About Derek
Who is Derek Irvine?
Derek Irvine is a distinguished expert in employee recognition, engagement, and continuous performance management, currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Client Strategy and Consulting at Workhuman. He is dedicated to transforming workplaces by advocating for more human-centric approaches, where gratitude and appreciation are integral to driving business success. Irvine’s work focuses on guiding organizations to redefine their employee recognition strategies, moving beyond tactical efforts to create impactful initiatives that foster energized workforces, positive company cultures, and enhanced productivity.
His expertise is sought by numerous global companies, which he consults to help them leverage recognition strategies for improved employee engagement, retention, and overall business performance. Irvine is also recognized as an expert faculty member at the Best Practice Institute (BPI), contributing his insights to a broader audience of professionals and leaders.
What is Derek Irvine known for?
Derek Irvine is primarily known for his profound contributions to the field of employee recognition and engagement. He has been instrumental in repositioning employee recognition from a peripheral HR function to a strategic imperative. Through his leadership at Workhuman (formerly Globoforce), he has championed the integration of social recognition and continuous performance management platforms to humanize the work experience.
As a prolific author, Irvine co-authored influential books such as "Winning with a Culture of Recognition" and "The Power of Thanks: How Social Recognition Empowers Employees and Creates a Best Place to Work." More recently, he co-authored "Making Work Human," further solidifying his thought leadership in creating workplaces where employees feel valued and connected. His insights are frequently featured in prominent HR publications, and he is a regular speaker at industry events.
Irvine's work underscores the transformative power of recognition, demonstrating its ability to significantly reduce turnover, inspire double-digit improvements in employee engagement and productivity, and positively influence pay equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives.
What is Derek Irvine's background and experience?
With over 20 years dedicated to the "Thank You" business, Derek Irvine has a rich background that informs his strategic approach to human resources and organizational development. His extensive experience includes leveraging his diverse business acumen to help organizations like Globoforce and Workhuman innovate their employee recognition frameworks.
In his role as Senior Vice President of Client Strategy and Consulting at Workhuman, Irvine applies proven strategies and best practices to assist clients in elevating employee engagement, increasing retention, and improving bottom-line results. His work is deeply rooted in the understanding that employee feedback should be constructive and positive, rather than weaponized, to foster a truly supportive work environment.
Irvine’s career has been characterized by a commitment to helping companies build cultures where individuals can bring their authentic selves to work, promoting a shift from governance and control-based management to a more human-centric leadership style.
What topics does Derek Irvine speak and write about?
Derek Irvine is a sought-after speaker and author on a wide array of topics centered around making work more human. His discussions and writings frequently cover:
- The Power of Recognition: Emphasizing how strategic recognition programs can significantly impact business metrics such as productivity, engagement, and employee retention.
- Employee Engagement: Strategies for cultivating highly engaged workforces through appreciation and meaningful connections.
- Continuous Performance Management: Moving beyond traditional, often flawed, performance review systems to adopt continuous feedback and recognition models.
- Workplace Culture Transformation: Guiding organizations in building cultures that prioritize gratitude, values, diversity, inclusion, and a shared sense of purpose.
- Humanizing Work: Exploring how companies can create environments where employees feel valued, heard, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work.
- The Future of Work: Discussing how evolving work realities, including hybrid and remote models, necessitate adaptive and empathetic recognition strategies.
He has shared his expertise in podcast interviews, including "Making Work More Human" on Bright Arrow Coaching, and provided exclusive insights on adapting recognition to new work realities with Unleash.ai.
How does Derek Irvine contribute to the Best Practice Institute?
As an expert faculty member at the Best Practice Institute (BPI), Derek Irvine shares his extensive knowledge and experience in employee recognition and engagement with BPI's global community. His contributions enhance BPI's mission to provide best practices and thought leadership in critical areas of human capital and organizational development.
Irvine has presented at BPI events, including webinars such as "The Power of Global Strategic Recognition," where he addressed the challenge companies face in developing cost-effective strategies to motivate their workforce. Through his involvement, he helps BPI members and audiences understand how to elevate employee recognition from a tactical effort to a truly strategic initiative that re-energizes workforces, reshapes company cultures, boosts productivity, and positively impacts the bottom line.