the informal recognition that happens in hallways and break rooms. Good software recreates that visibility for people who don't share a physical space.
How much administration does it need?
Programs that require an HR team to run them tend to fade. Lightweight tools that don't need constant management are more likely to stick.
HeyTaco vs Traditional Engagement Platforms
| Aspect | Traditional engagement platforms | HeyTaco |
|---|---|---|
| Primary approach | Surveys, programs, and periodic initiatives | Everyday peer recognition |
| Where employees use it | A separate platform | Slack & Microsoft Teams |
| Participation | Employees have to visit the platform | Happens inside existing conversations |
| Recognition direction | Often manager- or admin-driven | Peer-to-peer |
| Frequency | Typically periodic (quarterly, annual) | Daily |
| Culture building | Programs and initiatives | Repeated everyday behaviors |
| Rewards | Varies by vendor | Built-in gift cards & custom rewards |
| Celebrations | Varies by vendor | Automated birthdays & work anniversaries |
| Insights | Surveys and periodic reporting | Recognition & participation data |
| Administration | Often program-driven, needs ongoing management | Lightweight, minimal admin |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about employee engagement software, HeyTaco, and how the two compare.
What is employee engagement software?
Employee engagement software is technology that helps organizations build connection, motivation, and participation among employees. It typically supports recognition, feedback, or communication in ways that make people feel more connected to their work and their team. The most effective tools reduce friction so they get used every day, not just during an occasional program.
What does employee engagement software do?
Employee engagement software encourages the everyday behaviors — recognition, feedback, and communication — that make people feel valued and connected at work. Rather than only measuring engagement through surveys, effective software helps create engagement by making appreciation and participation part of the normal workday.
What is the best employee engagement software for Slack?
HeyTaco is built specifically for Slack, so recognition happens inside the channels and direct messages teams already use rather than in a separate app. Teammates give tacos in seconds, and recognition is visible to the whole channel.
Does employee engagement software actually improve engagement?
It can, but only when people actually use it. Software that sits unused because it requires a new login, a new habit, or manager intervention doesn't move the needle. Engagement improves when recognition becomes part of daily work rather than a quarterly initiative.
What features should employee engagement software have?
Look for peer-to-peer recognition, workflow integration with tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams instead of a standalone app, visible recognition rather than private dashboards, and real participation data. Heavy administration requirements are a warning sign — tools that need constant management tend to lose adoption over time.
What is the difference between employee engagement software and employee recognition software?
Employee engagement software is the broader category — it covers connection, participation, motivation, feedback, and workplace experience overall. Employee recognition software is more specific: it focuses on making appreciation and acknowledgment easier and more consistent. HeyTaco uses peer recognition as its mechanism for improving broader engagement.
Can employee engagement software help remote and hybrid teams?
Yes. Remote and hybrid teams lose the informal recognition that happens in hallways and break rooms, so software that makes appreciation visible in Slack or Microsoft Teams can help restore some of that connection. More than 60% of HeyTaco's customers include remote employees.
How does HeyTaco improve employee engagement?
HeyTaco makes peer recognition part of everyday work inside Slack and Microsoft Teams. Teammates give each other tacos for good work, recognition is visible to the whole team, and tacos can be redeemed for rewards. On an average day, about 67% of active HeyTaco users give or receive at least one taco.
How much does employee engagement software cost?
Pricing varies by vendor and by the features included — some engagement platforms charge per employee per month, others price by feature tier. HeyTaco starts at $3 per user per month, with a 30-day free trial and no credit card required.
Ready to make work a little more taco?
Create more recognition, celebration, and connection right where your team already works.
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