SWAG- South West Airlines Gratitude SYSTEM
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"Southwest Airlines headquartered in Texas, demonstrates the successful implementation of peer recognition through its innovative SWAG (Southwest Airlines Gratitude) program, launched in 2018. As one of the largest low-cost carriers in the United States, Southwest Airlines operates with over 76,000 employees (referred to as "Co-hearts") across more than 120 destinations. The Airline has long prioritized its people-first culture and has integrated peer recognition into its various touchpoints of the employee journey.
The SWAG program empowers employees to recognize and thank each other both informally and formally. Employees can send recognition through a mobile app or physical cards, often accompanied by points redeemable for merchandise, gift cards, or other experiences. Additionally, new hires are introduced to this culture from day one through onboarding experiences that include red-carpet welcomes and personalized gifts.
The results of Southwest's peer recognition strategy are remarkable. By Q3 2023, the SWAG platform had achieved 97% engagement among employees, and the organization has facilitated over 359,000 recognition moments highlighting the effectiveness of peer recognition for purposeful work at Southwest. "
(YouTube, 2025)
THE REVIEW
Employee recognition is a key stakeholder in establishing a fulfilling culture among employees in any industry. A fulfilling culture refers to an organizational environment in which employees experience a strong sense of purpose, belonging, and satisfaction through their work and workplace relationships. (Schein, 2017; Kets de Vries, 2019) Airline industry is one industry among many to which has the capacity to grow intensely in the presence of an above-mentioned culture. However, the employee recognition needs to be implemented in justice and consistently in order to avoid unnecessary conflicts at workplace. If this managed properly this type of simple peer recognitions may result bigger investments to any industry.
In the mentioned SWAG system peers are recognized in a consistent manner by introducing them this gratitude program once a new recruit is welcomed to Southwest Airline culture. However, the fact that it is recognized on what basis remains a doubt since everyone shows gratitude to everything. According to Grant & Gino (2010) handling difficult situations, completing a smooth service, or receiving assistance are some of the stressful moments that one needs trust and cohesion with the team. If this becomes the norm for every industry it is better to identify instances where we feel highly stressed and needs to manage with strong cohesion and trust. Without such a strong base one can mishandle gratitude for organizational frauds, malfunctions etc. For example, one can show informal gratitude to saying Thanks for hiding misalignment with the policies or wrong fiscal transactions which might lead to build up strong informal groups. Consistency in gratitude measures need to be maintained because people are unique in behaviors and feelings. If one is treated and other is forgotten to treat for the same action employee dissatisfaction can easily emerged which may directly influence to work as well.
Therefore, when cultivating a peer recognition culture like SWAG a leader needs to check whether the employees are faithful to the organizational success. According to Meyer and Allen’s (1991) Three-Component Model of Commitment, affective commitment — an employee’s emotional attachment to and identification with the organization. A fulfilling culture evolved only when its people are faithful to an organization.
References
Harter, J.K., Schmidt, F.L. and Keyes, C.L.M. (2003) ‘Well-being in the workplace and its relationship to business outcomes: A review of the Gallup studies’, Flourishing: Positive Psychology and the Life Well-Lived, 2(1), pp. 205–224.
Grant, A.M. and Gino, F. (2010) ‘A little thanks goes a long way: Explaining why gratitude expressions motivate prosocial behavior’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(6), pp. 946–955.
Meyer, J.P. and Allen, N.J. (1991) ‘A three-component conceptualization of organizational commitment’, Human Resource Management Review, 1(1), pp. 61–89.
YouTube (2025) Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant Chokes Up Thanking Honor Flight Veterans [Online video], 17 May 2025. Available at: https://youtu.be/jKRO7Fa3kjk (Accessed: 9 November 2025).
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Southwest’s SWAG program clearly demonstrates how structured peer recognition can strengthen engagement, yet your review rightly highlights the risks of inconsistency and misplaced gratitude. Recognition must be tied to transparent criteria and organisational values to avoid informal alliances or unethical behaviour. Your point on affective commitment is crucial recognition drives culture only when employees are genuinely aligned with organisational goals. Overall, this analysis effectively balances the strengths of SWAG with important cautions for sustainable implementation.
ReplyDeleteYou explain the SWAG system in a clear and thoughtful way, and you show well how peer recognition supports culture, trust and commitment. I also like how you point out the need for fairness and consistency, which adds good balance to your review. One area to improve is the flow between your concerns and the theory section, as the shift feels a little sudden. A small transition there would make the structure smoother. Overall, you give a strong and meaningful look at how recognition can shape workplace culture.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an inspiring read! I love how South West Airlines has turned gratitude into a structured system with SWAG. Recognizing and appreciating employees consistently fosters engagement, strengthens culture, and motivates people to go the extra mile. Your blog really highlights how intentional appreciation programs can make a real difference in organizational morale and performance.
ReplyDeleteMeaningful post. South West SWAG program is a great program for how consistent recognition can change work place.This is a good example that program genuinely appreciate not only from leaders and managers but from same level staff.It reinforce the behaviours that makes organization success while improving moral.Overall this concept approach is for gratitude is not just feel good but build trust,loyalty among all level of employees.
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ReplyDeleteThe SWAG (Southwest Airlines Gratitude) System is an innovative approach to fostering a culture of appreciation and recognition within the organization. By encouraging employees and leaders to actively express gratitude, the system strengthens workplace relationships, boosts morale, and enhances overall engagement. Recognizing contributions, both big and small, creates a positive environment where employees feel valued and motivated to perform at their best. The SWAG system also reinforces company values and teamwork, promoting loyalty and collaboration. This model demonstrates how a structured gratitude initiative can improve organizational culture, employee satisfaction, and long-term business success.
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