GiftCard Partners Blog

Gallup’s research highlights a notable gap in how company culture is experienced by leadership compared to managers and individual contributors. On average, there’s a 19-point disparity, with leadership often reporting stronger connections to organizational culture than those on the ground level. This divide can create misalignment, reduced engagement, and lower productivity among teams. To close this gap, companies must intentionally foster cultural alignment across all levels, using strategies that not only engage but resonate. One effective way to do this is through the strategic use of gift card incentives, which can reinforce engagement and cultural values from the top down.

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.

Thinking you can’t afford an employee incentive and rewards program? Incentives don’t have to be expensive and you can pair them with the financial needs of your employees. A recent study from researchers at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) suggests that employees could “choke” if the stakes or rewards are high. They  liken this performance phenomenon to a sports event in which people become afraid of losing their reward. “It is a somewhat unexpected conclusion. After all, you would think that the more people are paid, the harder they will work, and the better they will do their jobs -- until they reach the limits of their skills”, states Science Daily. However, these researchers have found that the more that is at risk, the more performance could be hindered, therefore demotivating and working against larger company goals. Digging deeper, their  research also revealed that “performance improved as the incentives increased -- but only when the cash reward amounts were at the low end of the spectrum. Once the rewards passed a certain threshold, which depended on the individual, performance began to fall off.” This speaks volumes about “knowing thy employee”. Interesting science that is easily parleyed into the concept of providing more incentives, in smaller amounts, like gift cards. Gift cards can be purchased in bulk in any increment, but cards like
SUBWAY,
Boston Market, and
CVS at $20 or $30 per gift card offers your employees small incentives that they can really use. They will grab lunch on the way to their summer destinations, bring dinner home for the family and stock up on sunscreen and first aid for the season. Source:
ScienceDaily Online – Science News

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.