Better Together

This template is for recognizing teamwork that spans people, functions, or departments. It fits situations where someone helped a group move faster, removed friction, shared knowledge, or made a joint outcome possible. The award card is meant to feel specific to collaboration, not just general appreciation.

Use it when the win depended on coordination across teams, not just one person’s solo output. Good moments include launch support, handoff cleanup, cross-functional problem solving, or stepping in to help another group hit a deadline. It also works well as a recurring recognition category when teamwork is a visible part of the culture.

Managers, team leads, project owners, and peers can all give this recognition. It works especially well when the giver saw the collaboration firsthand and can name the shared outcome. If your program allows peer-to-peer recognition, this template is a strong fit because teamwork is often most visible to coworkers.

Give it frequently enough that collaborative behavior is noticed, not just after major projects. Gallup’s cadence guidance around recognition every 7 days is a useful benchmark for keeping appreciation timely, and SHRM research also points to frequent, specific recognition as a driver of engagement. The key is to reward the behavior while it is still fresh.

Yes. This award works well as a values-based recognition card when teamwork is one of your stated values. You can assign a modest points amount for everyday collaboration or a higher amount when the teamwork materially changed the outcome of a project. The default message should stay ready to send without requiring edits.

A common mistake is making the message too vague, such as saying someone was a team player without naming what they actually did. Another pitfall is using this template for individual performance wins that were not really collaborative. It also helps to avoid overusing the same award card for every thank-you, since specific recognition is more meaningful.

Ad-hoc praise is easy to forget, hard to track, and often inconsistent across managers. A reusable recognition template gives you a standard award card, a clear recognition category, and a default message that can be sent quickly. That makes teamwork visible in a way that can be repeated, measured, and shared.

Yes. You can keep the teamwork sentiment and adjust the language to fit a sales handoff, a healthcare care team, a construction crew, or a product launch squad. The best customizations keep the award name short, the message warm, and the category aligned to collaboration rather than performance alone.