GiftCard Partners Blog

Remember the Market Basket protests in Massachusetts this summer? They crippled business and were a compelling modern day example of the impact employees can have on the businesses they work for. Engaged employees don't just make happy employees, engaged employees
create innovation and great business ideas. Big employee engagement plans, like taking everyone on vacation for an tropical all-team retreat is great, but it isn't always in the budget. Lower-cost options can still have the desired affect on your workforce. Offering perks and rewards like extra days off, or gift cards to popular retailers like
Crutchfield,
Whole Foods Market and
CVS/pharmacy are great ways to provide off-the-cuff rewards to employees on the spot. Delivering rewards as promptly as possible using smaller, more flexible rewards is a great way to engage and appreciate employees without flying the whole team to Cancun. Engagement is crucial, there's a greater demand for jobs that provide perks and more diverse employment benefits. If you make an employee investment, employees will invest back in the company. They will invest their time, their brain power and their innovative ideas to make your organization more successful. As you invest in office space, new technology, don't forget to invest in people, because without them there is no business.

We have talked a lot about employee health and wellness programs on this blog in the past, but according to a recent
USA Today article, there is a new type of employee health program gaining popularity among employers. Employee financial health is a new priority for employers and it is having a real impact on employee productivity. The main premise for employee financial education is that if there is no financial stress in employees' lives, they can be at the peak of productivity. Three main goals for employee financial health initiatives are:

Casual Fridays are nice, free snacks are great, beer cards on Fridays, awesome. However, giving employees work perks that save them money and time aren't always good enough when the goal is raising employee loyalty. Here are a few unique work perks that are a great was to push your loyalty program over the top and keep your employees sticking around for the long-term.

As technology continues to advance and increase efficiency across a variety of industries, organizations continue to slow their hiring rates. Surprisingly enough, it's not always due to a slow economy or lack of growth, but simply that technological infrastructure is preventing companies from needing as many people. Additionally, for the positions employers are looking to fill, there is often a skills gap between the candidates available and what the employer is looking for. So even for the limited positions available, employers can't find qualified replacements for their departing staff. The solution? Employee retention, invest in people so they stick around. A recent study from Ken Esch and PwC Private Company Services notes that 20% of employers surveyed feel pressure to raise salaries, partially to retain employees. 56% of employers indicated that hiring remains a priority for the company, given the skills gap and the increased difficulty to fill positions with the level of talent and skill set required. However, most compelling is that a whopping 84% of employers surveyed are making substantial workforce investments, ranging from training programs, to talent retention benefits like workplace rewards programs. Workforce investments that recognize employee effort, motivation and increased production are great ways to increase employee retention. Using small denomination gift cards to retailers like
Subway,
Crutchfield or even
Xbox Live are effective ways to reward employees, with trophy value that creates a lasting impression. For more information on the skill gap and workforce investment head over to Forbes
here.

Employee perks are a great way to provide non-cash rewards and incentives to your employees. Providing a little something extra to employees beyond their workload helps build team dynamics and create a positive company culture. Here are four employee perks that won't touch your budget but will go a long way in building your team.