In the post-COVID era of remote work, organizations often struggle to find meaningful ways to recognize their top performers. In-person celebrations are not always possible, and traditional physical gifts can sometimes feel impersonal or difficult to deliver effectively.
In this context, digital gifting platforms have risen dramatically as a powerful tool to celebrate achievements, boost morale, and drive sales performance. Beyond their versatility, digital gift cards also provide several behind-the-scenes benefits—from streamlining the gifting process to offering measurable insights into their impact.
“If you have a dispersed and virtual workforce, clearly a digital gift card’s going to be the best option,” said Jordan Hirschfield, Director of Prepaid at Javelin Strategy & Research. “There’s no mailing, but even though everyone is in separate locations, it can be sent automatically and systematically to arrive at the same time.”
Immediate Rewards
Only around one in five employees receives any type of incentive, even though research published by the National Library of Medicine confirms that immediate rewards have the strongest motivational effects on employees.
“That immediate reward really makes people feel good,” said Hirschfield. “You can go out and treat yourself to something because you hit a goal.”
Organizations that have implemented digital gift cards have discovered a wide range of strategic uses that support various aspects of the business. When used as incentives for sales teams, rewards can be tied to specific results, such as closing a deal or meeting quotas. Additionally, digital gift cards generate analytics that can inform future incentive and rewards planning.
These cards can also recognize achievements of all kinds, from birthdays to sales milestones to team accomplishments. Immediate, on-the-spot rewards help boost employee satisfaction, enhance retention, and strengthen an organization’s competitive culture. According to research from Javelin, 83% of prepaid card recipients report that incentives increase their satisfaction—particularly in remote work environments where teams cannot celebrate successes together in person.
“Even though the long-term effects of COVID from a business standpoint are starting to fade, the learnings we had and the tools that were developed are going to stay,” said Hirschfield. “COVID accelerated the development of some of these tools, and now the industry can run with it for long-term gain, not just their immediate short-term needs.”
Behind-the-Scenes Benefits
Efficient and easy to use, these digital gift cards offer a wide range of operational benefits. They can support everything from individual or small team incentives to large-scale rewards programs. Flexible delivery options allow organizations to schedule cards well in advance for milestones, birthdays, or link them to KPIs for performance-based bonuses. Moreover, they can be personalized for each employee, reflecting their accomplishments and providing rewards tailored to their preference.
“You might have a wellness program where if a person hits their 10,000 steps, they get a $5 credit,” said Hirschfield. “It also allows a recipient to select the gift cards they want. Electronic delivery is the best way to provide those multiple options, so they can go through the catalog of choices and choose the one that suits them the best.”
Organization can also customize these gift cards with their own branding at a lower cost than personalizing physical cards. This includes adding company logos, colors, fonts, and word marks. Some advanced providers, such as Prezzee, even allow the inclusion of video messages to enhance the personalization.
Distribution is straightforward, even for large or widely dispersed teams. For department- or organization-wide programs, cards can be bulk-sent via CSV upload. Unlike store-bought gift cards, which are increasing subject to tampering and fraud, digital gift cards remain secure and reliable.
On the back end, digital gift cards provide measurable impact in ways that traditional rewards can’t. They offer real-time tracking of redemptions, giving HR departments a way to ensure cards are being used as intended. Their performance can also to the performance of the rewarded employees, allowing management to assess their effect on sales and overall performance.
Advantages for Issuers
There are benefits for issuers as well. Employees who receive an incentive are more likely to try a new brand or sign up for a loyalty program. If a recipient becomes a member of a rewards community, that the incentive shifts from being a one-time tool that serves the employer’s needs into a long-term benefit that strengthens the relationship between the employee and the card issuer.
An experienced digital gift card partner like Prezzee can help an employer address all these needs. A trusted expert can manage the various elements of these incentive programs, which have the potential to transform an organization’s workforce.
“Not only are the employees more satisfied, but they are more likely to be an advocate for their employer if they feel like they are being treated well,” said Hirschfield. “These are really simple tools that have big-time payoff.”
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