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Study Showing the Continued Growth of Gift Cards

This topic is really exciting for us at GiftCard Partners. In the past we've reference the growing popularity of non-cash incentives in the marketplace, highlighting statistics from the 2013 study from
Incentive Federation Inc. and
Aspect Market Intelligence's
Incentive Market Study. The 2013 study touched on the popularity of non-cash incentives, stating that 74% of businesses use non-cash options to recognize and reward key audiences in the form of incentive travel, merchandise, or 
gift cards. Now 
new research by the
Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) and Aspect Market Intelligence, conducted for the
Incentive Gift Card Council,  is showing how non-cash incentives (specifically gift cards) are still hot, hot, hot. The study highlights the continued preference for gift cards in a variety of programs, with the largest companies using them at a rate of 56%. So what are these gift cards being used for? Of the companies using gift cards, 67% are using them for employee incentives, 38% for sales incentives, 30% for customer rewards, and 8% are allocated to channel incentives. As gift cards continue to be a staple for rewards and incentives, with goals to foster motivation or drive engagement, acquisition, retention or loyalty, it's safe to say they're here to stay. Does your company use gift cards in any of their programs? If so, we'd love to here more about how. And if you're looking to add gift cards to your programs check out our gift card brands
here.

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Employee Wellness Programs: What We Can Learn from America's Top Universities

Employee wellness programs have come a long way since the days of offering free fruit in the breakroom. Today, they’re a strategic priority—not just for corporate America, but for leading academic institutions like Stanford, Cornell, Oklahoma State, and the University of Alabama.

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Employee Engagement Reaches New High

According to a study released last week, employee engagement has reached levels that it has not experienced since 2009. 68% of employees are now engaged based on the survey of 400,000 employees at nearly 5,000 various organizations. The average increase over the last 3 years has been about .43%. If this rate continues, employee engagement could be back to 2007 levels, which was 70.6%. Throughout the past 7 years the same top three items have had the greatest impact on employee engagement:

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Modernizing Employee Incentive Plans for a Fair and Productive Workplace

In today’s competitive business environment, financial incentives are more than just a perk; they’ve become essential for motivating employees, driving productivity, and aligning individual goals with company success. But for an incentive plan to truly work, it must be perceived as fair and meaningful by all employees, not just top executives. When workers at lower levels feel their contributions aren’t valued, even a well-funded incentive program can fail to engage them.

The key to success is trust. Employees must trust that incentive plans are transparent, equitable, and tied directly to their performance. If the plan lacks these qualities, it can lead to dissatisfaction, no matter how much money is on the table.

Linking Incentives to Performance

The effectiveness of an incentive program depends on its alignment with performance. Financial incentives work best when employees can directly influence their outcomes. Without this connection, the incentive is less motivational and may even breed frustration. To drive success, companies must design incentives that are linked to measurable and attainable goals.

Moreover, the structure of incentive plans should evolve with organizational goals. If a business focuses on innovation, creativity, or customer satisfaction, its incentive program should reward those behaviors.

Tailoring Incentives to Achieve Organizational Goals

Research by Hay Group outlines several strategies that organizations can use to design incentive programs that drive specific outcomes:

  • Supporting competitive strategies (e.g., quality, customer focus): Financial incentives remain a powerful tool for rewarding employees who prioritize customer satisfaction and quality.
  • Encouraging flexibility and creativity: Tying financial rewards to innovation, team achievements, and problem-solving can foster a culture of flexibility and collaboration.
  • Rewarding short-term objectives: Cash bonuses linked to short-term goals like efficiency or meeting quarterly targets can be motivating, but they should be paired with long-term growth opportunities.
  • Ensuring continuous performance: Salary progression and competitive benefits—such as health insurance and retirement savings—can provide stability and motivate employees to perform consistently.
  • Improving skills and fostering innovation: Investing in learning and development programs helps employees grow and innovate, benefiting both individuals and the company as a whole.
  • Recognition and non-cash rewards: Many employees value public recognition and non-monetary awards, which can create a deeper emotional connection with the company.

Gift Cards: A Modern Solution for Employee Incentives

A modern incentive system should be flexible enough to accommodate both financial and non-financial rewards, and that’s where solutions like Engage2Reward™ Gift Card Ordering Platform come into play. Offering a wide array of customizable gift card options, the Engage2Reward Platform is the perfect solution for distributing meaningful incentives that align with company goals and employee preferences.

For example, research shows that 68% of employees prefer to choose their own gift, rather than having their employer make the decision for them. This is where the Engage2Reward™ Choice Card shines. The Engage2Reward Choice Card allows recipients to allocate the value of their gift card across more than 250 eGift cards from top brands, providing a flexible and personalized reward experience. Employees appreciate this level of autonomy, and it ensures they get something they truly value—whether it’s a retail product, experience, or service.

In addition to offering flexibility, the Engage2Reward Platform also streamlines the logistics of incentive distribution. The platform features:

  • Customizable gift card options: Tailor gift card delivery with your company’s branding or personalized messages for a truly unique employee experience.
  • Instant digital delivery: Digital gift cards can be sent at the click of a button, making last-minute rewards easy to manage.
  • Comprehensive tracking and reporting: With the Engage2Reward Platform, companies can easily track which employees have received their rewards and monitor redemption rates, ensuring full transparency and effectiveness.

Motivation Across All Levels of the Organization

While financial incentives are important, non-cash rewards like recognition programs and personalized experiences often carry more emotional value for employees. For front-line and junior staff, non-monetary rewards, like a simple acknowledgment for a job well done, can provide more motivation than a cash bonus alone. However, for executives and senior management, financial incentives tied to both personal performance and company results remain crucial.

Companies can also take it one step further by implementing all-employee profit-sharing plans. This approach aligns everyone’s goals with the overall success of the company, creating a sense of shared responsibility and purpose. When the company thrives, so do its employees, which reinforces a positive, team-oriented culture.

Building Trust Through a Fair and Transparent Incentive System

A successful incentive plan fosters trust and engagement across all levels of the organization. To achieve this, companies should:

  1. Clearly communicate how performance directly impacts incentives.
  2. Regularly review and adjust incentive programs to ensure they remain relevant and fair.
  3. Use transparency to foster trust, with clearly defined criteria for rewards.

When combined with non-cash rewards and personalized recognition, financial incentives can be a powerful motivator. Platforms like Engage2Reward offer the flexibility to create tailored reward programs that are meaningful to employees, while also supporting the overall goals of the business.

To get started on building a modern, fair, and effective incentive program, register with the Engage2Reward Platform today. Empower your workforce, drive performance, and start rewarding employees in ways that truly resonate.

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Invest in Employee Training

The title pretty much covers it for this one, so if you have to stop here (which we at GiftCard Partners DON'T recommend) you've gotten (part of) the point. For most organizations, employees are the biggest and greatest asset. Invest in them! Employees matter, and employee training produces ROI like any other investment. Here are three ways to invest in your employees.

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