GiftCard Partners Blog

An increasingly diverse and remote workforce brings many challenges to management teams when strategizing and coordinating employee programs such as employee recognition programs. Layer on that the need for employers to show their recognition of workplace diversity and appreciation for individualism, and the challenges multiply. This is why employers increasingly offer gift cards as incentives and rewards within employee recognition programs, as the recipients can redeem with their own choices.
The IGCC rounds it up well: “gift cards empower the recipient with the right to choose the item that most motivates himself or herself”.  Ceridian states that 8 out of 10 employees prefer gift cards over other incentives. This preference rewards for hard work they’ve done and motivates them to keep it up. The simplicity of gift cards has also helps management deliver programs quicker and with relevance and care to the participants. There is a significant time savings in the decision making process…..another important cost savings benefit of gift cards. Also important; purchasing gift cards in bulk offers employers volume discounts. Learn more about how gift cards are used as corporate wellness incentives, healthcare program incentives, and loyalty rewards.[hs_action id="2863"]

Employee incentives have become a common way for employers to invest in their employees and raise job satisfaction and retention rates within their organization. In a world where job security is scarce, and employees are always looking to climb to the next opportunity, employee incentives have become a great way for employers to give back to their workforce. The key to success for incentive programs is to ensure that the employee rewards are effective in raising employee loyalty and job satisfaction. Below are 3 employee rewards that are common in employee incentive programs, but not always the most successful, and some ways to improve these particular incentives to drive desired outcomes.

Looking to reward employees and show them you care? Showing organizational support with employee rewards for a job well done can be an easy, low-cost way to invest in your workforce. Here are 3 easy ways to incorporate employee rewards into your employee loyalty and recognition strategy.
Take your team out: Using simple gestures like a team lunch out, or a group happy hour after work, or even an activity like a team bowling night, is a great way to reward employees. Getting your team together outside of the office is a great way to bring people together, and form interpersonal relationships while rewarding your employees for the hard work they do. Investing in hard work, and rewarding employees is a great way to keep employees satisfied at work, and raise productivity and retention rates.
Time off: Reward employees with extra time off, or flexible work hours for hard work, or a job well done on a specific project; it’s another low-cost reward strategy that resonates with employees. Time is valuable to employees, especially personal time. Giving employees extra personal time, as a reward is a great strategy to perpetuate desired behavior, and show other employees that going above and beyond will be noticed and rewarded by management.

It’s a social world out there!  And loyalty programs are firmly embracing the concept of social loyalty, an extension of loyalty programs that supports customers’ actions on social channels. As a marketing and incentive engagement company, are you including a social loyalty component in your loyalty program offerings?

Why are gamification apps failing to meet organizations’ business objectives 80% of the time? It’s likely due to lack of strategic focus…gamification apps are not used to gamify a workplace; they are used to reward employees for desired behaviorwithin employee programs, such as exceeding safety measures, while conditioning employees to work with optimal productivity. Gamify strategically, with business objectives in mind, and clear communications within employee programs to forge a path to success. Here are a few key strategies for keeping the gamification of your employee program on track. Use the Game: Workplaces are filled with distractions. Make gamification a strategic part of maintaining focus in the employee program. Keep your goals clear, simple, and entertaining for optimal employee engagement. Clearly state the goals that need to be met for rewards to be given out, and how to reach them through the game. Making the game entertaining will maintain employees attention span and help keep them focused on their goals.