Effective recognition drives performance and boosts team productivity. That’s exactly why we created Donut Shoutouts. When recognition is done right, it becomes a simple and powerful lever for boosting performance by reinforcing the right behaviors and giving managers clear material for performance reviews. Whether you’re looking to build new habits or make an existing program more impactful, these are the best practices we recommend rolling out across your team when launching or refreshing a recognition program

1: Be Specific

Clear acknowledgment encourages repeat behavior. State exactly what your teammate accomplished and its significance.

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2. Connect to Team Values

From formal company values to working norms like “strong opinions, loosely held” or “own the outcome,” tying recognition back to these shared ideas helps people understand how their work connects to bigger goals and priorities.

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3. Emphasize Tangible Impact

Recognition is most effective when it connects effort to real outcomes. Be clear about what changed because of your teammate’s work. Did it save time, unlock progress, help the team move faster? Emphasizing results make recognition feel earned and help reinforce what to repeat.

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4. When in Doubt, Keep It Simple

Recognition doesn’t have to be detailed or formal. Consistency is key. Recognition works best when it fits into the regular rhythm of your team’s daily work. Small, simple shoutouts help build a culture where great work doesn’t go unnoticed. Give quick in-the-moment recognition, like during a meeting, in Slack, or right after someone contributes.Timeliness matters, too. Recognition doesn’t need to be elaborate — a simple “Great point — thanks for sharing” during a meeting can go a long way.

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5. Recognize Underappreciated Work and Cross-Team Contributions

Sometimes some of the most essential work can go unnoticed — think coordination, documentation, or unblocking others. Recognition provides a great opportunity to show appreciation for behind-the-scenes effort that keeps things moving. It’s also a good moment to recognize teammates from other functions whose work intersects with your own. Giving credit across teams builds stronger working relationships and makes for better future collaboration.

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Putting It Into Practice

Remember, the best recognition fits into the flow of your team’s work, not above it. It happens in the moment, in the tools you already use, and as a natural part of how your team gets things done. When it’s easy to give and focused on what matters, it leads to better outcomes and more consistent results over time.