Gratitude Week

This template sets up a 7-day, department-based contest with a cooperative threshold_all goal. The scoring is based on verified recognition.given events, and the target is three recognitions per person during the week. The prize type is a badge, so the whole team earns a shared outcome rather than a ranked winner. It is designed for Thanksgiving-season appreciation, not for ongoing leaderboard use.

HR, People Ops, internal communications, or a department leader can run it. Because the goal is cooperative and based on verified recognition events, it works well when one organizer announces the week, monitors progress, and closes it out with a recap. It is also a good fit for managers who want a simple seasonal ritual without creating competition between individuals. The organizer should make sure everyone understands what counts as a valid recognition.

This template is built for a one-week seasonal cadence, typically in November. It should feel like an episodic contest, not an always-on program. Running it once a year keeps it fresh and prevents recognition from becoming a quota-driven habit. If you repeat it, keep the duration short and the seasonal framing clear.

Yes, because the goal is threshold_all rather than a raw race. Everyone in the department is asked to reach the same minimum, which avoids the problem of larger groups automatically having an advantage. That said, it works best when the contest is scoped to a department or similarly sized group. If you need cross-company comparison, use a different format with per-capita fairness.

Only verified recognition.given events count toward the target. That means the contest should rely on the platform’s tracked recognition action instead of manual self-reporting. A quick thank-you in chat is nice, but it should not count unless it is logged as a recognition event. This keeps the contest resistant to Goodhart’s-law problems and makes the standings trustworthy.

Yes. The default target is three recognitions per person in seven days, but you can raise or lower it based on your culture and participation history. You can also change the prize from a badge to points or bragging rights if that fits your program. Keep the goal cooperative if you want the whole department to win together.

An ad-hoc campaign usually depends on reminders and informal participation, which makes it hard to measure and easy to forget. This template gives you a defined duration, a clear target, and verified scoring actions, so people know exactly what to do. It also creates a shared finish line, which is easier to communicate than a vague “be more grateful” message. The result is more consistent participation and a cleaner recap.

It relies on the platform’s recognition tracking, specifically recognition.given events. That means it fits naturally with systems where recognitions are already logged and can be counted automatically. You do not need a manual contest for this template, because the metric is already available as a tracked action. If your organization uses a separate recognition tool, make sure the event is synced or imported before launch.

The biggest mistake is turning it into a public ranking of individuals, which undermines the cooperative intent. Another common issue is accepting unverified praise messages that are not logged as recognition events. Teams also sometimes set the target too high for a one-week window, which makes the contest feel punitive instead of celebratory. Keep the goal simple, visible, and achievable.