GiftCard Partners Blog

No matter if you're in the mailroom or the corner office employee recognition has remained a constant in employee motivation. Regardless of the economy, or stage of career all employees want to be recognized and it inevitably leads to motivation and increased productivity. A lot has changed since the 90's, but back then high wages was an employees number one motivator. When employees were asked what motivates them the most more recently, full organizational appreciation of work done ranked number one. When asked for one thing that would motivate them more at work, 31% of employees mentioned better treatment including more praise and a sense of being valued within the organization. Employee recognition is a valuable tool. You can make grand gestures like a company retreat, or a paid vacation for top performers, or smaller expression of employee recognition that can be just as effective. A small denomination gift card to a popular retailer like
Crutchfield,
Boston Market or
Burlington Coat Factory, paired with a public call-out at a staff meeting can be a great way to give employees the satisfaction and sense of value that will motivate them and maintain a high level of productivity.
HR.BLR provides a great breakdown on what you can do to motivate your employees through employee recognition. When done the right way, employee recognition can motivate your whole organization and promote a culture of productivity and teamwork.

In 2012 half of all companies with at least 50 employees had a corporate wellness program that incentivized employee wellness through either direct financial incentives or non-financial recognition. Companies larger than 50 employees were even more likely to have an employee wellness program in place, at 79%. These programs do simple things to prevent avoidable conditions like health risk assessment, weight management and nutrition education. The investment is a low-risk high-reward endeavor, especially as components of the Affordable Care Act take affect that further encourage employers to implement programs directed at employee wellness. The average investment in wellness has doubled since 2009, skyrocketing from $260 per employee to $594. The 2014 figure is also significantly higher than the $521 average investment made per employee for wellness in 2013. Employers increased investment and encouragement of employee wellness shows that it is working.
Check out this infographic and more great information from Modern Healthcare on where the employee wellness industry is going and growing in 2014 and beyond.

Remember the phrase "the truth will set you free?" Well, we aren't here to solve all of your problems, but we are here to tell you that the truth may be able to help boost employee engagement. It is time for all of the corporate hierarchy to melt away and for organizations of all sizes to work on open communication and employee engagement. Transparency and truth-telling will open up the lines of communication and engage employees in making the organization the best it can be, which makes employees do the best work they can. Dropping away fear and hierarchical force allows employees to feel comfortable enough to tell the truth. Here are three ways to use truth and open communication to engage employees.

Every organization has a variety of employee performers. There are over-achievers, those who put in the work 9-5 and play their role and then the under achievers who could maybe put some more work in more of the time. Ensuring that your employee rewards match each type of performer and each individual employee's performance. Here are 3 tips to keep your employee rewards program in line.

In today's corporate landscape, employee health is a top priority for organizations seeking to maintain a productive and thriving workforce. With conditions like diabetes affecting millions across the United States, the need for proactive measures to address health issues has never been more critical.