GiftCard Partners Blog

According to the 2012 Workforce Mood Tracker from Globoforce employee recognition programs are on the rise, and for many employees the presence of these programs can dictate their satisfaction with their employer. The statistics from this study are staggering, and further cement the importance of employee recognition programs as part of the investment employers make in their staff.

The following infographic from
mashable.com shows how obesity, growing ever more prevalent in workplaces across the country, can cost your company valuable money and resources. Implementing health and wellness programs for employees using small incentives, such as gift cards to assist in living a healthy lifestyle, such as the
CVS/Pharmacy Select Card  or a GNC gift card can save your company money and keep your employees healthy, productive, and happy in their jobs. Check out the information below to help prevent obesity in your office.
 

According to a new survey from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans there is more reason than ever to provide health and wellness programs with incentive benefits for your employees. According to the survey for every $1 companies invest in health and wellness programs for employees, $3 is saved in health care costs. 70% of U.S. employers are currently running some form of a health and wellness program, and 83% of all employers running programs saw a return on investment. It is not surprising that health and wellness programs see unprecedented return on investment. Employees get healthier, happier, and feel more supported by their employers. These factors all lead to increased happiness at work, retention rates, and productivity. To incentivize employees to reach health and fitness goals use small rewards such as gift cards
, or extra time off. It’s a great way to show employees you care, not just about the job they do for the organization, but for their long term well-being. To learn more about the report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans check out this tip in 
Time Magazine or article in 
Baseline Magazine 

Giving gift cards as benefits and rewards can be extremely effective when used correctly. Here are some quick tips to maximize the effect of your gift card employee reward program.
1. Don’t award too many cards too often- Maintain the trophy value of the rewards by only giving rewards when specific goals or targets are reached.
2. Don’t wait to give the gift cards to winners- Spot rewards can be even more meaningful, with more trophy value given their surprise nature.
3. Do include public recognition- Make sure other employees know why recipients earned their reward, so they can become positive role models for the rest of the staff.
4. Don’t use gift cards as extra compensation or a pay bonus- Use gift cards as rewards for desired behavior or upon completion of reaching a goal.
5. Do combine the cards with an overall incentive program- For example; if your organization runs a health and wellness program, use a gift card to reward employees who reach their health and fitness goals.
6. Don’t get too narrow with card choices- Giving a wide variety of card choices makes the reward more useful for employees.
7. Do tell employees about any limitations or conditions on a gift card- Be up front about expiration dates or conditions to using the reward, so employees know what to expect and can use their cards in an appropriate timeframe.  
For more information on the best ways to use gift card as incentives, rewards, and benefits check out this Business Management Daily article.

Not seeing the response rate you're hoping for when it comes to your company’s news, emails and promotions? The answer could be as simple and as affordable as gift cards. If you feel like you’re pulling teeth to get people to interact or respond to your content then this small reward can go a long way in changing that. Purchasing gift cards in bulk saves you money and also guarantees you have enough plastic incentives for all your prospects, all year long. Gift cards are a perfect way to incentivize or reward future prospects for thinking twice before clicking that delete button and moving an inch to the right and clicking that golden 'subscribe' button; thus giving you the possibility of reaching a new audience. If you are reaching out to a relatively small audience then a $5 or $10 gift card to
CVS/pharmacy or
SUBWAY could be offered as an incentive to subscribe or give a referral. Not only are gift cards great for working within a tight budget but they also offer you the opportunity to grow your company's database and eventually capture leads & sales.