Webinar

Getting to Good: Making Performance Reviews & Recognition Work for You

Recorded August 14th, 2025

About this Webinar

Explore what works—and what doesn’t—when performance reviews, continuous feedback, and employee recognition come together.

Why does the relationship between performance and recognition even matter?

Too many organizations still treat recognition and performance as separate worlds. Recognition can feel informal, while performance reviews feel high-stakes. This session brings together experts and practitioners who share practical ways to align both, motivate teams, and improve outcomes.

Topics Discussed

The Good: When performance & recognition work together

Recognition that reinforces goals and values
Performance conversations that celebrate as well as correct
Real-world stories of integrated systems that drive results
Data linking recognition to improved performance outcomes

The Bad: When they're siloed or misused

Praise that feels fluffy or unrelated to goals
Reviews that feel punitive, vague, or too infrequent
Systems that look good on paper but fall flat with teams

The Pointless: When performance tools undermine recognition

Stack ranking and gamified tools that destroy trust
Managers hoarding praise instead of sharing it
Employees surprised by their reviews—and not in a good way

The Fix: How to build a healthy, integrated feedback culture

Daily rituals that make recognition part of the flow of work
Performance systems designed for conversation, not scoring
Tools that reinforce trust, alignment, and autonomy

Hosts

Kim Minnick

Founder, Code Traveller & Head of Member Experience, Fractional People People

Kim Minnick is a fractional People Ops leader and founder of Coach Traveller HR, known for her candid, culture-first approach to modern HR. With a background in startups and a strong voice on LinkedIn, she challenges outdated practices and embraces agile, feedback-driven methods that align with real team dynamics. Kim blends humor, heart, and strategy—sharing insights on performance, engagement, and boundary-setting while helping organizations build workplaces where people can genuinely thrive.

Rachel Kleban

VP of People, OpenPhone & Founder of LevelUp

Rachel Kleban is a seasoned HR leader with over 20 years of experience, currently serving as VP of People at OpenPhone and founder of LevelUp, a startup focused on helping early—stage companies build transparent leveling frameworks. She's successfully scaled people operations at high—growth tech organizations like Airbnb and VSCO, with a deep passion for designing equitable systems around pay, performance, and promotions. Known for her strategic leadership and culture-first mindset, Rachel champions clarity, simplicity, and transparency in everything from engagement surveys to performance calibrations—making workplaces more fair and people-centered.

Una Japundza

Chief Revenue Officer, HeyTaco

Una helps companies turn peer recognition into a daily habit that fuels culture and connection. She believes recognition and gratitude are essential tools for building teams people love to be part of.

Matthew Meadows

Founder, WorkStory

Matthew is passionate about helping organizations streamline their feedback and performance review processes. His journey has been rooted in a belief that effective feedback, when continuous and purposeful, is the key to unlocking growth, improving culture, and empowering teams.