Delta Air Lines: Strengthening Connection with Recognition

Delta connects people to opportunities, both in the air and on the ground, creating a more connected world for their millions of customers. They do the same for their over 100,000 employees with recognition.  

Situation

Delta wanted to help employees feel connected to their company mantra of Never Stop Climbing.

“Recognition is part of what Delta Air Lines does. It is part of the fabric of our culture and part of our DNA. Delta’s culture is to ensure employees feel loved, respected, heard, seen, and recognized.”
—Charles White, Managing Director of Compensation, Recognition, & Mobility

The airline partnered with O.C. Tanner to create Unstoppable Together.

Watch Delta describe what makes their partnership unique with O.C. Tanner:

Solution

Unstoppable Together, through Culture Cloud®, empowers Delta leaders and employees to recognize one another with points, eCards, Group Point Deposits, and custom awards. Special Initiatives honor divisional and team achievements.

“O.C. Tanner has helped with the strategy of how to do recognition, and also the tactics available. We have so much mobility with the Culture Cloud mobile app, plug-in into Outlook, and all the ways to make it easy for leaders and peers to recognize one another,” says White. They also recognize employee service anniversaries, or Deltaversaries, with a custom pin, gift selection, and Yearbook™.

Delta’s best practices for success:

1. Individual divisions are represented and given flexibility and autonomy.

Delta engages with them monthly to customize recognition and make it more personalized for their employees.

“We have a tremendous partnership with O.C. Tanner because their team really helps us with listening, strategy, and allows our divisional contacts to reach out to them personally for support and to build that relationship.”
—Charles White, Managing Director of Compensation, Recognition, & Mobility

2. Delta celebrates in big and small ways throughout the employee experience.

Hear how Culture Cloud helps Delta recognize every moment:

For their 100^th company anniversary, they held large-scale events and used Group Deposits to give every employee points to redeem for exclusive company swag. A commemorative keychain and other custom awards build an emotional connection to Delta.

“We know when you have an emotional connection to the place that you work, and you enjoy the place that you work, it fosters more retention, productivity, etc. So we really made sure recognition was given throughout the Centennial,” says White.

“O.C. Tanner knows our brand and our culture so well that no matter who from Delta reaches out to them, they understand what we do and how we do it.”
—Nicole Bell, Director of Global Employee Engagement

3. Recognition starts from the top.

When their CEO hears of employees going above and beyond for one another or a customer, he personally ensures they are recognized (and does so at every event he attends). But he also sets the expectation for all leaders to use Unstoppable Together to recognize, as he often uses the platform to give recognition.

4. Delta leverages recognition champions, or Ambassadors.

‍When employees achieve recognition in the Chairman’s Club (recognizing the best of the best at Delta), they become a Delta Ambassador. These employees represent Delta, helping employees write great recognition nominations, promoting Unstoppable Together, or planning the next Chairman’s Club gala. “They are the core of who Delta really is, and they continue to give back and help others achieve the same milestone,” says Bell.

“It is recognition with purpose—it is inspiring, energetic, and creates a movement that comes through Delta. It shows we belong and at the center of it is caring for our communities, customers, and one another,” says Jeanie Brady, Flight Attendant and Ambassador.

Results

“These results are the outcomes of recognition, which is part of our core. Delta listens, acts, and keeps listening, and we will never stop climbing,” explains Bell.

“Recognizing the flight attendants who took care of our customers, or the gate agent who is hustling to get a flight out early, or the medical team who has helped, or the captain who has kept us safe, is easy on the platforms O.C. Tanner gives us. Recognition is inspiring, motivational, and energizing. What O.C. Tanner and our leaders do for us gives us the opportunity to keep climbing.”
—Jeanie Brady, Flight Attendant and Culture Champion

See Charles White describe the ROI they've seen from Unstoppable Together: