The Employee Recognition and Shout-Outs system enables organizations to foster appreciation and positive culture by allowing team members to recognize each other's contributions.
The platform provides automated workflows for giving recognition, optional approval processes, and comprehensive analytics to track program engagement.
All employees can give and receive shout-outs through the system, while administrators and managers have access to setup, approval management, and analytics features. The system integrates with your company's core values and provides flexible visibility controls based on location and organizational structure.
For Administrators
Initial Setup
To set up the recognition system:
- Navigate to the Recognition section in your toolbar under the hub
- Click Setup to launch the configuration wizard
- Select Shout Outs as your recognition type
- Configure the following settings:
Contact Type Selection: Choose which contact type will use the system (typically employees)
Eligibility Settings: Determine who can give shout-outs - everyone or specific roles like managers only
Sharing Preferences: Decide if shout-outs should be shared in the activity feed and if recipients should receive text message notifications
Location Visibility: Configure what shout-outs each user sees when logging into the frontline engagement hub:
- All locations: Users see recognition across the entire organization
- Location-specific: Users only see shout-outs from their assigned location
Approval Workflow: Choose whether shout-outs require approval before being shared:
- No approval: Shout-outs are immediately sent and displayed
- Manual approval: All shout-outs require admin/manager review
- AI-assisted approval: Automated review with manual fallback for flagged content
AI Moderation Criteria (if enabled):
- Language screening for inappropriate or unsafe words
- Sentiment analysis to ensure positive and appreciative tone
- Relevance check to confirm recognition or thanks is expressed
- Photo submissions require manual review
Approval Authority: Set who can approve shout-outs:
- Admins only: Centralized approval process
- Managers: Location-specific approval by assigned managers
Core Values Integration: Add your company's values and behaviors that will be tagged in each shout-out
Admin Dashboard Management
After setup, access management features through the admin interface:
Setup Modifications: Click the setup button (top right) to modify any configuration settings at any time
Sharing Tools: Use the share button to generate QR codes and URLs for easy program promotion
Navigation Sections:
- Overview: Analytics and program health metrics
- Approvals: Pending, approved, and rejected shout-outs (if approval workflow enabled)
- Activity Feed: Complete view of all recognition activity
Analytics and Reporting
The Overview tab provides comprehensive program analytics with filtering options:
- Total shout-outs given and received
- Employee and manager participation rates
- Activity trends over time
- Recognition categorized by core values
- Location-based usage statistics
All analytics can be filtered by submitted date, sender, receiver, and core value.
Approval Management
When approval workflows are enabled:
Pending Review: Shout-outs awaiting approval appear in the pending queue
AI Moderation Results:
- Approved automatically: Positive sentiment, appropriate language, relevant content
- Flagged for review: Negative words, unclear sentiment, irrelevant content, or photo attachments
- AI never automatically rejects - only flags for manual review
Manual Actions: Approve, reject, or move shout-outs between status categories as needed
Rejection Notifications: Senders receive automatic text notifications when shout-outs are rejected, with instructions to contact their admin and resubmit if appropriate
Testing and Rollout
Phased Implementation: Select specific locations during setup to test the program before full deployment
Testing Controls: Delete test shout-outs directly from the activity feed using the three-dot menu (no need to process through approvals)
For Employees
Giving Shout-Outs
You can give recognition through multiple access points:
From Homepage: Click "Give a Shout Out" on the main frontline engagement hub
From Activity Feed: Access the full recognition feed and give shout-outs directly from that view
Recognition Process:
- Select one or multiple recipients from your available contact list
- Write your recognition message
- Choose the relevant company core value that applies
- Optionally add a photo to enhance the recognition
- Submit for processing (immediate or pending approval based on settings)
Receiving Recognition
Text Notifications: When you receive a shout-out (after approval if required), you'll get a text message containing:
- The recognition message and content
- Sender information
- Associated core value
- Optional photo if included
- Link to navigate back to the frontline engagement hub
Activity Feed Access: View all recognition through the carousel display on your homepage showing the 10 most recent shout-outs, or access the full activity feed for complete history
Visibility Settings
Your shout-out visibility depends on your location configuration:
- All Locations: See recognition across the entire organization
- Location-Specific: View only shout-outs from your assigned location
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I change the recognition settings after initial setup? A: Yes, administrators can modify all configuration settings at any time by clicking the setup button in the admin dashboard.
Q: What happens if AI moderation flags a shout-out?
A: The shout-out remains in pending status for manual review with a flag indicating the reason (inappropriate language, negative sentiment, irrelevant content, or photo attachment). AI moderation never automatically rejects content.
Q: Can I give recognition to multiple people at once?
A: Yes, you can select one or many recipients when submitting a shout-out.
Q: How do I know if my shout-out was approved?
A: If your shout-out is approved, the recipient(s) will receive text notifications and it will appear in the activity feed. If rejected, you'll receive a text notification that it wasn’t approved along with instructions to contact your admin.
Q: Can managers approve shout-outs for other locations?
A: Manager approval authority is typically location-specific. Administrators can approve recognition across all locations.
Q: Do I need to download an app to use the recognition system?
A: No app download is required. The system works through the frontline engagement hub and mobile browser.
Q: Can I delete a shout-out after submitting it?
A: Regular employees cannot delete submitted shout-outs. Contact your administrator if you need to modify or remove recognition you've submitted.
Q: How do core values get assigned to shout-outs?
A: The person giving recognition selects the relevant core value from your organization's configured list as part of the submission process.
Q: Can I see analytics for my own recognition activity? A: Individual analytics are available to administrators and managers. Employees can view recognition through the activity feed but don't have access to detailed analytics dashboards.
Q: How often is the activity feed updated?
A: The activity feed updates in real-time as new shout-outs are approved and become visible based on your location and approval settings.