easiest - r click the desktop, refresh
next easiest - restart windows 8 (not suspend or save a virtual session)
no reload needed, just r click the desktop, new shortcut and navigate to program's executable.
[i assume you are logged on as the same person who installed those programs?
although you have to do a little work to get most programs to only install for "current user..."]
oops - this fixes what the icon displays
or, r click each icon in turn and "change icon" and simply choose the program's main executable as the target, choose an icon that's then displayed.