Defining core Values

Core values give recognition context.

When someone is recognized, tagging a value helps answer a simple question:

“What kind of behavior are we encouraging and reinforcing?”

Over time, this makes recognition more consistent and easier to understand across teams. It also allows MustardHub to observe which values occur most frequently across posts and recognitions.

During setup, you’ll be asked to define your Organization’s core values.

You’ll see:

A small set of preset examples you can optionally select
The option to create custom core values, which most teams choose

[Screenshot: Values onboarding screen]

How values are used across MustardHub

At a high level, values:

Can be tagged on recognition posts and shout-outs
May appear in recognition and celebration templates
Are observed over time as part of engagement activity

If you’re looking for how values are reinforced, measured, or interpreted over time, see:

C.1: Culture Studio to learn how participation and reinforcement are configured within a Workspace.
C.2: Workspace Strength Score for insight into how engagement signals are summarized at a high level.

If you’re looking for how values show up during recognition moments, see:

C.4 Posts & Interactions for a detailed look into how recognition posts are created, shared, and engaged with across the Workspace.
B.6 Peer-to-Peer Giving to discover how team members recognize one another and optionally reference values during recognition.

Selecting preset values

There are several options for common, preset values for you to choose from. This is completely optional and is there to reduce friction and get you up and running quickly.

If the preset options resonate with you, you can select one or more:

Click a preset value to select it
Selected values appear highlighted with an outline
Click again to deselect if you selected it by mistake

[Screenshot: Values onboarding screen with selected items]

Creating custom core values

[Screenshot: + Create core value modal]

To create your own custom core value:

Select + Create core value
Enter the value name in the modal
Save

When you create a custom value, please note the following:

Maximum 30 characters
No spaces allowed
Values cannot be edited (to preserve the integrity of past recognition activity)
Values can always be added or archived
Archived values can be reactivated later

If you’re unsure about wording, pick something clear and move on. You can always add another value later.

Best practices

Most teams do best when they:

Start with 4–6 values
Use plain, recognizable language
Avoid overlap or overly similar terms
Don’t worry about being exhaustive
Don’t try to capture every behavior
Don’t try to get the wording perfect
Don’t treat the values selected as fixed or final

Editing or updating values later

You don’t need to finalize values during onboarding.

After setup, you can:

Add new values at any time via the Admin panel under Settings → Values
Archive values that are no longer relevant
Reactivate archived values if needed

[Screenshot: Values page via Admin settings]

Because values aren’t editable, the recommended approach is:

Archive the old value
[Screenshot: Archive confirmation modal]
Add a new one with updated wording

This keeps history intact without blocking progress.

Common questions

Do we need to get this “right” the first time?

No. Most teams adjust values over time. This step is about momentum, not permanence.

Will changing values break anything?

No. Archiving or adding values does not disrupt existing recognition activity.

Do colors matter?

No. Each value is assigned a random color. Color has no impact on behavior, tracking, or meaning.

Should values map directly to performance or compliance?

No. Values here are about recognition context and not evaluation, enforcement, or policy.