New Year Fresh Start

This template is a 28-day individual contest built around the most_improved goal type. It uses verified metric actions like on-time shift completion, task completion, and course completion, then compares each entrant to their own baseline. The prize type is points, so you can reward progress without using a raffle or subjective scoring.

It fits teams that want a fair January reset for frontline, operations, or learning-focused programs. Because it is individual and most-improved, it works well when you want new starters and smaller contributors to have a real chance to win. It is less suitable if your goal is to crown the highest raw output, since that would favor already-dominant performers.

This template is designed for a single seasonal run in January, with a natural duration of 28 days. It is not meant to be an always-on leaderboard. If you want a recurring program, rerun it annually or adapt the same structure for another seasonal reset period.

The template uses verified system actions: attendance.shift_completed_on_time, task.completed, and course.completed. That keeps the contest resistant to Goodhart’s law because the score comes from actual work events, not self-reported claims. If your team needs to track a different verified action, you can swap in another metric action key that the platform supports.

Yes. The template suggests points for first and second place, but you can change the prize type to badges or bragging rights if that better fits your culture. You can also adjust the point spread, add recognition for top improvers, or limit eligibility to a specific department or site.

Most-improved already helps because people compete against their own baseline rather than against the biggest team or busiest role. If you add team elements later, use per-capita logic so smaller groups are not automatically disadvantaged. Avoid switching this template to raw highest-score scoring unless the contest is truly a race with comparable workloads.

The biggest mistake is using a metric that is not actually captured by the platform and then trying to score it manually. Another common issue is failing to define the baseline window clearly, which makes the contest feel arbitrary. It also helps to announce the rules before January starts so entrants know exactly which actions count.

An ad-hoc challenge often depends on manual tracking, vague rules, or subjective judging, which makes it harder to trust the results. This template gives you a fixed duration, a clear goal type, and verified scoring actions from the start. That makes it easier to launch, explain, and repeat next year.

Yes, as long as the relevant work events are available as verified actions in your setup. You can usually connect it to attendance, task, or learning workflows, then use the contest as the visible layer on top. If your KPI lives outside the platform, you would need a different template type, such as a manual contest.