Recognition App Overview

Build a culture of appreciation and celebrate achievements across your organization with the Recognition App—a comprehensive platform for peer-to-peer recognition, formal awards, milestone celebrations, and rewards management.

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What is the Recognition App?

The Recognition App transforms how organizations acknowledge employee contributions. Whether it’s a quick “thank you” between colleagues or a formal award nomination with monetary value, the app provides flexible tools to recognize achievements at every level.

Core Value Proposition:

• 🎯 Drive Engagement — Employees who feel recognized are more engaged and productive
• 🤝 Build Culture — Foster a positive workplace culture through appreciation
• 📊 Measure Impact — Track recognition patterns and identify engagement gaps
• 💰 Manage Rewards — Control budgets and tie recognition to tangible rewards

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How It Works

Recognition Flow

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                           RECOGNITION JOURNEY                                  │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                               │
│  ┌────────────┐  ┌────────────┐  ┌────────────┐  ┌────────────┐             │
│  │   QUICK    │  │   QUICK    │  │   FORMAL   │  │ AUTOMATED  │             │
│  │RECOGNITION │  │   AWARD ⚡  │  │ NOMINATION │  │ MILESTONE  │             │
│  │  (Posts)   │  │ (Managers) │  │            │  │            │             │
│  └─────┬──────┘  └─────┬──────┘  └─────┬──────┘  └─────┬──────┘             │
│        │               │               │               │                     │
│        │               │               ▼               │                     │
│        │               │        ┌────────────┐         │                     │
│        │               │        │  APPROVAL  │         │                     │
│        │               │        │  WORKFLOW  │         │                     │
│        │               │        └─────┬──────┘         │                     │
│        │               │              │                │                     │
│        ▼               ▼              ▼                ▼                     │
│  ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐      │
│  │                        AWARD CREATED                               │      │
│  │                (with optional point value)                         │      │
│  └─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────┘      │
│                                │                                             │
│           ┌────────────────────┼────────────────────┐                       │
│           ▼                    ▼                    ▼                       │
│    ┌────────────┐       ┌────────────┐       ┌────────────┐                 │
│    │ Recognition│       │   Points   │       │   EPMS     │                 │
│    │    Feed    │       │  → Store   │       │ Integration│                 │
│    └────────────┘       └────────────┘       └────────────┘                 │
│                                                                              │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Note: Quick Awards (⚡) bypass the approval workflow entirely—points are credited instantly.

Integration Ecosystem

                              ┌─────────────────┐
                              │   RECOGNITION   │
                              │      APP        │
                              └────────┬────────┘
                                       │
         ┌─────────────┬───────────────┼───────────────┬─────────────┐
         │             │               │               │             │
         ▼             ▼               ▼               ▼             ▼
   ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐
   │   EPMS    │ │   GOALS   │ │ TRAINING  │ │  COMPANY  │ │   ASK AI  │
   │           │ │   /OKRs   │ │           │ │   STORE   │ │  (Agent)  │
   └─────┬─────┘ └─────┬─────┘ └─────┬─────┘ └─────┬─────┘ └─────┬─────┘
         │             │             │             │             │
         ▼             ▼             ▼             ▼             ▼
   ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐
   │Recognition│ │Auto-award │ │Celebrate  │ │  Redeem   │ │   Chat    │
   │feeds into │ │on goal    │ │course     │ │  points   │ │recognition│
   │reviews    │ │completion │ │completion │ │for rewards│ │via AI     │
   └───────────┘ └───────────┘ └───────────┘ └───────────┘ └───────────┘

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Key Features

🌟 Quick Recognition (Peer-to-Peer)

Enable anyone to recognize anyone, instantly.

Feature	Description
Recognition Posts	Share appreciation with personalized messages
Tags & Values	Categorize recognition with tags like #teamwork, #innovation, #leadership
Image Attachments	Add photos to make recognition more personal and memorable
Visibility Options	Control who sees recognition: Public, Department, Team, or Private
Anonymous Option	Allow recognition without revealing the sender’s identity
Social Engagement	Reactions (👏 🎉 ❤️), comments, and sharing on recognition posts
Feed Filtering	Filter recognition feed by All, My Team, My Department, or type

Use Case: An employee spots a colleague staying late to help a customer. They immediately post a quick recognition celebrating their dedication—visible to the entire company.

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🏆 Recognition Programs & Awards

Create structured programs for formal recognition.

Program Types:

Type	Purpose	Example
Peer-to-Peer	Informal appreciation between colleagues	“Kudos” program for daily recognition
Manager-to-Employee	Formal recognition from supervisors	Quarterly “Star Performer” awards
Achievement-Based	Triggered by specific accomplishments	Project completion, certifications
Milestone	Celebrating career milestones	Work anniversaries (1, 5, 10+ years)

Award Categories: Each program supports multiple categories (Innovation, Teamwork, Customer Service, Leadership, Excellence) with customizable icons, colors, and value ranges.

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⚡ Quick Award (Manager Instant Recognition)

Enable managers to give instant awards without approval workflows.

Feature	Description
Instant Awards	Skip the nomination process for immediate recognition
Direct Points Credit	Points credited to recipient’s Company Store balance immediately
Flexible Recipients	Award any employee (direct reports or company-wide)
Configurable Limits	Set maximum award amounts (default: $100 per award)
Quick Select Amounts	Pre-set buttons for $10, $25, $50, $100
Optional Program/Category	Associate awards with programs for tracking
Public or Private	Control visibility in recognition feed

Use Case: A manager notices an employee handling a difficult customer situation exceptionally well. They immediately give a $25 Quick Award right from the Manager Dashboard—no nomination form, no waiting for approval. The employee receives points instantly.

Key Differences: Quick Award vs. Nomination

Aspect	Quick Award	Formal Nomination
Approval Required	❌ No	✅ Yes (if enabled)
Points Credited	Instantly	After approval
Workflow	Single step	Multi-step
Who Can Give	Managers & Admins	Anyone
Best For	Spot recognition	Formal programs
Maximum Value	Configurable limit	Program-defined

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📝 Nomination Workflow

A structured process for formal award nominations.

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                       NOMINATION WORKFLOW                            │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                      │
│  ┌─────────┐    ┌─────────┐    ┌─────────────┐    ┌─────────────┐   │
│  │ SUBMIT  │───▶│ PENDING │───▶│   REVIEW    │───▶│   DECIDE    │   │
│  │Nomination│   │ Review  │    │ (Manager)   │    │             │   │
│  └─────────┘    └─────────┘    └─────────────┘    └──────┬──────┘   │
│                                                          │          │
│                              ┌───────────────────────────┼────────┐ │
│                              │                           │        │ │
│                              ▼                           ▼        │ │
│                       ┌────────────┐              ┌────────────┐  │ │
│                       │  APPROVED  │              │  REJECTED  │  │ │
│                       │ (± adjust  │              │ (feedback) │  │ │
│                       │   value)   │              └────────────┘  │ │
│                       └──────┬─────┘                              │ │
│                              │                                    │ │
│                              ▼                                    │ │
│                       ┌────────────┐                              │ │
│                       │   AWARD    │──▶ Feed + Notifications      │ │
│                       │  CREATED   │──▶ Points → Store            │ │
│                       └────────────┘──▶ EPMS Integration          │ │
│                                                                   │ │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │

Workflow Steps:

1. Submit Nomination — Any employee nominates a colleague with justification
2. Manager Review — Assigned reviewer evaluates the nomination
3. Approval/Adjustment — Approve (with optional value adjustment) or reject with feedback
4. Award Creation — Approved nominations become official awards
5. Recognition Feed — Award appears in the company recognition feed

Features:

• Multi-level approval workflows (1-5 levels)
• Value adjustment during approval
• Rejection with constructive feedback
• Bulk approval for high-volume periods
• Urgency tracking (overdue nominations highlighted)

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💰 Budget Management

Control recognition spending with comprehensive budget tools.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    BUDGET HIERARCHY                         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                             │
│              ┌─────────────────────────┐                    │
│              │    COMPANY BUDGET       │                    │
│              │    $50,000/month        │                    │
│              └───────────┬─────────────┘                    │
│                          │                                  │
│          ┌───────────────┼───────────────┐                  │
│          ▼               ▼               ▼                  │
│    ┌───────────┐   ┌───────────┐   ┌───────────┐           │
│    │Engineering│   │   Sales   │   │    HR     │           │
│    │ $20,000   │   │ $15,000   │   │ $15,000   │           │
│    └─────┬─────┘   └───────────┘   └───────────┘           │
│          │                                                  │
│    ┌─────┴─────┐                                           │
│    ▼           ▼                                           │
│ ┌──────┐  ┌──────┐   Per-Award Limits: $50-$500            │
│ │Team A│  │Team B│   Real-time utilization tracking        │
│ │$10K  │  │$10K  │   Alerts at 80% and 100%                │
│ └──────┘  └──────┘                                         │
│                                                             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Feature	Description
Program Budgets	Set monthly budgets per recognition program
Per-Award Limits	Cap individual award values
Group Budgets	Allocate budgets by department/team (hierarchical)
Real-Time Tracking	Monitor spending vs. allocation
Utilization Alerts	Warnings at 80% and 100% utilization
Budget Dashboard	Visual overview with monthly trends

Budget Status Indicators:

• 🟢 On Track — Under 50% utilized
• 🟡 Warning — 80-99% utilized
• 🔴 Over Budget — 100%+ utilized

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👥 Manager Dashboard

Empower managers with team recognition insights and instant recognition tools.

Tool	Purpose
Quick Award Button	Give instant awards to employees with one click ⚡
Pending Approvals	Review and process nominations requiring action (with count badge)
Team Overview	See all team members’ recognition activity
Team Statistics	Recognition given/received, participation rates
Individual Profiles	Deep-dive into each team member’s recognition history
AI Moderation Queue	Review AI-flagged content (admin only)

Pending Approvals Visibility:

• Admins see all pending nominations for the entire business
• Managers see nominations where:
  • They are the assigned reviewer
  • The nominee is one of their direct reports
  • No reviewer has been assigned yet (available to claim)

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📊 Analytics & Insights

Measure recognition program effectiveness.

Standard Analytics:

• Total awards by program, category, and time period
• Top recognized employees and top recognizers
• Department participation comparison
• Category usage and trending tags
• Monthly/quarterly/yearly trends

AI-Powered Insights:

• Participation Rate Analysis — Identify teams with low engagement
• Isolation Risk Detection — Employees with no recognition activity
• Network Analysis — Recognition relationship mapping
• Cross-Department Recognition — Measure collaboration across teams
• Manager Recognition Patterns — Ensure managers recognize their teams

Export Options: CSV and Excel exports for external analysis

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🔗 Integrations

Connect recognition with your broader HR ecosystem.

Integration	Capability
Performance Management (EPMS)	Recognition data feeds into performance reviews
Goals/OKRs	Auto-recognize employees upon goal completion
Training	Celebrate training course completions
Company Store	Redeem recognition points for rewards (see below)

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🛒 Company Store Integration

Turn recognition into tangible rewards through the Company Store.

How It Works:

1. Employee receives a recognition award with point value
2. Points are automatically credited to their Store balance
3. Employee redeems points for rewards in the Company Store

Reward Categories:

• 🎽 Company Swag — T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, branded merchandise
• 🎁 Gift Cards — Amazon, Starbucks, restaurants (via TangoCard)
• 🎟️ Experiences — Event tickets, travel vouchers, special perks
• 💝 Charitable Donations — Donate points to charity

Features:

• Configurable points-to-dollar conversion rate
• Real-time balance tracking with transaction history
• Email notifications when points are credited
• Mixed payments (points + cash) for purchases

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🎂 Lifecycle Automation

Automatically celebrate employee milestones.

Event	Automation
Work Anniversaries	Configurable years (1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30+)
Birthdays	Optional birthday recognition
Role Anniversaries	Celebrate time in current position
Promotions	Recognize career advancements

Milestone Point Values: Anniversary awards automatically scale with tenure:

• 1 year: 100 points

  5 years: 250 points

  10 years: 500 points

• 20 years: 1,000 points

  25 years: 1,250 points

  30 years: 1,500 points

Sender Options: System, Employee’s Manager, or HR Representative

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🖥️ Recognition Wall

Public display mode for office TVs and digital signage.

• Token-Based Access — Secure URLs for unauthenticated display
• Auto-Refresh — Configurable refresh intervals (30s default)
• Recent Highlights — Shows latest public awards and recognition posts
• Professional Display — Clean, celebration-focused layout

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🛡️ Content Moderation

Maintain professionalism across all recognition content.

Feature	Description
AI Moderation	Automatic content screening before posting
Review Queue	Flagged content held for admin review
Manager Approval	Optional approval workflow for all posts
Audit Trail	Complete history of moderation decisions

Moderation Actions:

• ✅ Auto-Approve — Content passes screening
• ⏸️ Hold for Review — Questionable content queued for human review
• ❌ Auto-Reject — Content violates guidelines

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🤖 Recognition Agent (AI Assistant)

Integrate recognition with the Ask AI assistant for conversational interactions.

• Natural Language Recognition — Give recognition through conversation with the AI assistant
• Recognition Queries — Ask about your recognition history, team stats, and leaderboard standings
• Smart Suggestions — AI suggests recognition opportunities based on activity patterns

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🔔 Notification Preferences

Customize how users receive recognition alerts.

Notification Type	Description
Award Received	Instant notification when you receive an award
Recognition Post	Alert when someone posts recognition about you
Manager Alerts	Notify managers when team members receive recognition
Pending Approval	Alert reviewers about nominations awaiting action
Weekly Digest	Summary email of recognition activity

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📈 Dashboard & Statistics

The main dashboard provides at-a-glance metrics.

Personal Stats:

• Awards Received / Given counts
• Recognition Posts Authored / Received
• Nominations Submitted

Company Highlights:

• Trending Recognition posts
• Top Recipients This Month
• Recent Team Activity

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🏅 Leaderboard

Gamify recognition with competitive rankings.

• Top Recipients — Most recognized employees by period (week/month/quarter/year)
• Top Givers — Employees who recognize others most frequently
• Department Rankings — Compare recognition activity across teams
• Category Leaders — Top performers in each recognition category (Innovation, Teamwork, etc.)

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User Roles & Permissions

Role	Capabilities
Employee	Give/receive recognition, view feed, nominate colleagues
Manager	All employee capabilities + team dashboard, approve nominations, Quick Awards ⚡
HR/Admin	Full configuration, budget management, analytics, moderation, Quick Awards, configure Quick Award settings
System Admin	App settings, integrations, audit logs

Quick Award Permissions:

• ❌ Employees cannot give Quick Awards (must submit nominations)
• ✅ Managers can give Quick Awards to any employee
• ✅ Admins can give Quick Awards and configure Quick Award settings

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Getting Started

For Employees

1. Navigate to Apps → Recognition
2. Click “Give Recognition” to appreciate a colleague
3. View your received recognition in “My Recognition”
4. Check the Leaderboard to see top performers

For Managers

1. Access the Manager Dashboard from the Recognition navigation
2. Use Quick Award ⚡ to give instant recognition to employees (no approval needed)
3. Review Pending Approvals regularly (aim for 48-hour turnaround)
4. Monitor team recognition activity and address gaps
5. Click on individual team members to view their recognition history and give targeted Quick Awards

For Administrators

1. Go to Settings to configure recognition options
2. Create Programs and Categories to match your culture
3. Set up Budgets if using monetary recognition
4. Enable Integrations with EPMS and other apps
5. Review Analytics monthly to measure program health

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Best Practices

For Giving Recognition

• ✅ Be specific about what the person did
• ✅ Explain the impact of their contribution
• ✅ Recognize promptly (within days, not weeks)
• ✅ Vary recognition across different team members
• ✅ Use company values as recognition themes

For Managers (Quick Awards) ⚡

• ✅ Use Quick Awards for immediate recognition of great work
• ✅ Don’t wait — recognize in the moment when you see excellence
• ✅ Balance Quick Awards with formal nominations for major achievements
• ✅ Vary amounts based on impact ($10 for daily wins, $50-100 for exceptional work)
• ✅ Add a personal message explaining why the recognition matters

For Administrators

• ✅ Review participation rates monthly
• ✅ Celebrate top recognizers (not just recipients)
• ✅ Address low-engagement departments proactively
• ✅ Tie recognition to performance reviews
• ✅ Share recognition success stories with leadership
• ✅ Configure Quick Award limits appropriate for your organization

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Related Resources

• How to Give Recognition — Step-by-step user guide
• Quick Award Guide (Manager) — Instant recognition for managers ⚡
• Understanding Recognition Programs — Program types explained
• Recognition Settings Guide (Admin) — Configuration reference
• Budget and Reporting Guide — Financial controls
• Managing Nominations (Manager) — Approval workflow guide

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The Recognition App helps organizations build appreciation into their daily culture. Start recognizing today and watch engagement flourish.