GiftCard Partners Blog

Winter is here, which means seasonal illnesses will begin to surface. For employers, keeping healthy employees is paramount to reduce absenteeism and keep healthcare costs down. When employees call in sick, it can be very costly due to reduced productivity and increased employer healthcare costs. Especially this year, with the ever-present threat of COVID-19, staying healthy and putting preventative practices in place is vital to avoiding illness.

Everyone loves a gift card for the holidays--easy to give and even easier to receive. In fact, 76% of adults decided to purchase at least one gift card or eGift card for holiday shopping last year. A gift card is guaranteed to please everyone on your list, whether that be an employee, member, customer, or client. 

The debate over office vs. dispersed workforce is a hot topic for any industry that can support a permanent remote workforce. Many companies are deciding to keep remote workers due to the effectiveness in productivity as well as reduced costs. Others are turning to a hybrid model, mixing in-person work days (that are either mandatory or at the discretion of individuals or teams) with remote office days. While working from anywhere has benefits for both employers and employees, it also represents a huge shift in how Americans work. That shift happened in an instant at the beginning of the pandemic as a matter of necessity and now companies are more carefully considering how they want their employees to work.  

Medicaid and Medicare payers and accountable care organizations (ACOs) strategize all year about how to get members to attend their annual health screenings. However, due to employment commitments, lack of transportation, fear of contracting COVID-19, and even lack of education on the importance of yearly screenings, many members need to be incentivized to schedule and attend annual screenings and preventive care check-ups.

The cash vs. gift card debate in the reward and incentive world has a common misconception that cash is more appealing, therefore more motivating, to someone receiving it. However, studies show that gift cards are not only more intrinsically appealing, but also more effective at creating positive associations and changing behavior.