General Motors: Driving global employee recognition

General Motors (GM) set out to shape the future of transportation with a bold vision: zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion. But to make that vision real, they needed more than innovation — they needed people working together, inspired by a shared purpose.

With over 160,000 employees across six continents, GM recognized that a strong culture — rooted in clear values and consistent behaviors — would be the key to progress.

In the General Motors customer story, you’ll learn how GM turned to employee recognition to ensure every achievement and action that supported their mission was seen and celebrated.

General Motors’ recognition program goals

After listening to employees, GM heard a clear need for more recognition, transparency, and personalized rewards. To unite their global workforce and reinforce company behaviors, they looked for a recognition and rewards (R&R) platform that would deliver a consistent, seamless experience for every employee.

To achieve these goals, GM focused on key objectives for their recognition program:

1. One global program and platform
2. Build strategic alignment to accelerate culture change
3. Drive employee engagement
4. Provide consistency and simplicity

Global teams require global solutions

GM needed more than a recognition platform — they needed a way to connect their global workforce. Through Achievers’ recognition platform, they were able to move the needle and effectively engage their teams through a culture of recognition and appreciation.

With 90% of employees using the platform monthly, sending between 60,000 and 80,000 recognitions monthly, recognition has become a daily habit — strengthening connections and reinforcing company values.

See how GM transformed recognition using Achievers

In 2017, GM launched its GM Recognition Program with Achievers, reaching 67,000 employees across 26 countries. Since then, engagement has soared, with recognition becoming a core part of GM’s culture.

Want to see how they did it? Watch the video or download the full General Motors customer story to discover the key strategies behind their success — and how you can build a recognition program that drives real impact.