Case Study: LinkedIn achieves higher retention and improved performance with Workhuman’s Bravo! recognition program

Linking Social Recognition to Retention

LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network with 11,000+ employees, faced challenges from rapid growth and an inconsistent spot-bonus system that didn’t reinforce its values or help retain new hires. Leadership wanted a peer-based, scalable way to stabilize culture, drive engagement, and improve retention—particularly for recent hires in competitive markets like Silicon Valley.

In 2015 LinkedIn launched Bravo! with Globoforce, a global peer-to-peer recognition program tied to company values. High adoption and a formal study with researcher Shawn Achor showed recognition ripples through the organization: recipients often become praise providers, retention rises with award frequency (96% retention for employees with 4+ awards; 95% for new hires with 4+ vs 86% with none), 54% of employees with 3+ awards improved performance year-over-year, and nearly 24% of awards are peer-to-peer.

LinkedIn

Jeff Weiner

CEO