Who Are Workhuman?

Viewpoint Views
13 hours ago
4 min read

Employee experience is now one of the most critical levers for retaining talent, improving performance, and creating resilient organizations. Recognition is no longer a “nice-to-have” perk - it’s a strategic necessity. One company that has been pioneering this space for more than two decades is Workhuman. In this blog, we’ll explore who they are, what they offer, how they help businesses unlock value from recognition, what alternatives exist, and how Viewpoint Analysis can support you in making the right choice.

Who are Workhuman?

Workhuman, originally founded as Globoforce in 1999 in Dublin, Ireland, has evolved into one of the leading global providers of employee recognition solutions. The company is co-headquartered in Dublin and Framingham, Massachusetts, and serves organizations across more than 180 countries. In 2019, the rebrand to Workhuman reflected a shift towards a broader mission: building more human-centered workplaces.

At its core, Workhuman provides software designed to strengthen company culture, improve engagement, and help businesses put people at the center of their strategy. With over 30 languages supported and a global reach, the platform is built for large enterprises that want to scale recognition across diverse and dispersed workforces.

What do Workhuman do?

Workhuman’s platform is best known for its Social Recognition capabilities. Employees and managers alike can recognize contributions, celebrate milestones, and mark personal or professional life events. What makes the platform stand out is the thoughtfulness of its global design: recognition can be localized to each region, yet remains visible across the enterprise to reinforce shared values and cultural cohesion.

Another distinctive feature is Human Intelligence™, an AI-powered assistant that helps employees craft recognition messages in more meaningful ways. Rather than automating sentiment, the tool enhances authenticity by suggesting language that deepens appreciation and strengthens emotional impact. For leaders, Human Intelligence also provides a layer of analytics, helping them identify high performers, cultural influencers, and emerging leaders within their teams.

The analytics and reporting capabilities are a key differentiator. Recognition activity doesn’t just generate goodwill; it generates insight. By analyzing who is recognized, how frequently, and for what kinds of contributions, organizations can link recognition to retention, engagement, and even productivity outcomes.

Finally, Workhuman’s global rewards marketplace offers employees a wide variety of choices, from merchandise to experiences, ensuring recognition feels personal. With more than 100 million moments of recognition shared through the platform, the company has established itself as one of the most widely used recognition providers globally.

How can Workhuman help your business?

For large organizations struggling with retention, Workhuman provides more than just a feel-good initiative. Studies have shown that recognition is directly tied to turnover reduction, and Workhuman has published cases where enterprises saved millions in attrition costs by embedding recognition deeply into their culture.

Beyond cost savings, the platform supports leadership development by shining a light on who is driving culture through recognition. For instance, managers can see not only who is achieving business results, but also who is recognized as collaborative, supportive, or innovative—giving a fuller picture of employee impact.

For businesses operating globally, Workhuman’s localization capabilities mean recognition doesn’t become another “headquarters-driven” initiative that falls flat overseas. Employees in Asia, Europe, or South America can celebrate in ways that feel natural, while still being connected to a shared global culture.

Perhaps most importantly, Workhuman blends technology with humanity. By supporting employees to express gratitude more richly—rather than automating recognition—the platform amplifies connection at a time when distributed and hybrid work has often eroded it.

What are the alternatives to Workhuman?

While Workhuman is a great choice, there are several other vendors worth considering depending on your needs and scale.

In the employee recognition and engagement category, platforms like Bonusly, Achievers, and Matter provide strong alternatives. Bonusly offers a highly social, feed-based approach, while Achievers is well-known for its large global rewards catalog. Matter integrates recognition seamlessly into collaboration tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, making it a good fit for digital-first workplaces.

For organizations with a more rewards-focused strategy, solutions such as Awardco and Nectar HR provide straightforward, points-based recognition with strong fulfillment capabilities through Amazon Business.

For businesses seeking lighter-weight or frontline-friendly tools, options like Guusto and Motivosity may appeal. These platforms prioritize simplicity and inclusivity, offering gift cards, donations, or prepaid card-based recognition that can be easily adopted by smaller teams or non-office workers.

The right fit depends on your organizational priorities: whether you’re looking for global reach and analytics, simple peer-to-peer kudos, or a broad reward marketplace.

Summary

Workhuman has established itself as a pioneer in transforming recognition from a simple perk into a driver of measurable business outcomes. With global reach, AI-enhanced tools, and deep analytics, it is particularly well-suited for large enterprises looking to build inclusive, human-centered cultures at scale.

Take a look at Workhuman and let us know what you think!

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How can Viewpoint Analysis help?

At Viewpoint Analysis, we specialize in helping organizations cut through the noise and find the right vendor fit. Our Find & Select services include:

Technology Matchmaker – Compare vendors like Workhuman and its competitors directly against your requirements.
Rapid RFI – Quickly gather key information from vendors to understand their capabilities.
Rapid RFP – Run a focused RFP process to narrow your shortlist efficiently.
30-Day Technology Selection Process – A proven four-step journey (Define → Evaluate → Shortlist → Decide) that takes you from requirements to decision with confidence.