Inside Mapon: How Karma Became a Global Habit of Gratitude
A Six-Year Proof That Recognition Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
Mapon is a global company founded in 2006 in Riga, Latvia
Mapon builds Fleet Management software and hardware solutions that help businesses track vehicles, optimize routes, and monitor driver behavior.
200+
Fleet Management
Global (HQ in Latvia)
2006
From Book Concept to Real-World Culture
Long before Mapon adopted Karma, Ingus Rūķis, Chief Technology Officer, had been thinking about ways to better support and motivate teams. A decade earlier, he’d read Management 3.0, which introduced him to the idea of merit money—a peer-to-peer recognition system where employees give symbolic bonuses to one another. The idea stuck.
“We thought of increasing the team spirit, give some tools to the employees so they can thank each other,” says Ingus. “I figured out that there is a precise tool for that specific management practice described in the book. And then the story started.”
We thought of increasing the team spirit, give some tools to the employees so they can thank each other
232,234Karma issued in one year
87%Team pulse
75%Active users
1,296Achievements received
Fast Setup, Natural Adoption
At Mapon, Karma runs entirely inside Slack, which made adoption seamless. “As it’s a Slack bot, it’s super simple. You just install the bot and off you go,” says Ingus. “Even people in their 50s, non-English speakers, use it without issues.” From the very beginning, the tool required no training. Employees instantly knew what Karma was about—the name said it all.
It’s a super good name. Everybody understands what karma is. Giving something away is a way how you care about others.
A Culture of Everyday Gratitude
Initially launched in Mapon’s Riga office when the team was under 100 people, Karma quickly spread to all branches. Today, every employee has a monthly Karma budget of 200 points — worth €20 in Mapon’s internal calculations — which they can use to recognize peers for collaboration, extra effort, or everyday wins.
Public recognitions have become team moments, often sparking emoji reactions and shoutouts from others. It’s a lightweight but consistent pulse of positivity across the company. “It’s the team spirit when everybody else sees those public praises and they can react to that,” says Ingus.
It’s the team spirit when everybody else sees those public praises and they can react to that.
Motivation and Side Effects
As Karma settled into Mapon’s culture, it began shaping behavior. People started offering to take on extra tasks, even outside their formal role—knowing that recognition might follow. “This is not really my duty, but if you give me some Karma points...” became a familiar, half-joking phrase. But the impact was real. “It definitely helps,” says Ingus. “People are ready to take that extra effort.”
Not every side effect was expected. Some teams began rotating all their points toward one member each month to boost that person's payout. As with every bonus system, you have to keep an eye on it so that it's not abused too much and serves the goals it was introduced for.
One Piece of Advice
When asked what he’d say to other teams thinking about Karma, Ingus keeps it simple.
“Don’t overcomplicate that—just start using the product. Just add it to your Slack and off you go!”
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