Guusto expanded its manager tools in a Q1 product update published on March 12, 2026. The release describes an updated Manager Insights dashboard, Manager Delivery for employees without direct contact details, and branded merchandise within the reward redemption experience. [S01]

A practical route to frontline employees

Manager Delivery routes rewards through a manager when the platform lacks contact details for the intended employee. Managers can provide a QR code, print a reward or copy a gift link for direct distribution. [S01]

The change addresses a delivery problem that an email-first programme can overlook. An employee may be eligible for recognition while having no routine access to a corporate inbox. A manager can provide a physical or shared-device route, although the organisation still needs to know whether the reward reached the intended person.

Visibility and delivery serve different purposes

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Visibility and delivery serve different purposes

Update

What Guusto describes

Manager Insights

Team trends, participation and individual recognition activity

Manager Delivery

Manager-assisted distribution when employee contact details are unavailable

Integrated merchandise

Branded reward choices within the redemption journey

The expanded dashboard shows recognition trends and participation across direct reports, helping managers identify employees receiving less recognition. Guusto also describes recognition draws and the ability to configure branded items for onboarding or milestones. [S01]

These tools operate at different stages. Reporting can show the distribution of recognition; delivery determines whether an employee can access what was sent. Reward choice comes later. Combining the stages into a single engagement score would make it harder to see where a programme is failing.

A product release, not an impact study

The update was presented with Guusto founder Skai Dalziel, senior product manager Cameron Waind and executive HR adviser Kwesi Thomas. The company does not publish an evaluation isolating the effect of these features on retention, productivity or reward use. [S01]

For employers, a useful starting point is a consistent record of eligibility, delivery and redemption. If a team appears under-recognised, the organisation needs to distinguish a manager’s sending habits from missing employee contact data or incomplete collection. Each problem calls for a different response.

The March release broadens the ways managers can administer recognition. Whether those tools produce a more consistent employee experience depends on programme design and actual use, rather than the presence of a dashboard alone.