While some Kaizen programs had a participation minimum requirement for participation, the majority depend on voluntary employee participation to generate continuous improvement ideas; however, organizations often struggle to sustain engagement over time. Although some studies have examined motivation and incentive systems in continuous improvement contexts, empirical evidence on how the winning of rewards impacts the actual Kaizen participation at the individual and team levels remains limited. This study investigates the impact of winning rewards on employee participation in a Kaizen program using a before-and-after research design. Drawing on organizational data, we analyze changes in Kaizen participation levels before and after awarding a reward. Unlike survey-based studies, this research relies on observed participation behavior, enabling a direct assessment of engagement responses to incentives. Results indicate a short-term participation lift at the team level (largest in the first month after recognition) and a modest, less persistent effect for individual winners. In addition, the awards were associated with an incremental 55 Kaizen submissions over a five-month span, supporting the financial feasibility of the incentive program based on historical time-savings estimates. The results provide insight into whether rewards effectively improve Kaizen participation and how participation patterns evolve following their awarding. By studying the impact of the awards, this study contributes to the literature on continuous improvement and employee motivation. The study findings also offer practical implications for managers and lean practitioners by providing data-backed insights on one of the factors most considered to improve the kaizen program.