When the management thinks about employee recognition, the first thing that comes to mind is not the psychology behind employee recognition. You might be tempted to think about the mechanics of employee recognition, like how often, the reason for recognition, and the rewards that should be offered.
Good understanding of what drives employee motivation is at the heart of leadership and management. I like the description of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and the connection to employee recognition. Most of my clients have minimal or almost non-existent employee non-monetary reward and recognition systems.