What is the best way to give employee recognition?

There are many different ways to recognise employees. You can recognise employees financially, and non-financially and if you read through research reports, carried out by the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) such as “Show me the money, the behavioural science of reward”, there are extremely detailed debates around how best to recognise employees. One thing that is for sure though, is that recognising employees for a job well done, for loyalty and general super stardom is vital in improving performance, shaping behaviours and supporting constructive employment relations.

So, back to the question! A list of ideas of how to recognise employees could go on forever. Lunch with the boss, an invite to a special event, a pay packet bonus, a surprise cake and clap from the team. But if financial recognition is what you are looking for (and this appears to be the right choice for certain types of job roles and sectors), gift cards are a brilliant solution in a climate where pay budgets are squeezed.

A gift card (with some kind of corporate saving) is both commercially beneficial and a tangible way of recognising your employee with something they can actually see, hold and even choose. A gift card is special and can trump a pay packet bonus which is at risk of just getting sucked into everyday spending and almost being missed.

By working with a gift card expert like National Gift Card Europe to deliver your employee recognition programme, you can access hundreds of gift card brands, not to mention tackling employee recognition globally from just one gift card partner!

The gift card range at National Gift Card Europe, allows recipients to choose the brand and format (plastic or digital) they would like, and that will attribute even more value to the reward. Choice gives the employee control over how they will spend their reward, and depending on individual needs and circumstances, this choice could range from a supermarket gift card to cover the food shop, a restaurant brand to treat their family, or maybe a luxury item or treat for themselves, or something for their home or pet.

And here is another thing. Research shows that it is better to give an experience than a thing. By giving a gift card, you are ultimately giving an experience. The experience of shopping, and deciding what a gift card might be redeemed for. And if you opt to give a gift card that is an experience, which reflects someone's interests and passions (think restaurants, theatre, concerts, experience days, hotel, travel, and even driving lessons!), you would literally be ticking every box!

If plastic and digital gift cards sound like something that would work for your employee recognition programme, then please contact us, and one of our experts will be delighted to help!