GiftCard Partners Blog

Can smartphone apps and pedometers take the place of good old fashioned heart rate monitors and gym memberships? If we give ourselves and our employees a way to measure their exercise and fitness outside of traditional gyms and workout classes can they still stay healthy? Wearable tech is changing the way employers and employees approach health and wellness. A new study from the Vitality Group reveals that when wearable tech is incorporated into a broader employee health and wellness program there is a measurable change in behavior. Health risks such as high BMI and high cholesterol are mitigated when wearable tech and health and wellness programs are combined. Here are a few other useful stats from the Vitality Group's study:

Millennials, those who currently are in the 18-33 age range, will make up 75% of the workforce by 2025. This generation posses an entirely different outlook on workplace culture than the generation before them. Technology is the primary Millennial influence, both in and out of the workplace. What are the best incentives for millennials to be motivated? Growing research shows that point system incentive programs have the highest success level, especially with Millennials. These employees want to not only be recognized, but they also want choices in how they are rewarded as well. Points programs are virtually foolproof, easy to understand, appeal to the interests of many different types of participants, tend to have higher participation rates, and are just plain fun! One amazing employee points program incentive model is the Values In Action program at CVS/pharmacy. An online rewards system where colleagues and managers can recognize one another by granting points that are redeemable for merchandise, travel vouchers, gift cards, and even the option to make a charitable donation. While points programs work best for Millennials, they can be customized for any diverse workforce. 
For more information on why points programs are so popular check out this article by Quality Incentive Company.

Sales incentive programs can be a great way to boost your sales team's morale and ensure your organization is hitting its revenue goals. Sales incentive programs can also be a waste of resources if they become stagnant and do not accomplish their goals. Sales incentive programs are most effective when they are in a constant state of flux, keeping salespeople guessing and more satisfied with constantly changing incentive options. Here are 3 questions to help you audit your sales incentive program to keep it on track and effective.

It sounds like a joke. An illegal employees safety program. However, based on recently release OSHA guidelines some employee safety programs can skirt federal regulations. When an employee safety program encourages employees to report incidents it, in some situations can lead to an employer penalizing employees for the incident regardless of who is at fault. Ensure that your safety program is aimed at motivating safe behavior and not necessarily encouraging incident reporting.
Promoting worker participation in the employee safety program is the safest, most effective way to ensure legality and success. Providing t-shirts for employees who participate in employee safety program, small rewards for employees who help strategize safety improvements for the entire workforce, or celebrating with employees when they complete a safety training program are great ways to promote safe behavior, rather than focusing on incidents and reporting. Ensure your safety program is safe for employees and legal for your business by using an employees safety program to promote safety and safe workplace behavior, rather than focusing on when safety goes south. How will you promote your employee safety program in the second half of the year? Leave us a comment and let us know!
For more information on the newly released OSHA guidelines and how to promote your workplace safety program legally check out Safety.BLR.com

The 2014 Loyalty Guide is out and full of stats, insight and industry knowledge. One of the featured chapters this year is 60 "loyalty lessons." This is a retail focused look on how loyalty can affect your business and how your customers purchase your products. A strong loyalty program can boost your customer return rate and raise each consumer's life time value, while a bad loyalty program can be detrimental, even in the best economic climate.
Here are three of our favorites from the chapter but all 60 employee and customer loyalty lessons can be found here.