Introduction: why this action matters for adoption
Training does not create adoption by itself. A change becomes real when people apply new skills in their actual workflow, keep using them under pressure, and stop reverting to old habits. Prosci’s ADKAR model treats Reinforcement as a distinct outcome after Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, and Ability because sustained change requires support after people first demonstrate the new behavior [Prosci, 2026]. (prosci.com)
Recognition and rewards matter because they signal what the organization truly values. Kotter’s change framework similarly emphasizes generating, recognizing, and communicating wins, then connecting new behaviors to organizational success until they are strong enough to replace old ways of working [Kotter]. (kotterinc.com)
What this action is and when to use it
This action is a reinforcement intervention, not a celebration campaign. It uses timely, specific recognition, manager prompts, performance conversations, repeated practice, and appropriate rewards to strengthen the skills and behaviors required by the change.
Use it when impacted people have received training or coaching and are expected to apply new skills. It is especially useful after pilot launches, go-live, stabilization, process redesign, system adoption, role changes, or behavior-based culture shifts. It can also be used before go-live to recognize practice completion and readiness, but it is most powerful once managers can observe real application.
The focus should be on demonstrated behavior: using the new process correctly, coaching peers, making better decisions with new data, following a new safety protocol, or leading team huddles in the new way. CIPD’s evidence review advises that recognition and incentives should be linked clearly and consistently to performance and administered fairly [CIPD, 2022]. (cipd.org)
Preparation: inputs, stakeholders, materials, timing, and decisions needed
Before facilitating recognition, define the few behaviors that prove adoption. Translate the change into observable examples: “enters customer notes in the new CRM during the call,” “uses the new escalation criteria,” or “runs the weekly team review using the new dashboard.”
You will need input from the sponsor, HR or people team, impacted managers, training leads, process owners, and change champions. Confirm what rewards are allowed, what recognition channels are culturally appropriate, and how to avoid favoritism. CIPD notes that performance management includes setting objectives, feedback, development, reward, recognition, and career progression, which makes existing performance routines useful reinforcement channels [CIPD, 2025]. (cipd.org)
Timing should be close to the behavior. Public-sector HR guidance from Washington State DES describes effective recognition as simple, immediate, regular, and varied, while also noting that some employees prefer private recognition [Washington DES]. (des.wa.gov)
Step-by-step facilitation guide
Define the adoption signal. Name the skill, the behavior, and the benefit. For example: “Managers use the new coaching checklist in one-to-ones so quality issues are resolved earlier.”
Set recognition criteria. Decide what counts as successful application, what evidence is needed, who can nominate, and how equity will be checked. Avoid rewarding only visible “heroes” while ignoring quiet, consistent adoption.
Equip managers. Give managers a short prompt: observe the behavior, name it specifically, connect it to the change outcome, and ask what support is needed next. Research on training transfer suggests that supervisor support is more useful when it includes practice opportunities, reminders, feedback, and reinforcement [Govaerts & Dochy, 2014]. (sciencedirect.com)
Gather examples from the work. Use system data, quality checks, huddle notes, customer feedback, peer nominations, and champion observations. Verify examples before sharing.
Recognize quickly and specifically. Say what the person did, why it mattered, and what outcome it helped create. Recognition can be verbal praise, a team shout-out, a note from the sponsor, a development opportunity, a small spot award, or inclusion in a lessons-learned story.
Reward managers for reinforcement too. Middle managers and supervisors often carry the behavior change. Recognize managers who coach consistently, remove barriers, and create practice opportunities, not just those whose teams hit outcome targets.
Pair recognition with continued practice. Reinforcement should not end with applause. Assign stretch tasks, peer coaching roles, refresher practice, or after-action reviews so the skill becomes routine. A meta-analysis found that peer, supervisor, and organizational support are positively associated with training transfer and sustainment [Hughes et al., 2020]. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Review and adjust. Look for groups receiving little recognition, teams with low adoption, or rewards that unintentionally encourage shortcuts. Adjust criteria, manager prompts, or support mechanisms.
Example: how this could be applied in a real change initiative
A service organization launches a new case management platform. After training, adoption data shows that employees log in, but many still track exceptions in spreadsheets. The change manager works with operations leaders to define three adoption behaviors: logging case notes in the platform, using the new escalation workflow, and closing cases with the new quality checklist.
For two weeks after go-live, supervisors receive a weekly prompt asking them to observe one behavior and recognize one employee in a team huddle. The sponsor sends a Friday message naming two teams that used the escalation workflow to reduce rework. Managers who run effective practice sessions are also recognized in the leadership meeting. Employees who still rely on spreadsheets receive private coaching and extra practice rather than public criticism.
Roles and responsibilities
Role | Responsibility |
Change manager | Designs the reinforcement approach, defines adoption behaviors, equips managers, tracks patterns, and adjusts the intervention. |
Sponsor | Publicly connects recognized behaviors to business outcomes and reinforces that the change remains a priority. |
Middle managers and supervisors | Observe behavior, provide feedback, create practice opportunities, recognize progress, and escalate barriers. |
HR or people team | Advises on fairness, reward policy, performance processes, and inclusion risks. |
Change champions or super users | Spot examples, support peers, and provide informal feedback on whether reinforcement feels credible. |
Employees | Practice the new skills, ask for support, share lessons, and recognize peers where appropriate. |
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is recognizing attendance at training instead of application in the workflow. Another is using generic praise such as “great job” without naming the new behavior. Avoid rewarding workarounds that create short-term results but undermine the future state. Do not make recognition a popularity contest, and do not assume everyone wants public praise. Finally, do not stop after go-live; reinforcement is needed until the new behavior becomes normal [Prosci, 2026]. (prosci.com)
Measures of success or adoption indicators
Measure whether recognition is changing behavior, not just whether recognition happened. Useful indicators include frequency of target behaviors, quality or error rates, system usage, completion of practice activities, manager coaching conversations, employee confidence, reduction in workarounds, and achievement of change benefits. Also monitor equity: which teams, roles, shifts, locations, and demographic groups are being recognized.
Gallup and Workhuman’s longitudinal research found that well-recognized employees were 45% less likely to have changed organizations two years later, which suggests recognition can support retention when done well; however, use this as directional evidence rather than a guaranteed effect size for every change initiative [Gallup, 2024]. (gallup.com)
Checklist for the change manager
Have we defined the specific skills and behaviors to reinforce?
Have we agreed what evidence shows successful application?
Are recognition criteria fair, transparent, and linked to change outcomes?
Have managers received prompts, examples, and language they can use?
Are we recognizing both employees and managers?
Are rewards appropriate, policy-compliant, and meaningful to recipients?
Are we measuring adoption, quality, confidence, and workarounds?
Are we adjusting reinforcement for resistant groups, late adopters, and high-pressure periods?
Have we transferred ongoing ownership to operational leaders?
Optional reusable recognition script
“Thank you for [specific behavior] during [specific situation]. That matters because [link to change outcome or benefit]. It shows the new way of working in practice. What helped you do this, and what would make it easier for others to repeat?”
For a manager: “I want to recognize how you helped your team apply [new skill] by [coaching/practice/barrier removal]. That is exactly the reinforcement we need for this change to stick.”
References
Prosci. “It’s ADKAR, Not ADKA Because Reinforcement is Critical to Change.” Updated June 3, 2026. https://www.prosci.com/blog/its-adkar-not-adka-the-value-of-reinforcement
Kotter. “The 8 Steps for Leading Change.” No publication date shown. https://www.kotterinc.com/methodology/8-steps/
CIPD. “Effective performance management: Guide for HR professionals.” January 28, 2025. https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/guides/effective-performance-management/
CIPD. “Incentives and recognition: An evidence review.” January 26, 2022. https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/evidence-reviews/evidence-financial-incentives/
Gallup. “Employee Retention Depends on Getting Recognition Right.” September 18, 2024. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/650174/employee-retention-depends-getting-recognition-right.aspx
Hughes, A. M., Zajac, S., Woods, A. L., & Salas, E. “The Role of Work Environment in Training Sustainment: A Meta-Analysis.” Human Factors, 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31136198/
Govaerts, N., & Dochy, F. “Disentangling the role of the supervisor in transfer of training.” Educational Research Review, 2014. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1747938X1400013X
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services. “Recognition.” No publication date shown. https://des.wa.gov/services/small-agency-support/human-resources/supervisor-toolkit/recognition