Technology has proven to be a powerful aid in connecting teams, especially geographically diverse organizations. But while technology can facilitate communication, it doesn’t always enable true connection among team members.

As Scott Johnson, founder and CEO of employee recognition platform Motivosity explains, there is an important difference between communication and connection. The teams that are able to develop the strongest sense of connection are ultimately able to be more engaged, and as a result, they also outperform the competition.

Understanding the Connection Gap

A recent study from Motivosity and HR.com found that while 83% of employees choose to stay with their organization because of its culture and people, over one-third report never or infrequently receiving meaningful recognition from their peers or managers.

As Johnson explains, this can have a significant impact on the workplace as a whole. “To put it simply, connected teams perform better. Connection requires trust. The kind of trust that assures everyone that we’re all on the same team is built through frequent appreciation.”

“When people don’t feel like they are appreciated, it creates the impression that management is disinterested in them, their work, and the effort they’re putting in. This naturally erodes trust in leadership, which can hurt cultural buy-in and long-term retention efforts.”

Organizations inherently understand that connection and engagement are important in the workplace. Motivosity’s research found that increased engagement is the most commonly cited goal for company culture, with 66% of organizations using employee surveys to track engagement.

Unfortunately, a gap exists even when engagement data is collected, with the majority of managers not knowing engagement scores or voluntary annual turnover rates. Collecting data without tracking or utilizing it in a way to drive company culture initiatives represents a significant missed opportunity. 

Similar to how remote workers often feel disconnected from their colleagues despite having technology that allows them to work together, simply having communication and engagement tracking tools isn’t enough. These tools must be used in a way that drives meaningful connection.

The Power of Connection

In contrast to the connection gap, the Motivosity study found several noteworthy traits among culture leaders — the companies with the strongest cultures and the highest levels of engagement and connection. “Individuals in the strongest cultures were nearly sixteen times more likely to get meaningful appreciation from their direct manager on a weekly basis,” Johnson says.

“They were also over nine times more likely to get appreciation from their peers. These are powerful, affirming interactions that reinforce just how valued someone is in their role. The people in these cultures are more than twice as likely to feel strongly connected to their coworkers and direct manager, and the organizations themselves are nearly twice as likely to have significant revenue growth.”

In today’s work environment, this can be a powerful differentiating factor for attracting and retaining top talent — and getting their best effort. Gallup reports that employee engagement dropped to a 10-year low of just 31% in 2024, a level that didn’t improve in 2025. Engagement, often driven by connection efforts, directly impacts work quality and productivity, while also positively influencing employee well-being.

Notably, among the areas where Gallup found the biggest decline were “clarity of expectations,” “feeling someone at work cares about them as a person” and “someone encouraging their development.” These are all issues that can be directly countered by the engagement trends of recognition, transparency and clear communication identified in Motivosity’s research.

Fostering Meaningful Connection In Tech-driven Workplaces

While the positive outcomes associated with workplace connection are clear, many businesses are left uncertain how to achieve it — hence, the gap between organizations collecting engagement data and actually utilizing it.

Johnson feels that meaningful connection starts with appreciation.

“Tech tools can help make appreciation a visible part of daily workflows. When it’s easy for managers and team members to give public, positive appreciation, it helps lift the entire culture by helping everyone feel valued. It creates a social system that reinforces and motivates engagement. This also helps address the data tracking gap, because it focuses on interactive connections, rather than one-sided surveys. When recognition tools become a platform for peer support and collaboration, it helps build a solid foundation for culture.”

Leadership’s involvement in these types of initiatives is especially critical. “Leaders need to use tools that enable them to give and receive consistent and clear feedback. At every level of the organization, even at the C-suite, leaders need to show an active interest in their culture,” Johnson says.

“That visible support and buy-in from leadership helps set the standard for strengthening team dynamics through daily collaborations, recognitions and other interactions. It also helps get everyone more fully aligned with what they value most about the company and its culture.”

With tools that facilitate communication and recognition, organizations can gain clearer insights into what is (or isn’t) driving engagement and connection and take appropriate actions based on employee preferences and needs.

Bridging the Gap

Bridging the connection gap isn’t always easy, especially with remote and hybrid teams that are geographically distant. But as Johnson’s insights reveal, organizations that focus on employee appreciation (not just recognition from leadership), clear communication, and meaningful feedback loops help employees feel valued and connected. When this happens, engagement and culture growth will naturally follow.