GiftCard Partners Blog

Employee recognition is a great tool to engage and motivate employees. Ensuring that employee recognition programs are effective is the key to ensuring that the ROI desired when making the investment is met. Here are three tips for making sure your employee recognition program is on track, especially as summer peaks and employees lose focus amid vacations and nice weather.

At the halfway mark of 2025, Gallup’s latest report on employee engagement reveals a sobering truth: only 32% of U.S. employees are engaged in their work. That stagnation is costing businesses a staggering $2 trillion in lost productivity. And while the stats are eye-opening, the real question is: What can leaders do about it?

Employee recognition is a tricky business. Employees all have personal recognition needs. Some are extroverted and appreciate public recognition, some are introverted and would be mortified to be recognized in front of peers. Some are instantly loyal and motivated to the organizational goals, others take longer to build loyalty to the organization. Some employees like gamification, and enjoy the playful nature of that type of recognition, while others don't enjoy the distraction. In the following infographic you will find 5 myths of employee recognition that can apply to all employees. Make sure your employee recognition program is what your employees need to stay motivated and at the peak of productivity.

Employee wellness is a hot topic for employers in an environment where healthcare costs are rising and there can be a lot of confusion around new Affordable Care Act rules taking effect. Here are a few ways to ensure that your employee wellness incentives provide the ROI that you seek in investing in employee wellness.

A research group at University of Pennsylvania's Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics and the Penn Medicine Center for Health Care Innovation is testing an interesting theory that uses the model of a basic employee rewards program. Since many patients stop taking their medication regularly within a year of having a heart attack, so the research group is experimenting with giving patients a small prize for taking their meds on time (complete with transmitter outfitted pill bottles to prevent dishonesty).
The theory behind the doctors' research is exactly the same concept used by employers to incentivize employees towards a desired behavior in the workplace. The rewards are not large, and are modeled around a lottery system. Each day you take your medication on time you earn the CHANCE to  win a small monetary prize, and if you don't open your medication for 2-4 days the researchers are notified via the transmitters on the bottle and have a social worker contact the participant. This translates directly to the workplace. For a job well done, a small reward is given to motivate repeat behavior, however if an employees is slacking or not delivering the quality or production the organization requires, it triggers a feedback point from the manager to get the employee back on track. Using rewards in these types of instances, whether with patients or employees, that have trophy value like gift cards or time off can have a longer lasting impact than cash. Cash can be used for practical applications like bills, rather than allowing employees to build a lasting memory of treating themselves to a meal at
The Cheesecake Factory, or a new outfit from
The Limited. Building these types of experiences will solicit a stronger desire to repeat the behavior.
For more information on the University of Pennsylvania study or the reward system in the study check out this article from the Wall Street Journal.