Overview
Employee recognition has a direct impact on retention and morale. Forgetting a work anniversary — especially a 1-year or 5-year milestone — sends the wrong message. This automation uses Gusto's employee data to trigger timely, personalized recognition messages automatically, ensuring every employee feels seen without managers having to track dates manually.
Before you start
- Gusto account with employee hire dates
- Slack workspace
- Zapier Multi-Step plan
- Google Sheet for anniversary tracking
Step-by-step guide (4 steps)
Ensure hire dates and birthdays are in Gusto
In Gusto, verify that all employee profiles have accurate hire dates and birthdays (if your company collects birthdays). These dates drive all the automations. Missing or incorrect dates will cause recognition to fire on the wrong day.
Set up the anniversary trigger in Zapier
Gusto doesn't have a native anniversary trigger, so use this workaround: create a recurring Zapier Zap (runs daily) that queries a Google Sheet of employee anniversaries. The sheet is populated once with all employees' hire dates + anniversary dates calculated for each year. When today's date matches an anniversary, trigger the recognition.
Send the anniversary Slack message
Zapier action: post to your #general or #team-wins Slack channel: 'Today marks [Name]'s [X]-year anniversary with [Company Name]! Thank you for everything you do. Give them a shoutout!' Tag the employee in the message. This creates a public moment of recognition that feels personal even though it's automated.
For milestone anniversaries (1, 3, 5, 10 years), escalate the recognition: post in Slack AND have the system send a personalized email from the CEO or owner. The extra touch for big milestones makes a lasting impression.
Notify the manager to follow up personally
In addition to the public Slack message, send a private DM to the employee's manager: '[Employee name]'s [X]-year anniversary is today. Consider reaching out personally to acknowledge it.' This prompts a human touchpoint on top of the automated one.
What you'll get
No anniversary or birthday ever goes unrecognized
Employees feel valued which improves retention
Managers get prompted to add a personal touch
Creates a culture of recognition without requiring anyone to track dates
Common mistakes to avoid
Using generic messages (personalize with the exact years and employee name)
Not escalating milestone anniversaries (1, 3, 5 years deserve more than a standard message)
Forgetting to update the anniversary spreadsheet when new employees join
Frequently asked questions
Do I need coding experience to set up this Gusto automation?
No coding is required. This guide walks you through everything using Gusto's built-in features and Zapier's visual interface. If you can follow a recipe, you can follow this guide.
How long does this automation take to set up?
Most users complete this setup in 30–60 minutes on their first try. Once set up, it runs completely automatically with zero ongoing effort.
What happens if the automation fails?
Zapier and Make both have error notifications and task history, so you'll know immediately if something goes wrong. We cover troubleshooting steps in the guide above.
Can I customize this automation for my specific business?
Absolutely. The guide includes notes on common customizations. Most automations have multiple variation points — timing, conditions, notification recipients, and more.