GiftCard Partners Blog

CITGO Petroleum is using local health and wellness programs as a fantastic opportunity to highlight their local efforts and community involvement in America. CITGO is giving Lehigh Valley Health Network $5,000 in small denomination gift cards as part of CITGO's "Fueling Good" program. This program uses CITGO gift cards as small rewards for individuals involved in the Lehigh Valley Health Network's Health and Wellness program. The gift cards lower program costs for Lehigh Valley Health Network and allow them to continue their important work. Gift cards are an extremely effective tool for use in health and wellness programs. They help reward participants for desired behavior, and don't cost the program administrator that much. As is the case in this situation, gift cards are also a great way for program sponsors to get involved with health and wellness programs. CITGO was able to come in and help facilitate the positive program, while gaining favorable publicity.  
To learn more about the Lehigh Valley Health Network's Health and Wellness program and the partnership with CITGO Petroleum click here.

As organizations look toward 2026, one theme is cutting through the noise of compensation, hybrid schedules, and employee benefits: purpose. A new Gallup and Stand Together study, The Power of Purpose, shows that purpose at work is not a soft concept; it’s a measurable, high-impact driver of engagement, energy, and retention.

Even when budgets are tight, appreciation doesn’t have to be. In fact, during periods of change or economic pressure, thoughtful recognition becomes even more essential to maintaining morale, trust, and team cohesion.

In this slow recovering economy, trends in the incentive industry are leaning towards caution and scaled back rewards programs. Safety rewards, which used to garner large incentive travel programs, or other large rewards, are now are being scaled back to much smaller incentive rewards programs. According to the latest Incentive Research Foundation survey, incentive rewards program administrators' confidence levels are down to lows not seen since 2008. The survey indicated the following specifically about travel rewards programs:

It is widely known and accepted that employee engagement is critical to productivity and improving your company's bottom line.  As 2011 draws to a close and we look to 2012, and a (hopefully) improving job market, employment agency Randstad released some concerning numbers this week. In their annual "Employee Attachment Index" survey, which measures employee-employer attachment, it appears that employee engagement is decreasing and that many employees are looking to move on, as soon as the market is more stable.