Peer-to-peer recognition is one of the simplest ways to boost morale, reinforce company values, and create stronger connections across your team. Shoutouts celebrate the little wins that often go unnoticed—and when employees feel seen, engagement and retention rise.
But how do you keep momentum going and ensure people actually participate? Below are proven ways to make Shoutouts fun, meaningful, and part of your company culture.
1. Use Incentives Strategically
Shoutouts are powerful on their own, but adding small rewards can help jumpstart engagement and keep things consistent.
Ideas to try:
Daily or Weekly Draws: Enter all participants into a random draw for a small prize.
Monthly Awards: Highlight the best Shoutout of the month or those most aligned with company values.
Manager Acknowledgment: Encourage leaders to personally recognize employees who receive Shoutouts and “pay it forward” with a small gift.
Peer Rewards: Incentivize the givers, too—for example, after every 3–5 Shoutouts sent, employees are entered into a bigger draw.
2. You don’t have to stick with just one approach!
Most companies see the best results by combining a few different incentives. Here are some popular reward ideas you could offer:
Guusto Gifts (flexible gift cards employees can use anywhere in our partner network)
Donation to a charity of their choice
Concert or event tickets
Free team lunch or breakfast
Half-day Friday
Curated gift basket
Extra vacation day
Conference or learning opportunity tickets
Entry into a larger prize draw (e.g., a weekend getaway or vacation package)
Not sure what will motivate your team the most? Run a quick poll to let employees vote on their favorite options, or reach out to us—we’d be happy to share what has worked well for other organizations. :D