Keeping employees engaged and motivated requires intentional, year-round recognition. This playbook provides month-by-month ideas for campaigns, badges, challenges, and visibility strategies that align with seasonal themes, national days, and company priorities. It also includes quarterly nomination campaigns to celebrate standout contributions and reinforce what success looks like. Use these ideas to plan your recognition roadmap, boost participation, and build a culture of appreciation all year long.
Q1: Momentum, Appreciation & Participation
January – Start Strong / One Team 💪
Theme: New Year, New Goals, Early Momentum
Campaign Ideas:
- Recognize goal-setting, early wins, and kickoff participation
- Highlight team alignment with company objectives
- National Mentoring Month – spotlight coaching and onboarding
- MLK Jr. Day (Jan 19) – celebrate service, leadership, and inclusion
Badge Ideas:
- Goal Setter
- Strong Start
- Momentum Builder
- Cross-Team Collaborator
Challenges:
- Send at least 1 recognition per week for early contributions
- Track cross-team collaboration and knowledge-sharing
- Encourage managers to acknowledge planning & kickoff efforts
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Highlight early wins and cross-team collaboration; spotlight Goal Setter, Strong Start, Momentum Builder, Cross-Team Collaborator
- Kiosk Mode: Live feed showing top contributors and early momentum recognitions
February – Love Our Customers. Love Our Team ❤️
Theme: Appreciation, Connection & Kindness
Campaign Ideas:
- Valentine’s Day (Feb 14) – celebrate peer-to-peer and customer appreciation
- Random Acts of Kindness Week (Feb 14–20) – encourage small acts of kindness across teams
- Random Acts of Kindness Day (Feb 17) – spotlight individual acts of recognition
Badge Ideas:
- Customer Crush – going above & beyond for customers
- Solution Sweetheart – improving processes that positively impact customers
- Heartfelt High Five – everyday appreciation & peer-to-peer shoutouts
- Team Heart – support, kindness & collaboration
Challenges:
- Recognize 3 coworkers during Random Acts of Kindness Week
- Recognize at least one customer-impacting action
- Bonus points for using all themed badges
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Weekly announcement post highlighting campaign recognitions
- Kiosk Mode: Show a live stream of themed badges in offices/shared spaces and on intranet as a Valentine’s “Wall of Love”
March – Participation & Appreciation 🏀
Theme: March Madness & Employee Appreciation
Campaign Ideas:
-
March Recognition Madness Challenges:
- Send 1 recognition per week
- Comment on 3 recognitions per week
- Recognize someone outside your team
-
Employee Appreciation Day (Mar 6)
- CEO Bulk Recognition to all employees
- Employee Appreciation Day badge for managers to send to direct reports
-
St. Patrick’s Day (Mar 17) – fun badge for a quick engagement boost opportunity – for extra fun, add a raffle for everyone who sends the St. Patrick’s Day badge!
Badge Ideas:
- Employee Appreciation Day
- March Madness Champions
- St. Patricks Day – Lucky to have you!
Challenges & Incentives:
- Weekly leaderboard
- Bonus points for completing all challenges
- Track participation on dashboards
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Weekly leaderboard, highlight challenge completions and Employee Appreciation Day recognitions
- Kiosk Mode: Showcase all Employee Appreciation Day badges on a live stream in offices/shared spaces and on intranet.
End of Q1 – Quarterly Nomination Campaign:
Q2: Growth, Wellbeing & Recognition Habits
April – Learning, Wellbeing & Purpose 📚
Theme: Learning & Development, Health & Sustainability
Campaign Ideas:
- Recognize training, certifications, and skill growth
- World Health Day (Apr 7) – highlight wellbeing and healthy habits
- Earth Day (Apr 22) – sustainability, volunteering, and community impact
Badge Ideas:
- Learning Achiever
- Wellbeing Champion
- Volunteer Hero
- Earth Day Contributor
Challenges:
- Complete training modules or certifications
- Participate in wellness or sustainability activities
- Volunteer and submit ideas for community initiatives
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Weekly updates of learning achievements, wellness milestones, and volunteer contributions
- Kiosk Mode: Showcase all recognitions on a live stream in offices/shared spaces and on intranet.
May – Gratitude & Leadership 🌟
Theme: Mental Health Awareness & Leadership
Campaign Ideas:
- Mental Health Awareness Month – spotlight support and self-care initiatives
- National Nurses Week (May 6–12) – highlight critical roles
- National Boss’s Day (May 20) – celebrate leadership
Badge Ideas:
- Wellness Advocate
- Nurse Shoutout
- Leadership Shoutout
Challenges:
- Recognize your boss for National Bosses Day
- Health and Wellness Challenges related to Mental Health Awareness
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Spotlight employees for wellness, or peer support and leaders for Boss’s Day.
- Kiosk Mode: Showcase all recognitions on a live stream in offices/shared spaces and on intranet.
June – Inclusion & Momentum 🚀
Theme: Inclusion, Mid-Year Engagement
Campaign Ideas:
- National Donut Day (Jun 5) – fun recognition, bring donuts to the office
- Juneteenth (Jun 19) – celebrate equity and community impact
- Father’s Day (Jun 21) – highlight work-life balance and team support
- Mid Year Momentum – Celebrate progress towards goals at the mid-year point
Badge Ideas:
- Inclusion Champion
- Team Supporter
- Equity Advocate
- Momentum Maker
Challenges:
- Recognize equity and inclusion efforts
- Manager recognition push for direct reports to give momentum to the second half of the year!
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Share Mid-Year Recognition highlights
- Kiosk Mode: Showcase all recognitions on a live stream in offices/shared spaces and on intranet.
End of Q2 – Quarterly Nomination Campaign:
Q3: Consistency, Innovation & Focus
July – Ownership & Fun 🎆
Theme: Independence & Summer Momentum
Campaign Ideas:
- Independence Day (Jul 4) – initiative and ownership recognition
- National Workaholics Day (Jul 5) – fun recognition
- National Ice Cream Day (Jul 19) – fun badge and an Ice Cream Social in the office
- Summer Star – Encourage a weekly habit of appreciation by launching a summer-long “Shoutouts” campaign.
Badge Ideas:
- Take Ownership
- Workaholic in Action
- Summer Star
Challenges:
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Feature one “Summer Star” each week in your company newsletter and on the Recognize Stream Page
- Kiosk Mode: Showcase Summer Star recognitions on a live stream in offices/shared spaces and on intranet.
August – Engagement Habits ☀️
Theme: Peer support and work-life balance
Campaign Ideas:
- International Coworkers Day (Aug 7) – peer recognition
- National Relaxation Day (Aug 15) – stress management recognition
- Women’s Equality Day (Aug 26) – inclusion recognition
Badge Ideas:
- Wellness Advocate
- Peer Hero
- Collaboration Champion
Challenges:
- Send at least 1 recognition per week to a peer
- Recognize a peer from another team
- Wellness activities (Do something that relaxes you – Meditation, Yoga, Going for a Walk etc.)
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Highlight Relaxation ideas, Women’s Equality initiatives. Shoutout top Recognizers and Peer Hero’s
- Kiosk Mode: Showcase all recognitions on a live stream in offices/shared spaces and on intranet.
September – Teamwork & Seasonal Reset 🍂
Theme: Collaboration, Service & Wellness
Campaign Ideas:
- Labor Day (Sep 7) – dedication & teamwork recognition
- Constitution Day (Sep 17) – values recognition
- National Good Neighbor Day (Sep 28) – collaboration recognition
- National Fruits & Veggies Month – health & wellness recognition
Badge Ideas:
- Team Player
- Values in Action
- Collaboration Champion
- Wellness Contributor
Challenges:
- Wellness micro-challenges
- Cross-team recognition push
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Share dedication, teamwork, and wellness initiatives
- Kiosk Mode: Showcase all recognitions on a live stream in offices/shared spaces and on intranet.
End of Q3 – Quarterly Nomination Campaign:
Q4: Gratitude, Reflection & Celebration
October – Culture & Awareness, Customer Service 🎃
Campaign Ideas:
- Global Diversity Awareness Month – inclusion recognition
- World Mental Health Day (Oct 10) – empathy & support recognition
- Customer Service Week (First full week of October)
- Halloween (Oct 31) – fun recognition
Badge Ideas:
- Inclusion Champion
- Customer Service Champion
- Culture Leader
- Halloween Badge
Challenges:
- Inclusion & wellness activities
- Fall themed challenges (Pumpkin Decorating Contest, Pet Costume Contest, etc)
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Share Mental Health tips, Highlight Customer Service Teams for Customer Service Week
- Kiosk Mode: Showcase all recognitions on a live stream in offices/shared spaces and on intranet.
November – Gratitude & Reflection 🦃
Campaign Ideas:
- Thanksgiving (Last Thursday of the Month) – gratitude recognition
- World Kindness Day (Nov 13) – peer-to-peer recognition
Badge Ideas:
- Thankful for You!
- Kindness Counts
- Peer Appreciation Star
Challenges:
- Daily recognition prompts for a week
- Cross-team appreciation push
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Highlight Thanksgiving recognitions and kindness initiatives
- Kiosk Mode: Showcase Thankful recognitions on a live stream in offices/shared spaces and on intranet – ‘Gratitude Wall’
December – Celebration & Year-End Wins 🎄
Campaign Ideas:
- Year-End Recognition: milestones and achievements
- 12 Days of Recognition: daily prompts for fun
- Highlight top contributors and teams
Badge Ideas:
- Employee of the Year
- Team of the Year
- Values Champion
- Year-End Recognition Badges
- Holiday Themed Badges
Challenges:
- 12 Days of Recognition
- Submit Year End Nominations
Visibility & Momentum:
- Stream Announcements: Share year-end recognitions and top performers
- Kiosk Mode: Spotlight 12 Days of Recognition challenge progress
End of Q4 – Quarterly / Annual Nomination Campaign:
Annual Recognition Awards:
- Employee of the Year
- Team of the Year
- Values Champion
- Customer Impact Award
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