How to Run Peer Recognition in Slack With Shoutouts

Peer recognition in Slack lets colleagues acknowledge a contribution where the team can see it. A useful shoutout says who helped, what they did, and why it mattered.

For example:

Thanks to @Priya for documenting the support handoff and walking the new team through it. We now have a clear reference for who owns each step.

This is an example message. Start with specific work your colleagues recognize, then make it easy for others to contribute.

How to send a shoutout in Slack

1. Add Doozy to your workspace with the permissions your Slack administrator requires.
2. Open the channel where you want to recognize someone and type /doozy shoutout.
3. Write your message and mention the colleague or colleagues you want to recognize.
4. Review the recipients and channel, then post.

You can also open Doozy from the Slack sidebar, select Shoutouts, and compose the message there. For private channels, invite Doozy before posting. The shoutout help guide covers the steps.

Set up a recognition program

Choose a channel and explain the purpose

Use a channel where recognition is welcome and employees understand who will see it. Explain that shoutouts are for specific contributions, such as helping a colleague, improving a process, or sharing useful knowledge.

Give people an example and show how to send one. Keep participation voluntary rather than setting a quota of messages per person.

Connect recognition to company values

Workspace owners can configure company values under Settings → Shoutouts in the Doozy dashboard. Use values to describe a concrete action rather than attaching a slogan to a generic compliment.

For example: “Thanks for sharing the incident review and the follow-up actions with the whole team. That made our commitment to transparency practical.”

Recognize everyday work

Include support, maintenance, documentation, and the work that helps other people succeed. Launches and major deals are visible already; a shoutout can make a less visible contribution easier to recognize.

Avoid rewarding long hours as the default example of good work. Focus on the contribution and its effect on colleagues or customers.

Respect people's preferences

Some people welcome public recognition; others prefer a private thank-you. Ask about preferences and use judgment before posting personal details or sensitive customer information.

A team contribution can be recognized as a group effort. Mention everyone whose work you are acknowledging where appropriate.

Review participation

Use shoutout history to review which contributions people are recognizing. Employees can view the shoutouts they have received from Doozy Home and download a CSV record.

Look for patterns that deserve a conversation: whether particular roles are overlooked, whether a program lost momentum, or whether messages have become generic. Message volume alone does not measure the value of someone's work.

Recognition records can provide examples for a check-in, but they should not become a popularity ranking or substitute for a fair performance process.

Ask whether the program is useful

A short employee survey can help you understand whether recognition feels specific, inclusive, and appropriate. Ask what people would change and use the feedback to improve the program.

If you use Doozy surveys, choose named or anonymous responses deliberately. Anonymous reports do not include demographic filtering, so do not promise to join anonymous responses to individual recognition records.

Shoutouts record recognition activity. They do not by themselves demonstrate a change in retention, engagement, or business performance.

Common questions

Can we recognize more than one person?

Yes. Mention the colleagues whose contributions you want to recognize in the same shoutout.

Can shoutouts help welcome new hires?

A welcome message can introduce a new colleague to the team. Pair it with a useful introduction and a clear onboarding plan, then recognize the person's contributions as they start working with the team.

What if we already have a recognition platform?

Review the behavior you want to support and the features you already use. Check whether you need public appreciation, rewards, reporting, or a combination before adding another tool.

How do we keep messages useful?

Model a specific thank-you, make the process easy to find, and avoid quotas. Review feedback periodically so recognition reflects what employees find meaningful.