Case Study: Watford Community Housing achieves a 20-point increase in employee satisfaction and transparent recognition with Reward Gateway

Not-for-profit organization increases transparency around recognition to increase employee satisfaction and create a cultur

Watford Community Housing, a 179‑employee not‑for‑profit in the housing sector, faced low transparency and engagement around recognition: staff didn’t understand how performance‑related pay (PRP) was awarded, annual appraisal results were kept secret, nominations and long‑service rewards were unclear or non‑existent. To address this, Watford Community Housing partnered with Reward Gateway and its employee recognition (and discounts) platform to overhaul how recognition and rewards were communicated and delivered.

Reward Gateway helped the organisation boost manager capability, clarify PRP criteria, and launch initiatives—Wheel of Fortune draws, eCards tied to core behaviours, directors’ awards, peer nominations via the engagement platform, and long‑service gifts—creating a continuous recognition culture. The changes drove higher platform participation and more open conversations, a 5.4% increase in one‑to‑one manager meetings, nearly a 20‑point rise in employee satisfaction and about a 7% lift in survey participation, while making PRP eligibility and awards much clearer.

Watford Community Housing