How gift cards can incentivise and motivate staff as we return to work in a ‘new normal’
It shouldn’t be news to anyone by now that over the past two years, the way we work has changed significantly. Staff behaviours have shifted to accommodate working from home and many of us are overloaded by Zoom and overwearing our trackpants.
Employees from every corner of the nation have adapted to the changing conditions, and now, it’s time to adapt again as the country gears up to go back to work in this ‘new normal’ we’re moving into.
We all know things will never be the same as we adjust to remote and in-office working and navigating a post lockdown environment. However, there is one thing that has, and always will, remain a constant: the importance of the welfare of staff. And this should be a top priority for employers when thinking about getting their staff back into the office.
Employees should feel respected, appreciated and happy to come in every day. Plus, a well-motivated and engaged employee can make a real difference in the overall performance of any business. As reported by Thrive Global, it’s shown that increased satisfaction of staff leads to increased productivity, improved corporate culture, less staff turnover and more possibilities for innovation.
So, this begs the question: how to motivate and engage staff in this ‘new normal’? Well, perhaps an extra incentive could help sweeten the deal for employees who are feeling apprehensive about returning to work or need a push to get the vaccine to do so. And when it comes to incentivising staff, sometimes it’s important to sit back and rely on tried and tested methods to do so – such as gift cards.
It’s an easy way for managment to reward staff for their efforts during the changing conditions of the past years and/or motivate them to come back into the office or get the jab to keep the office and community safe. Plus, the numbers show staff are fans of being gifted with gift cards or prepaid cards too.
A study by Blackhawk Network on multinational attitudes around shopping, payments, gifts and rewards, found that of the participants, 82% said a gift card or prepaid card from their employer would make them feel valued and 76% said it would make them more motivated to work harder. Additionally, 74% said it would make them more loyal to their company*.
So, if you need to reward staff for all their hard work during the pandemic, or if you want to incentivise them to be vaccinated to return to work, then we have a solution for you. Let your employees know they’re appreciated while giving them a reason to get back in the office. After all, haven’t we all missed that Monday morning watercooler chat about the weekend’s games of footy?
* “BrandedPay: How People and Brands Connect Through Payments” is based on the findings of an internet-based survey conducted by Leger on behalf of Blackhawk Network between February 12–March 17, 2020. The sample size included over 12,000 respondents in eight countries.
