Sakata Seed America: Growing Excitement for Employee Recognition

Sakata Seed America is a major agricultural company that researches, breeds, produces, and distributes vegetable and flower seeds for commercial growers and home gardeners across North and Central America. The Sakata brand has over 110 years of history and Sakata Seed America employs hundreds of workers across the North America region.

Sakata was using a different platform to recognize employee’s work anniversaries, but it wasn’t exciting employees:

• User experiences were inconsistent.
• Reward options were limited.
• Platform support was ineffective.

Following a two-year relocation project and rapid company growth, the brand was looking for a way to:

• Improve employee engagement
• Build a connection between employees and the company mission
• Make employees want to extend their tenure

As a result, Sakata launched a search for a new partner for employee recognition. Key elements of the search included:

• A robust variety of available items.
• A platform that would enable social recognition. (i.e., employees celebrating other employees.)
• Versatility and scalibility
• Efficient and timely customer service support

At the end of the search, Sakata decided to partner with Terryberry. They chose Terryberry for its:

• User-friendly platform for both administrators and employees
• Large catalog
• Exceptional customer service support—including product knowledge
• Expertise, advice, and support for program launch, customisation, ongoing engagement

When Sakata selected Terryberry as its vendor, the decision came with more than just a platform—the brand got support on the first step towards an employee engagement programme

Highlights of the rollout include:

• More meaningful employee recognition and celebration
  • Previously, employees had just gotten pins. Now—in addition to points they can redeem for a wide variety of gifts, experiences, and charitable donation options—they also receive presentation-suitable recognition statues they display at desks.
• A communicative and responsive customer support partner
• Employees are excited to receive their recognition and have praised the improved experience

Sakata is now working with their employees to listen and determine what they like and where they can improve. The Terryberry platform has been so well-received, the brand is actively working on taking the next step to expand into peer-to-peer social recognition and incentive programs that would incorporate points.