How to Use ClickUp for Employee Spotlights

ClickUp makes it simple to plan, write, and publish employee spotlight content with consistent quality. This how-to guide walks you through setting up a complete spotlight workflow so your team can celebrate people while staying organized.

Using structured templates and repeatable processes based on proven examples, you can turn one-off features into a reliable content engine.

Why Manage Employee Spotlights in ClickUp

Before you build your system, it helps to understand why a work management platform is ideal for these recurring campaigns.

• Centralized content hub: Keep every idea, draft, asset, and approval step in one workspace.
• Repeatable workflows: Turn a great employee spotlight into a template you can reuse every month.
• Clear ownership: Assign tasks for drafting, reviews, and publishing so nothing slips through the cracks.
• Better storytelling: Standardized questions and sections ensure each story feels complete and on-brand.

The source article on employee spotlight templates at ClickUp’s blog highlights how structure and process dramatically improve engagement.

Plan Your Employee Spotlight Workflow in ClickUp

Start by designing a simple, repeatable process that mirrors how you want every spotlight to move from idea to publication.

Step 1: Define Your Spotlight Goals

Clarify what each employee spotlight should achieve. For example:

• Showcase career growth and development paths
• Highlight company values through real stories
• Support recruiting and employer branding content
• Recognize internal achievements and culture builders

Document these goals inside a task description so every new spotlight in ClickUp aligns with the same purpose.

Step 2: Map Stages as ClickUp Task Statuses

Translate your content flow into simple statuses. A typical pipeline might include:

• Ideas / Nominations
• Interview Scheduled
• Draft in Progress
• Review & Edits
• Approved
• Scheduled
• Published

Configure these as custom statuses in your list so every employee spotlight task moves through the same lifecycle.

Step 3: Decide on Custom Fields

Use custom fields in ClickUp to capture consistent data for each featured teammate, such as:

• Employee name
• Role / department
• Office or location
• Start date
• Manager
• Publishing channel (blog, intranet, social, newsletter)

These fields make it easy to filter, sort, and report on your spotlight library over time.

Build a ClickUp Employee Spotlight Template

With your workflow defined, turn it into a reusable template so future spotlights require just a few clicks.

Step 4: Create a Master Spotlight Task

1. Create a new list dedicated to Employee Spotlights.
2. Add a task called “Employee Spotlight Master Template”.
3. Apply the statuses and custom fields you mapped earlier.
4. Assign the task to the content owner or people team lead.

This master task becomes your blueprint for all future spotlights.

Step 5: Add Interview Questions and Sections

Next, structure your task description with repeatable sections inspired by common spotlight formats, such as:

• Short introduction
• Role and responsibilities
• Career journey and growth
• Favorite projects and achievements
• Life outside of work
• Fun facts and personal interests
• Advice for new team members

Under each heading, include a set of standard questions. This creates a powerful checklist for interviewers and writers working inside ClickUp.

Step 6: Add Subtasks for Each Milestone

Break the process into clearly assigned subtasks so your team always knows what comes next.

• Identify candidate and confirm participation
• Send questionnaire or schedule interview
• Collect photos, quotes, and approvals
• Draft spotlight content
• Internal review and revisions
• Final approval from employee and manager
• Format and upload to publishing channel
• Promote on internal and external platforms

Assign each subtask, add due dates, and use dependencies so the workflow moves smoothly from step to step.

Use ClickUp Views to Manage Spotlights

Different views in ClickUp help your people team, marketing team, and leadership see progress clearly.

Step 7: Create a Board View for Pipeline Tracking

Set up a board view grouped by status. This transforms your employee spotlight list into a visual pipeline where each task card represents one featured teammate.

Drag and drop cards from “Ideas” to “Published” as work progresses, so everyone can see which stories are coming up and where blockers exist.

Step 8: Build a Calendar View for Publishing Dates

Use a calendar view to map your entire spotlight schedule across weeks or months.

• Use the due date as the publishing date.
• Color-code by publishing channel or department.
• Identify gaps in your editorial calendar at a glance.

This simple setup ensures your ClickUp workspace doubles as a content calendar for spotlights and related culture content.

Standardize Quality with ClickUp Docs

Templates are more effective when you pair them with clear documentation.

Step 9: Create a Style Guide in ClickUp Docs

Open a new Doc and outline best practices for employee spotlights:

• Voice and tone guidelines
• Preferred length and structure
• Photo and media requirements
• Approval rules and sign-offs
• Legal or compliance notes, if needed

Link this Doc from your master task so writers and editors can quickly access it while working on each spotlight.

Step 10: Store Reusable Copy Blocks

Within the same Doc, store:

• Intro and outro paragraphs you often reuse
• Standard calls to action for careers pages
• Boilerplate company descriptions

This keeps your ClickUp environment focused on storytelling rather than repetitive copywriting.

Automate Your Employee Spotlight Program in ClickUp

Once your template works well, you can reduce manual work with simple automations.

Step 11: Turn the Master Task into a Template

1. Open your master spotlight task.
2. Save it as a task template, including subtasks, custom fields, and description structure.
3. Name it clearly (for example, “Employee Spotlight Template”).

Now, every new spotlight is created from this consistent starting point.

Step 12: Use Automations to Trigger New Spotlights

Depending on your workspace plan and needs, create automations such as:

• When a form is submitted with a new nomination, create a task from the Employee Spotlight Template.
• When a status changes to “Review & Edits”, automatically notify the editor.
• When a task moves to “Published”, post a message in a team channel.

Automations keep your ClickUp workflow moving without constant follow-up.

Measure and Improve Your Program with ClickUp

After a few cycles, use your workspace data to refine your process.

• Track how many spotlights you publish each quarter.
• Measure cycle time from idea to published story.
• Identify bottlenecks, such as delayed approvals.
• Review which departments or locations are underrepresented.

Because all your work is centralized, ClickUp helps you continuously improve both efficiency and representation in your spotlight series.

Next Steps

By combining templates, Docs, views, and automations, you can turn employee spotlights into a polished, predictable process. For additional strategic ideas on building processes and content operations, explore resources from consultants like Consultevo, then adapt those practices inside your ClickUp workspace.

Start with a simple template, run a few iterations, and refine your workflow until your team can launch engaging employee spotlights on autopilot.

Need Help With ClickUp?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your ClickUp workspace, work with ConsultEvo — trusted ClickUp Solution Partners.

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