Unlocking the ROI of Gratitude: Matt Kessler’s Key Takeaways from the 2025 ADP Meeting of the Minds Conference

In today’s fast-paced, results-driven business world, organizations are seeking ways to boost employee engagement, reduce turnover, and foster innovation. At the 2025 ADP Meeting of the Minds conference in Las Vegas, Snappy’s Chief Revenue Officer, Matt Kessler, took center stage to explore a powerful yet often overlooked strategy: creating a measurable, high-impact strategy around employee recognition to drive ROI for businesses.

His session for this year's Meeting of the Mind conference, “The ROI of Gratitude: Measuring the Impact of Gifting & Gratitude on Retention, Engagement, and Innovation,” drew together HR leaders, business executives, and talent management professionals eager to gain actionable insights that not only elevate workplace culture but also drive measurable business outcomes.

A Culture of Gratitude Drives Results

Matt Kessler kicked off the session by emphasizing that gratitude is not a "nice-to-have" gesture—it’s a business imperative. "Gratitude isn’t just a feel-good sentiment," Kessler said. "It’s a driver of engagement, retention, resilience, and profitability." 

He outlined compelling data that showcased the tangible benefits of recognizing employees for their hard work.

When employees feel valued, they perform better—plain and simple. Kessler highlighted several key statistics that demonstrated the power of strategic recognition:

• Employee engagement skyrockets by 20x in organizations with robust recognition programs.
  
  
• Creativity from employees increases by 33% when they feel appreciated.
  
  
• Retention rates improve by 31%, meaning organizations that prioritize recognition can keep their top talent.
  
  
• And most importantly, companies see a 23% increase in profitability when they treat recognition as a strategic lever.

The Power of Personalization: Not All Recognition Is Equal

Kessler also spoke to the importance of personalizing recognition and aligning it with both company values and individual employee preferences. Gone are the days of generic, one-size-fits-all recognition programs. Modern HR leaders need to get creative by tailoring recognition to the recipient.

Whether it’s a a celebration for reaching a work anniversary, a gesture of support during difficult times, or a simple “thank you” for a job well done, having a personal touch makes all the difference. Personalizing gifts at scale is no easy feat, but when you do, it makes employees feel seen and valued, making them more likely to stick with an organization and be motivated to perform. 

"Small, consistent moments of gratitude are more effective than one big gesture at year-end," Kessler advised. The idea is to build a culture of recognition year-round through meaningful touchpoints, like:

• Onboarding experiences: Welcoming new hires with a thoughtful, personalized welcome kit.
• Employee’s professional milestones: Celebrating promotions, completed projects, and work anniversaries.
• Personal moments when being seen means everything: Birthdays, weddings, new baby’s, condolences during moments of grief. 

Acknowledging moments through the power of gifting builds deeper relationships, trust, and respect.

Technology Meets Personalization: Snappy for ADP Workforce Now

Kessler’s talk wasn’t just about the theory behind employee engagement—it also highlighted practical tools to implement and track the success of gratitude-driven initiatives. One such tool is the Snappy integration with ADP Workforce Now. This technology streamlines the process of managing gifting campaigns, ensuring HR teams can automate and scale recognition efforts without sacrificing the personal touch.

The Snappy-ADP integration allows HR leaders to:

• Automate gifting campaigns that align with employee preferences and company values.
• Sync employee data effortlessly and securely between systems, ensuring gift recipients are always up to date.
• Track engagement and measure the ROI of gratitude-based initiatives.

The Surprising Impact of Gratitude: The Cost of Neglecting Recognition

One of the most eye-opening aspects of Kessler’s session was the cost of ignoring recognition. He pointed out that 42% of employees report lower productivity when they don’t feel appreciated. Even more concerning, one in three workers (30%) report that feeling invisible or undervalued is a key reason they lose motivation and disengage from their role.

Organizations that neglect recognition risk creating a toxic work culture that leads to high turnover and diminished morale. In fact, employees who feel unappreciated are 10 times more likely to disengage and leave a company.

Motivation Fuels Innovation: The Key to Creating High-Impact Engagement

Kessler also shared some insightful data on how recognition directly correlates with innovation. When employees are motivated:

• 34% engage more deeply with customers and clients.
• 30% become more creative and innovative.
• 17% are more likely to take on new projects.
• 16% are more willing to collaborate with colleagues.

These motivated employees drive the business forward, creating stronger customer relationships, better ideas, and, ultimately, improved business outcomes.

Key Takeaways: Building a Recognition Strategy for Long-Term Success

Kessler’s session left attendees with practical takeaways for crafting a robust recognition strategy. Here’s what HR leaders can do to create a culture of gratitude in their own organizations:

1. Strategy Over Tactics: Recognize that employee engagement isn’t about sending a one-time gift. It’s about building a strategic program that reinforces company values and resonates with employees.
2. Personalized Recognition: Tailor your recognition efforts to align with individual preferences and employee milestones.
3. Embrace Technology: Leverage tools like Snappy for ADP Workforce Now to automate and measure the success of recognition campaigns.
4. Consistency is Key: Build a culture of recognition by making appreciation a year-round effort, not just a one-off event.
5. Measure & Iterate: Track employee satisfaction, retention rates, and participation in recognition programs to continuously improve your approach.

Matt Kessler’s session at the 2025 ADP Meeting of the Minds left HR leaders with a clear message: Recognition is not just about sending gifts; it’s about creating a strategy that boosts engagement, retention, and drives innovation that fuels a businesses bottom line. By fostering a culture of gratitude, organizations can unlock a measurable ROI that positively impacts their financial health.

Motivation leads to innovation, and innovation leads to business success.

If you’re ready to transform your employee recognition programs and demonstrate their impact to your organization’s leadership, start by making gratitude a central part of your strategy.