In a time when organizations increasingly ask themselves how to retain engaged and motivated employees, timely recognition becomes one of the key elements of a strong organizational culture. In agile IT environments, where contributions happen quickly and often outside formal evaluation cycles, classic reward models are no longer enough.
It is precisely from this context that the Spotlight Rewards practice emerged at DECODE – a financial recognition model that enables rewarding excptional contributions the moment they occur. This practice was recognized as the third-best regional HR practice in the small company category at the HR Days conference in 2025, further confirming its relevance beyond the organization's borders.
We spoke with Rea Barabaš, Head of People & Culture at DECODE, about how Spotlight Rewards came to be, its impact on the culture of recognition and employee motivation, and the key lessons learned from the implementation process.
The Spotlight Rewards practice was recognized as the third-best regional HR practice in the small company category. What prompted you to create it, and what is its core?
Spotlight Rewards was born out of a very concrete need; we wanted to reward the exceptional contributions of individuals at the moment they happen, in a financially meaningful, simple, and transparent way. At DECODE, we conduct formal review cycles twice a year, which include development plans and financial rewards, but in an agile IT environment, it often happens that key contributions occur outside those frameworks.
We recognized that waiting for formal assessments can diminish the value of such contributions, even though they have a powerful impact on the team or the client. That is why we introduced a practice that enables timely and concrete financial recognition, without delay.
One of the important goals was also to empower team leads. Through Spotlight Rewards, they received a tool and a predefined budget with which they can immediately reward team members for a recognized extra mile, according to clearly defined criteria. In this way, we encourage behaviors aligned with our values and reward exceptional engagement and concrete contributions – right when they actually happen.
How do you perceive this recognition, and what does it mean for your team and the organization as a whole?
Although we see the greatest value of the Spotlight Rewards practice within the organization itself and through our employees' reactions, this recognition means a great deal to us. It is a confirmation that what we do makes sense even outside our internal context.
Today, DECODE has about 80 employees, but we still nurture the agility and closeness of small teams, which allows us to quickly recognize and reward the contribution of every individual. For the second time, we have the opportunity to present our HR practices at a regional level, which we see as proof that we deal with people systematically and thoughtfully, aiming to create an environment where employees can develop and feel truly recognized.
Financial rewarding is often a challenge. How did you approach that aspect of the practice?
Financial topics are always challenging, but when we decided to introduce Spotlight Rewards, the first step was to define an annual budget and ensure it is planned in advance for the entire year, based on experiences from the previous period. This ensured financial sustainability and predictability.
We defined fixed reward amounts and allocated a budget to team leads for their teams, with a clear message that rewards should be selective and earned. The goal is not for everyone to be rewarded, but to recognize those who truly stand out with their contribution.
In doing so, it was extremely important to us that the system be transparent and fair – all team leads know the criteria, amounts, and the allocation method, which avoids subjective dilemmas. This approach is not just a financial solution; it strongly supports a culture of recognition and gives managers a concrete tool for the rapid recognition of excellence.
How did the employees react to Spotlight Rewards? Have you noticed changes in culture or collaboration?
Employee reactions were exceptionally positive. Spotlight Rewards is actively used, and it is clear that employees value it. We have noticed increased motivation and satisfaction among both team members and team leads.
During implementation, the collaboration between HR and team leads was further strengthened, which is a very important shift for the overall organizational culture. Spotlight Rewards has proven to be not just a reward, but a catalyst for strengthening a culture of recognition, motivation, and mutual support.
Also, the practice has encouraged more frequent positive feedback among employees, and praise is increasingly shared via our internal channel. Since the rewards are directly linked to organizational values, Spotlight Rewards helps reinforce desired behaviors and strengthens the feeling that effort is visible and appreciated immediately.
Have there been changes to the project since the presentation at the HR Days conference, and do you plan further development?
The structure of the project has not changed so far, but there are plans to expand the possibility of awarding prizes to project managers, as well as further refining the award criteria.
Since the implementation of the Spotlight Rewards practice, a total of 34 awards have been presented, which clearly shows that the practice is actively used and has real value in everyday work. Further development is focused on sustainability and scalability, while maintaining simplicity, transparency, and fairness.
Finally, what advice would you give to other HR teams looking to develop a similar practice?
My main advice is – keep it simple. Set clear and transparent rules, define what is being rewarded and why, and link the practice to organizational values. It is also important that all teams have equal opportunities.
Team leads play a key role; they must be empowered and motivated to recognize the extraordinary contributions of their people. The biggest challenge for us was naturally integrating the practice into everyday work so that it doesn't just become "another process."
The most valuable lessons we learned are that timely recognition is more effective than retroactive recognition, that simplicity wins over complexity, and that Spotlight Rewards has a far broader impact than just the financial reward itself – it strengthens the feedback culture, motivation, and contributes to employee engagement and satisfaction in the long run.
