A culture of recognition

Surveys show that a sense of belonging in the workplace directly influences positive job performance and reduces employee turnover.

It’s estimated many of us will spend approximately one-third of our adult lives at work. If the average person works eight hours, five days a week, that’s already 33 percent of a 24-hour day, not to mention the time eaten up by a commute.

Despite this, only 31 percent of U.S. employees reported being actively engaged in the workplace, according to Gallup’s 2025 employee engagement survey. The rate of engagement has dropped 5 percentage points since 2020, with younger U.S. workers experiencing the largest decline due to feeling uncared for and underinvested in.

Springfield, Tennessee-based electronics recycler and information technology asset disposition services provider S3 Recycling Solutions, the subject of this month’s cover story, is pushing back on employee disengagement by building a company culture rooted in recognition.

“We’ve embodied a culture where we see each other,” S3 CEO Rod McDaniel tells Recycling Today. “When you do that, it’s hard for it not to show externally. … We start with culture and people, and then for us, that helps us service our clients better and be better at what we do.”

Fostering recognition and belonging in the workplace can have tangible benefits. A 2019 BetterUp survey found that employees who feel a strong sense of belonging at work experience a 56 percent increase in job performance, a 50 percent reduction in turnover risk and a 75 percent decrease in sick days.

“One of our employees actually said earlier this week to me that our company is their support group,” McDaniel shares.

One of S3’s core values is community, which is exemplified in the way it takes care of its team. The company covers 100 percent of employees’ health, dental, vision, life and short- and long-term disability insurance. It also celebrates team members’ birthdays and prioritizes acknowledging employee successes.

“You need people to accomplish big goals, and it takes all types of people, and we all are gifted in certain areas,” McDaniel says.

Recognition in the workplace is often a morale booster, and feeling a sense of belonging is crucial when so much of our lives are spent at work.

“At the end of the day, process- and culture-driven operators are the ones that are going to win in this industry,” he says. “We can’t do this without people.”

What is your company doing to foster a culture of recognition? Share your story with us by reaching out to rt-editors@gie.net.