GiftCard Partners Blog

In our recovering economy it sometimes seems like there will always be more candidates than jobs. In some industries today that is already not the case. A talent war is looming, a time when companies are poaching each other's human capital and when employee loyalty should be at the top of your HR Strategy agenda. Here are three ways to build, maintain and teach loyalty in your organization.

22% of employers who use financial incentives in their health and wellness programs are structuring them as penalties. After all the studies done over the last few years proving that "carrot" incentives are more effective at motivating employees to a healthy lifestyle than stick deterrents." Still stick incentives are up 4% from 2013 and employees with extenuating health circumstances risk a steep tax penalty from the Affordable Care Act, along with the penalty from their employer. Employees with minor health issues like decreased lung capacity from asthma cannot change how their lungs work. Their condition cannot be improved through exercise and won't change no matter how healthy their diet is. So is it fair to potentially tax them and charge them organizational penalties? This is one of the ways carrot incentives help drive employees to their best state of health. Incentivizing health improvement shows support of employee efforts regardless of if they are in perfect shape. It shows appreciation for the effort as well as the result. If you are considering  health and wellness incentives, consider a carrot over a stick and reward your employees' healthy efforts all year round.
For more information about stick deterrents and carrot incentives check out this article from 22WWLP.

Volunteers are the backbone of many organizations, providing invaluable support without expecting anything in return. Recognizing and appreciating their contributions is essential for maintaining morale and encouraging continued dedication. One of the most effective and flexible ways to show appreciation for volunteers is through gift cards. This blog post explores the benefits of using bulk gift cards as volunteer appreciation gifts and provides insights into the best practices and options available in 2024.

Rewarding employees is important because a happy employee is a more productive one. Thanking your employees for their hard work motivates them to work even harder. It's important to say thanks, but sometimes it's tough on a tight budget. Luckily, there are a few ways you can still offer rewards without breaking the bank.
Give them a day off. If you don't have cash to spare for a sizable bonus, you can always thank your employees by giving them an extra day off. If you'd rather not pay for a full day that he or she isn't working, you can always give the option of a late start or an early release instead. You can also think about expanding breaks or lengthening lunch hours. The point is that rewarding with time is both affordable on a small budget and still a great way to say thanks.
Hand out free food. Everyone loves a free meal or a tasty snack. Order lunch to say thanks for a successful advancement in the company. Bring in breakfast one day each month. Surprise your team with ice cream or candy one day. It doesn't always matter what you do -- it's more about making an effort to make sure your employees feel valued.
Learn the best way to motivate your employees. Everyone's different and has different preferences. What excites one employee, may not be the best way to reward another. Take polls and ask your company what they prefer. Not only will you chose rewards that better suit them, but they'll feel valued just for you asking.
Read the full article on LinkedIn.

Every organization wants to maintain loyal customers and employees. How a business goes about this large task can vary in tact and effectiveness. Organizations of all kinds spend untold amounts of money on loyalty program implementation for both customers and employees. However, many organizations don't spend the time learning the loyalty they lose, or fail to maintain. Organizations get so caught up in trying to activate loyalty programs that they often fail to check up on them and ensure that they maintain the captive audience they seek to create. Making even small adjustments can significantly improve a customer or employee's experience. For instance, Virgin Atlantic implemented a system to allow passengers to order food and beverages from screens at their seats. This improved a customers (often miserable) flying experience, and made the flight attendant's job easier. Less sweeping up and down the seats to see if anyone needs anything makes the employee and the (potentially) loyal customer coming back for a more serene flying experience. Virgin tested the program and uses the data from the engagement to measure loyalty and quality of customer experience. Are you doing everything you can to measure your customer and employee experiences?