GiftCard Partners Blog

As we approach 2026, the new year presents an exceptional opportunity: employees feel renewed, ready to adopt fresh habits, embrace new goals and take on new challenges. It’s also a pivotal moment in many organizations’ fiscal calendars to help teams start strong and set up a year of success.

The race to keep employees engaged has never been tougher, and organizations that rely only on cash bonuses are leaving real value on the table. Extra pay is appreciated, but it blends quickly into bills and everyday expenses. Non-cash rewards such as gift cards, experiences, and lifestyle perks stand out because they create emotional impact and memorable recognition. In a workforce where only 32% of employees report feeling engaged (5), recognition strategies built on experiences rather than transactions are essential for driving performance and loyalty. 

Your sales force is the engine of your company, and keeping that engine motivated is key to ensuring the overall stability and growth of your organization. In today’s competitive market, retaining top sales talent is more challenging than ever. To help you navigate this landscape, we’ve updated our insights on retaining a motivated sales team by focusing on three critical areas: compensation, career-pathing, and company culture contributions.

According to a Gallup report, U.S. employee engagement levels stagnated at 33% in 2023. What this means for businesses is a loss of up to 18% in sales productivity and 14% in overall employee productivity.

Compensation has always been a tough subject, but transparency and innovation can turn it into a bonding agent between employees and employers. Addressing compensation openly can lead to improved trust, satisfaction, and retention. Here are three ways to effectively discuss compensation: