Slack
Microsoft Teams.
Surveys Measure, Not Fix
Annual engagement surveys tell you there's a problem. They don't make anyone feel more valued.
Improve Employee Engagement Through Recognition
Surveys measure engagement. Recognition builds it. HeyTaco helps teams feel valued through everyday appreciation—right inside Slack and Microsoft Teams.
What Is Employee Engagement?
Employee engagement is the level of emotional commitment, motivation, and connection employees feel toward their work and their organization. Highly engaged employees are more likely to contribute, collaborate, and stay.
What Causes Low Employee Engagement?
Anyone can spot symptoms. Understanding root causes is where real change starts.
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Lack of recognition
When effort goes unnoticed, motivation fades.
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Poor leadership communication
People disengage when they don't know where things are headed.
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Limited growth paths
Without development opportunities, ambition turns into apathy.
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Weak alignment
If people don't see how their work connects to the mission, they check out.
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Feeling disconnected from impact
When outcomes feel invisible, ownership disappears.
Signs Your Team Has an Engagement Problem
Only 31% of U.S. employees[1] are engaged at work—a 10-year low. Low engagement costs the global economy $9.6 trillion[2] annually.
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Quiet Quitting
People do the minimum. Initiative disappears. Nobody volunteers for extra projects or speaks up in meetings.
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Rising Turnover
Good people leave for jobs that feel more appreciated. Exit interviews mention "not feeling valued."
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Siloed Teams
Collaboration drops. Teams work in isolation. The sense of being part of something larger fades.
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Declining Participation
Fewer questions in meetings. Cameras off. Optional calls get skipped. The energy just isn't there.
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Spreading Cynicism
Eye-rolls at new initiatives. "That'll never work" becomes the default response. Negativity spreads.
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Innovation Stalls
No new ideas. No one challenges the status quo. People stop trying to improve things.
Case Study
How Haze Shift Achieved a 30% Engagement Increase With HeyTaco
Haze Shift, a strategic design and innovation consultancy based in Brazil, faced a familiar challenge: maintaining team connection after transitioning to fully remote work during the pandemic.
They needed a way to keep their distributed team engaged and appreciated—so they turned to HeyTaco.
The result?
A 30% increase in team engagement.
"HeyTaco helped us maintain the human connection we were afraid of losing when we went remote."
The team created their own "Taqueria Principles" to guide recognition: expressing gratitude, celebrating achievements, sharing happiness, and showing admiration. Since 2021, they've sent over 46,237 tacos—and 90% of team members rate their HeyTaco experience above 3 out of 5.
"It became part of our culture. People look forward to giving and receiving recognition."
In Q4 2024, Haze Shift recorded their highest-ever satisfaction score of 4.50. HeyTaco didn't just boost engagement—it became the foundation for how a remote team stays connected and appreciated.
Why Traditional Engagement Fixes Don't Work
Most engagement efforts fail because they measure the problem without solving it.
Perks Aren't Personal
Free snacks and ping pong tables are nice, but they don't replace genuine appreciation for good work.
Programs Fade
Employee-of-the-month programs start strong and fizzle. Engagement needs daily habits, not quarterly events.
How Recognition Improves Engagement
Recognition works because it addresses the root cause: people don't feel seen. When appreciation becomes a daily habit, engagement follows.
Makes Effort Visible
Great work gets noticed and acknowledged, not lost in the noise.
Creates Positive Loops
Recognized people recognize others. Appreciation becomes contagious.
Builds Connection
Public recognition creates shared moments that strengthen team bonds.
Compounds Over Time
Daily recognition builds momentum. Engagement grows as habits stick.
What Teams See When Engagement Improves
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Higher Participation
People show up—to meetings, to projects, to each other. HeyTaco teams average 67% daily participation.
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Better Retention
People who feel valued stay. Recognition directly impacts whether talent sticks around.
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Stronger Collaboration
Teams that appreciate each other work better together. Silos break down.
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Visible Culture Health
Recognition data shows you which teams are thriving and where to focus attention.
Why Teams Use HeyTaco to Improve Engagement
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Fast to Start
Install in minutes. No training required. Teams see participation in the first week.
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Lives in Your Tools
Recognition happens in Slack or Teams—where work already happens.
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Peer-to-Peer
Everyone can recognize great work, not just managers. More voices, more impact.
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Real Signals
See engagement trends without sending another survey. Recognition data tells the story.
4.8 on G2 • Trusted by 3k+ teams worldwide
Build Engagement That Actually Sticks
Try HeyTaco free for 30 days. No credit card required.
Start for free Get a demoFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about employee engagement, disengagement costs, and recognition.
How much does low employee engagement cost?
What percentage of employees are engaged at work?
Only 31% of U.S. employees are engaged at work[1]—a 10-year low according to Gallup. Globally, just 21% of employees are engaged, down from 23% the previous year.
How do I know if my team has an engagement problem?
Common signs include declining participation in meetings, less collaboration, higher turnover, and a general sense that people are going through the motions. If recognition is rare, engagement is likely suffering.
Do engagement surveys actually help?
Surveys measure engagement but don't improve it. They're a snapshot, not a solution. Real improvement comes from daily behaviors—like recognition—that make people feel valued consistently.
How quickly can recognition improve engagement?
Teams often see increased participation within the first week. Sustained engagement improvement takes 4-8 weeks as recognition becomes a habit. HeyTaco teams typically see 67% daily participation rates.
What if my team is skeptical about recognition programs?
Skepticism usually comes from past programs that felt forced or corporate. HeyTaco is peer-driven and lives in Slack/Teams, so it feels natural rather than mandatory. Start small and let adoption grow organically.
Can recognition align with our company values?
Yes. HeyTaco lets you create custom tags that match your company values—like collaboration, innovation, customer focus, or integrity. When someone gives recognition, they can tag it to a value, reinforcing the behaviors that matter most.
What kind of work gets recognized?
Anything that contributes to team success: helping a colleague meet a deadline, stepping up during a crunch, mentoring someone new, solving a tricky problem, or doing the invisible work that keeps things running. Peer recognition makes all of it visible.