Five Star Bank: Powering culture through everyday recognition 

At Five Star Bank, people are the foundation of success. Their leaders know that when employees feel engaged and recognized, they deliver exceptional service to the communities they support.

The impact of recognition

After transitioning from its previous vendor to Achievers, Five Star Bank set out to create a culture where recognition fuels engagement and connection. The goal was simple: Make it easy for every employee to share appreciation and tie recognition to the company’s core values.

Within a short time, teams across the bank were actively recognizing one another — from frontline employees supporting customers to corporate staff driving operations behind the scenes. The platform made gratitude visible, accessible, and contagious.

Results that matter

What started as a culture shift has now grown into measurable, lasting impact across Five Star Bank:

1. Recognition is now part of daily life, strengthening relationships and creating a lasting sense of pride across teams.
2. 93% activation rate achieved after launch, supported by creative monthly campaigns that encourage participation.
3. Recognition usage more than doubled — from 413 to over 925 in just a year — showing how deeply appreciation is embedded in the culture.

Proving the power of recognition

Five Star Bank’s recognition program has evolved from a values-based initiative into a measurable driver of engagement and retention. Leaders now regularly review analytics from Achievers, connecting recognition data to turnover and engagement scores to understand its full cultural impact.

Watch the Five Star Bank customer story video to see how their recognition program is driving measurable impact — strengthening engagement, retention, and a culture where employees feel truly valued.