15+ Best Rewards Systems for Employees (2024)
The best employee reward programs - reviewed, rated, and compared by our HR software experts. See pros and cons, pricing info & more below.
Best Employee Rewards Programs
If you want to motivate staff, strengthen your workplace culture, and attract new talent without exhausting your human resources with piles of extra work, an employee rewards system is a great option.
After testing over 40 options and giving and receiving hundreds of kudos over the years, we’ve experienced how easily powerful an employee rewards platform is for fostering a culture of appreciation, especially when the tool is paired with its sibling employee recognition software.
How come this combo works so well? How much should it cost? What is the best option for my team? These are some of the questions we’ll tackle in this guide.
By chatting with HR thought leaders, gathering user feedback, meeting with dozens of software providers over demos, and digging into each product's feature set, we’ve found that the best-in-class employee reward programs have to excel at flexibility and customization, reporting and analytics, and peer-to-peer engagement.
1. Flexibility and customization
The strength of many workforces lies in their diversity, which means not everyone wants the same perks and rewards. To evaluate how customizable and flexible an employee rewards platform is, we investigated the system’s rewards catalog. We examined the number of available rewards types, merchants, and covered countries and the option for custom company-branded swag.
2. Reporting and analytics
After testing essential rewards features from both the employer's and employee's perspectives, we examined the system’s analytics dashboard. Let’s be honest: One of the best things about having technology by our side is its ability to diligently track data in real time and highlight critical points and trends that deserve our attention.
We pulled standard and custom reports (if any), considering how easy (or hard) it was to get a set of data from the system and whether it’s helpful, actionable, and easy to digest for most users.
3. Peer-to-peer engagement
Employee rewards shouldn't be doled out by bosses alone; the recipients should also have some input on the process.
Recent data supports this idea: Recognition from co-workers is 35.7% more likely to positively impact financial results than recognition only from managers. For that reason, we looked at features like milestone celebrations, kudos, shoutouts, and, really importantly, how easy they were to use.
Learn more about how we research and evaluate HR tech.
Terryberry
Bucketlist
Motivosity
Assembly
Cooleaf
Connecteam
Guusto
Workstars
Matter
Kudos
Bonusly
Reward Gateway
Awardco
Nectar
WorkTango
Mo
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Terryberry
Terryberry's vast rewards catalog, custom awards, and branded swag allow you to appreciate and celebrate your employees meaningfully. The platform has been around for over a century and is a favorite pick for companies with a global presence, based in the US and UK.
PROS
- Terryberry offers a wide range of employee engagement features, including rewards, incentives, and a wellness tracker.
- Through the platform, you can offer customized physical goods as employee rewards.
- Customer support and account management at Terryberry are quite good. Their reps stand out for being very responsive and attentive according to user feedback.
- The implementation process, while six weeks long, is quite comprehensive, and you get tons of help along the way. For instance, the last two weeks consist of internal and customer testing and user training.
- Customized physical goods as employee rewards
- Wide range of employee engagement features, including rewards, incentives, and a wellness tracker.
- Customer support and account management at Terryberry are quite good. Their reps stand out for being very responsive and attentive, which is evidenced by some of the client testimonials we read.
- The implementation process, while six weeks long, is quite comprehensive, and you get tons of help along the way. For instance, the last two weeks consist of internal and customer testing, as well as user training.
CONS
- While Terryberry is easy to use, its design could look more modern and sleek.
- No open API, but on the roadmap for the end of 2023.
- No free trial at the moment.
- While Terryberry is easy to use, its design could look more modern and sleek.
- No open API, but on the roadmap for the end of 2023.
- No free trial at the moment.
Terryberry offers a robust and feature-rich rewards platform. We’ve tested their platform and a key component of it is the point-based reward system. Through it, you can set up customized point rewards that align with company values and initiatives. Employees can then redeem these points in Terryberry's extensive online storefront featuring thousands of brand-name merchandise catering to diverse lifestyles and interests.
We really appreciate Terryberry’s breadth of reward options. In addition to points, it provides customized service awards and branded company swag. Service awards like customized jewelry, desktop items, and presentation kits help you celebrate career milestones and show appreciation for loyalty and achievements, while branded company swag enables you to reinforce culture and unity.
Finally, Terryberry's Be Celebrated feature provides solutions to highlight service anniversaries and milestones in a more personalized way. Through it, employees can send meaningful e-cards, group messages, and more to one another, which is a great way to celebrate shared accomplishments in our opinion, particularly for remote teams.
Terryberry is used by over 40,000 customers, including Wyndham Destinations, Epsilon, General Motors, and Trilogy Health.
Terryberry’s pricing is scalable and varies according to your choice of subscription package. The good news is that you can opt for only certain parts of the platform and grow as you go. Their basic subscriptions start at $3 per award recipient, but to get a proper estimate, the way forward is to contact them.
Also worth mentioning is that they charge set-up fees and an annual admin fee that’s based on employee headcount and the number of redemptions made on the reward platform.
Best For
Those best served by Terryberry are companies in the US and the UK— of any size and industry, but they do have global capabilities. It’s especially good for those with a substantial number of deskless employees for whom physical gifts are ideal.
Terryberry is also a good bet for companies who want to add performance and wellness apps into the mix without adding an additional vendor to the ecosystem. All this being said, some small businesses might find the price point a bit high if on a tight budget.
I utilized Terryberry several times a week to set up recognition programs aligned with our company values and goals. Reviewing nominations and approving awards was a regular task, ensuring fairness and recognizing employee achievements. Tracking employment milestones and communicating with employees about their accomplishments and events was also crucial. Periodic surveys were conducted to gather employee feedback, and I frequently analyzed reports and analytics to identify trends and further engage employees.
The creation of rewards programs was straightforward, making it easy to align them with company values. The peer-to-peer "wow" program successfully encouraged employees to recognize one another, fostering a positive and engaging work environment. The wellness program was well-received by staff, indicating its success. Excellent customer service and the user-friendly app, especially for field employees not frequently at desks, were significant advantages.
Our organization was concerned about the high employee turnover rate, with exit interviews often highlighting a lack of morale due to employees feeling unseen and unrecognized. Increasing salaries as a reactionary measure to prevent departures did not effectively address the underlying issue of employees feeling unappreciated. We were also worried about engagement levels and the resulting dip in productivity from disengaged employees. Despite trying numerous team-building exercises and management retraining, the problem persisted. Terryberry seemed to offer a solution by providing ongoing recognition, encouraging exceptional work, boosting productivity, and reducing turnover by enhancing morale. I have personally used it for six months.
The many choices available for employees was somewhat overwhelming, potentially leading to decision fatigue and wasted time. The tool's integration with other HR systems could be smoother, and customization options were not as flexible as desired, particularly concerning integration with external programs.
Compared to other tools I've used, Terryberry stands out for its user-friendly interface and exceptional customer service. It focuses less on gamification, favoring a points system over cash rewards, which aligns better with our goal of providing added rewards rather than extra compensation. This approach seems more appropriate for recognition software.
It's essential to consider whether your employees are likely to adopt and appreciate this tool. High-income professionals with demanding roles may show less interest in the rewards, so understanding your staff's preferences is crucial. Implementation is straightforward, but launching the program requires commitment. Additionally, be mindful of potential issues like perceived favoritism and have strategies ready to address them.
Terryberry has enhanced its mobile app, making it more accessible for employees regardless of their location. Improvements to the interface's navigation have also made the tool more user-friendly over time.
Terryberry is well-suited for remote or geographically dispersed workforces, industries with high turnover at the entry-level, large companies, and any organization looking to boost employee engagement, especially in roles that are repetitive or routine. This tool can help employees feel more recognized and engaged.
For very small organizations with fewer than 20 employees, Terryberry might not be as effective due to a small pool of participants and potential repetition of rewards. Additionally, highly compensated employees with very busy roles may not find as much value in the type of rewards offered.
Bucketlist
With its vast rewards catalog, easy fulfillment, collaborative team challenges, and more, Bucketlist boosts employee satisfaction and retention. They also offer dedicated support to help you optimize your incentive programs.
PROS
- Numerous rewards are available. Some users have even mentioned that it’s hard to pick one.
- Known for adding customer suggestions to its product roadmap and delivering on them.
- Web and mobile versions are easy to use.
- A pilot program is available.
- Available in English, Spanish, and French.
- Vast number of rewards available, some users have even mentioned that it’s hard to pick one
- The Bucketlist team has been known for adding customer suggestions to their product roadmap and delivering on them
- When it comes to pricing, they offer to match another offer if you find a better price elsewhere
CONS
- Rewards in the form of experiences are quite limited compared to cash rewards.
- Some users found shoutouts, tokens, and goal setup features challenging to use.
- Only available in English
- Little information is available as to the particularities of their concierge service for experience rewards.
Bucketlist’s rewards and incentives platform has all the features you need to boost employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention. For starters, it features a comprehensive catalog of over 2,500 rewards employees can choose from, ranging from gift cards to merchandise to unique experiences. Reward fulfillment is fairly simple, with no markup on rewards.
The UI was easy to navigate in our testing. It was also simple to create different competitions which can be tied to sales goals, community service hours, or any important metric. The progress team members make can be tracked on a leaderboard, and winning members or teams receive the incentives you’ve previously defined. There are also detailed analytics and reports that give you plenty of insight into which incentives or awards resonate most with your employees.
On top of its robust features, Bucketlist also offers dedicated support to optimize your setup and training for all users. The implementation process is quick and easy with seamless integrations with platforms your team already uses like G-Suite and Office 365. Overall, we think Bucketlist is a fantastic platform to streamline and enhance your rewards initiatives while checking all the boxes: easy setup, impactful features, and excellent service.
The platform has over 470,000 users from 100+ countries. Some of them are First Bank, RBC, Interac, Chick-fil-A, 1-800-GOT-JUNK, Stamford Health, Danone, Majesco, and Applebee’s.
Bucketlist plans are priced on a tiered pricing model based on company size. Typically, the range is $2 - $4 dollars per employee per month.
Best For
Bucketlist works best for medium to enterprise-size businesses (200 to 5,000+ employees).
I use Bucketlist a minimum of 3 times a week. I use it to set reminders for birthdays and anniversary milestones. This allows my staff to feel valued and part of a team. Being able to send a quick message or an actual reward has made this program valuable to the company. Having motivational tools increases productivity as well as office morale.
I feel the ease of sending employees rewards is my number one pro of the program. Keeping my team excited and motivated is great. Also, not having to use multiple programs for each task is wonderful. I feel remembering milestones and birthdays is important to my staff and this has very little room for error.
My company was using other software programs to set reminders of anniversaries and birthdays. We then would have a separate email program to send recognition awards. It was a hassle and very time-consuming. It was also easy to make errors because of not having a streamlined program.
I feel that sometimes, the number of options in awards can be overwhelming. The news feed could be organized by department, which would make it geared to that area of the company. I also think being able to make the recognition public to all staff could be motivating to everyone.
Bucketlist was incredibly easy to use, and I feel it is one of the better programs out there. It also is cost-effective and great for time management. I feel that fewer steps taken daily increase HR productivity and keep my team hyped up to do better. It is a great way to encourage staff members to do their best while feeling valued.
I would recommend doing their own research as to whether this program fits their company's needs. They offer a free trial, which I highly recommend utilizing. I feel this program is a wonderful tool, and my advice would be to purchase it.
They are constantly updating their system, adding new tools, and making it easier to navigate.
Tech companies and really, any office with staff members.
Companies such as a restaurant since staff members are not always on a computer.
Motivosity
Motivosity lets employees choose personalized, exciting rewards; automates service awards and birthdays; and leverages gamification to drive engagement in company initiatives.
PROS
- Motivosity is mobile-friendly. Users can access the platform via phones, desktops, and collaboration apps like Teams and Slack.
- The company offers free software (namely Connect) with fundamental features for employee engagement.
- The free trials are available for all paid subscriptions.
- In addition to rewards, it’s easy to give a shout-out or recognition to another colleague through the platform.
- The built-in reporting provides helpful insights around potential attrition, most recognized employees, and performance highlights.
- Employees can access this system from their phones, desktop, and apps they are in at work such as Teams/Slack
- One platform that combines rewards, recognition, employee engagement, and more
- Built in reporting with insights around potential attrition, most recognized employees, managers that need coaching, etc.
CONS
- Lack of rules to regulate the distribution of points. For example, a team member could give 100% of their monthly rewards to a friend.
- Performance management features, like 1:1s and coaching, are no longer available.
- Only has dollar (not points) based rewards. Their research shows dollars is more effective, but many companies want points.
- Some users claimed sometimes it can be a bit buggy connecting to Slack to notify people that an appreciation came through.
- It would have broadened the number of gift card options for users to choose from.
- There could have been an easier way to integrate the software with swag stores. For now, you have to transfer funds to a card and then link that card with the swag store, which slows down a bit the process to cash in funds.
Motivosity helps companies move beyond the standardized and often underwhelming rewards. Through the platform, employees can choose rewards that actually excite them from a customizable online store, containing hundreds of digital and physical gift cards to national brands and local businesses.
We’ve given it a shot and it was easy to add custom rewards to the store. It was also easy to create and set the parameters for custom competitions (these can be a wellness program, book club, or anything you can challenge employees to do, consensually of course) as well as make badges and define awards for those who win. To ensure integrity through competitions, Motivosity lets employees upload proof like steps count and book reviews.
Finally, and like a best-in-class employee rewards software should, Motivosity automates service awards and birthday shoutouts. Recipients get a customized gift and message, and colleagues can add public comments to celebrate coworkers on their special days.
Health Catalyst, Cotopaxi, Health Equity, Instructure, Ivanti
Motivosity’s core product of Recognition and Rewards is $4 per employee per month. This includes all of their tools for internal communication, rewards, awards, milestones, social connection features, etc. For a comprehensive list of features included in each pricing option, refer to Motivosity's dedicated pricing page.
Best For
Motivosity is best for companies from 10 to 10,000 employees that can drive engagement and improve morale through the platform.
I used Motivosity for employee engagement, which comprised a small portion of my weekly workflow. We primarily used it to increase connectivity among employees and promote appreciation and engagement. This was particularly relevant for our performance-driven roles in sales, customer service, and account management, where there was an emphasis on making extra efforts for better results. We used it in short intervals when team milestones were achieved or initiatives were launched.
- Motivosity has a user-friendly UI that makes employee engagement easy to understand.
- It is helpful for small businesses that lack a framework for employee engagement.
- Motivosity improves connectivity among employees in businesses with multiple locations.
I used Motivosity at a previous employer. I only had the opportunity to use it for about three months, as we needed a way to increase and manage employee engagement. Before implementing this system, we relied exclusively on survey-driven initiatives. Motivosity was intended to bridge the gap in these engagement initiatives and provide a more consistent way to foster engagement.
- Motivosity is too expensive for the features it offers; I believe there are cheaper options for enterprises looking to invest more in employee engagement.
- Some of Motivosity's fringe features can be confusing to use or lack clear use cases.
- Its reporting capabilities are not as advanced as many competitors.
Motivosity offers a very user-friendly UI that is easy for any employee to use and understand, unlike competitors that often require more administrative management to oversee user experience. It also has features that create community-like interactions, which is especially helpful for companies without other platforms for employee interaction, particularly remote or multi-location companies.
- How much are you willing to invest in employee engagement?
- How much do you already spend on engagement initiatives?
- What is the size of your business, and do you have multiple locations?
- How valuable are employee engagement and rewards for your type of company (e.g., sales-heavy roles)?
Motivosity has been investing in improving user experience, aiming to make it feel seamless for employees.
Motivosity is good for sales-driven or performance-driven organizations.
Motivosity is not good for large enterprises that need more robust and horizontally integrated systems.
Assembly
Assembly makes rewarding employees effortless with seamless integrations, peer nominations, personalized incentives, and templates that turn appreciation into a habit.
PROS
- Offers a free version and free trials for their paid plans, with no need for a credit card or demo.
- Feature-rich for the price point.
- Customize rewards and set up a points system with automated incentives.
- Month-to-month plan or a long-term contract (12-month minimum agreement). A large team with a long-term contract can get a custom deal.
- Explore the platform for free, no need for a credit card or demo
- Great set of features for the price point
- Make your own rewards and even set up a points system with automated incentives
- You have the option to go with a month-to-month plan or a long-term contract. For the latter, you can reach out to their team for a custom deal if it’s a larger team. However, keep in mind that the minimum agreement is 12 months.
CONS
- Coins and points expire and do not roll over.
- SSO is not standard for all plans. In some cases, it must be purchased as an add-on.
- iOS and Android apps are available, but this information is hard to find on the site.
- Only supports English.
- Coins and points do expire, so sometimes they’ll expire by the end of the month before you can use them, although you get more the next period.
- SSO is only included with some plans. For others, it can be purchased as an add-on.
Assembly makes rewarding and recognizing employees effortless. Its seamless integrations with Slack and Microsoft Teams mean you never have to leave your workflow to show appreciation. These social apps are also where team members can publically nominate one another for recognition and rewards. The personalized points system enables employees to redeem rewards tailored to what makes them feel valued, whether that's gift cards, donations to charity, or experiences that enrich company culture.
With Assembly, you can align rewards to core values, ensuring they resonate with what truly matters to your team. Milestones like birthdays, work anniversaries, and achievements big or small are never missed. The software proactively surfaces these moments and prompts personalized messages of appreciation.
The wide variety of reward options ensures there’s something that’ll appeal to everyone, while the variety of built-in templates and automated reminders for milestones empower managers to turn recognition into a lasting habit, driving engagement and retention.
Over 2,400 use Assembly, including Casper, Keck School of Medicine, and Perforce.
- Starter is free for businesses with up to 10 employees.
- Paying customers are charged between $2.80 and $6.00 per employee per month, depending on the features and monthly vs. yearly pricing plan.
- The premium plan requires a custom quote.
Best For
With its free version, scalable plans, and vast feature set, Assembly can serve companies both big and small.
Assembly is such a fantastic platform for sharing gratitude with your colleagues, across the organization as a whole, as well as internally and externally between departments. It is straightforward, easy, and fun to use! This tool is especially good for nurturing culture across a remote team. The integration with Slack makes it seamless for the team to use and engage with, and Assembly engages senior leadership with ease.
Simple, fast platform. Easy set-up and free trial version prior to transition to paid version. Easy implementation and great reporting options and support.
In the age of remote, work-from-home, and hybrid models, and all of the inherent challenges it presents, Assembly has allowed us to continue to celebrate business culture and monetize the value of success within our organization. We are able to easily recognize team members and their accomplishments so that those ambiguous moments can become tangible for the entire company to see. Acknowledgements of birthdays, anniversaries, work anniversaries etc. are seamlessly built in, never to be forgotten or overlooked. Coins can be exchanged for gifts, donated to charity, traded in for company-branded gifts, or cashed in for rewards. Our engagement rate is over 90% on the Assembly platform and we are very excited to see how they can continue to evolve its value proposition.
Coins expire if not used in time. UX could be more user-friendly. Larger tiered allotments would be a great improvement.
When considering any employee recognition platform, functionality and reporting should always be heavily weighted in the final decision. Recognition platforms go hand-in-hand with engagement surveys; some platforms do not offer this feature or offer. Limited version of this feature. Mobility and accessibility are primary concerns, especially where remote and global teams exist. Also, goal/challenge creation, tracking and attainment features are wonderful enhancements to include.
There have been consistent upgrades to the platform and Assembly is very open to feedback and suggestions.
Assembly is ideal for small and mid-market organizations.
Assembly would not be a good fit for large/enterprise organizations.
Cooleaf
What’s cool about Cooleaf is that you can automate work anniversary rewards and make your own catalog from a variety of international reward offerings. Plus, the employee rewards app has an option for employees to use reward points to send a gift card to a peer or loved one.
PROS
- Very user-friendly. Easy to upload, create content, and redeem rewards.
- A complete platform for employee engagement, not just rewards and recognition.
- The Slack integration is seamless– posts and recognitions are gathered within the team’s Slack channel.
- Various rewards include a team store, donations, entertainment, travel experiences, merch, products, and restaurant coupons.
- Available on both Apple Store and Google Play.
- Full platform for all things employee engagement, not just rewards and recognition.
- The Slack integration is very seamless. Challenges, posts, and recognitions can all be gathered within dedicated channels in your team’s Slack workplace, if you want to.
- Wide variety of rewards including a team store, donations, entertainment, travel experiences, merch, products, and restaurant coupons.
CONS
- Users cannot create workplace culture-building challenges and activities.
- Support is limited to an online form.
- Undisclosed pricing.
- No free plan or free trial.
- Login and single sign-on issues were reported with app use.
- For some of the workplace culture-building features, like challenges and activities, you can’t create your own, so you rely on how often Cooleaf’s team makes them available.
- We found the support center’s documentation to be somewhat limited in comparison to similar tools. Also, it seems like support is only done through an online form, no other channels are available.
Cooleaf offers a seamless and effective way to reward deserving employees. We’ve poked around the platform and found it easy to navigate through its different modules. It was particularly easy to set up rewards and shoutouts for defined goals and milestones. Rewards can range from digital badges to merchandise, gift cards, and swag, so there are options to fit any budget.
You can define a budget for managers to reward performance and incentivize stakeholders as they see fit. This autonomy helps managers surprise and delight their teams with experiences and gifts tailored to what would be most meaningful. From the employee POV, we really like how it’s easy for them to give shout-outs to one another. Beyond just a thank you, these thoughtful recognitions boost morale.
With Cooleaf's customized service awards, manager autonomy, frictionless peer recognition, and data-driven insights, you can successfully build a lasting culture of appreciation. For any organization looking to improve retention and performance, we believe Cooleaf is worth checking out.
Shipt, SalesLoft, Toyota, Synovus Bank, Kids2
Cooleaf offers custom pricing via a monthly subscription model based on the number of employees included in the program. Contact their Sales team for a quote.
Best For
Cooleaf is best for small and mid-sized businesses with an average workforce of 250+ people. Cooleaf is also a good choice for remote or hybrid teams looking to boost employee satisfaction.
We used Cooleaf daily or weekly. It was employed to help staff members get to know one another. Having birthdays and anniversaries public made these days special and helped employees connect in a fun way. We utilized the activities and rewards offered in the program. It added warmth and personal touches to the office. Building a community among the staff was a key goal when we purchased it, and it allowed everything to be streamlined without relying on personal social media platforms.
I liked the Rewards catalog for the incentive programs we offered. It made our employees happy and made them feel appreciated. Employee feedback was streamlined between managers, making this an easy program to use. The games in the program made the office more fun and enjoyable. Knowing other staff members' special dates, like birthdays, encouraged peer-to-peer recognition.
My company used Cooleaf to improve employee morale and assist with team building. We had employees who didn’t know each other, and we believed that if they got to know one another, it would improve teamwork and efficiency. It also helped create a positive and happy work environment. It’s nice for co-workers to learn about special occasions in each other’s lives, making the workplace feel more personal and less corporate. I have used Cooleaf for about a year.
I feel that challenges and games could be updated more frequently. I also think the program could be more user-friendly for those who aren’t very tech-savvy. While it worked well on a desktop, it was difficult to use on my cell phone.
I prefer Cooleaf because it feels more “human” compared to other programs that are more rigid and corporate. It allows personal touches that other programs don’t offer. It also has a fun, light-hearted aspect that some HR programs lack.
Cooleaf should consider whether they have enough staff members to make use of the program. It's also important to take time to teach staff how to use it effectively. I advise anyone to research their needs and see what the program has to offer.
I feel Cooleaf has become more current with the rewards it offers.
Cooleaf is ideal for larger offices, though any business could benefit from it.
Cooleaf may not be suitable for small offices with only a few staff members.
Connecteam
Connecteam is an all-in-one workforce management hub for businesses, big and small with simple yet effective rewards and recognition features.
PROS
- Intuitive, mobile-friendly user interface.
- Customizable badges and recognition.
- Purchased tokens never expire and are refundable.
- A single platform for rewards and recognition, job scheduling, time management, team communication, and more.
- Free to use for teams with 10 users or fewer.
- One of the only fully-mobile HR tech tools for deskless workers
- Very adequately-priced for all it entails, SMB-friendly
- Quite open to feedback, having implemented user suggestions as features in the past.
CONS
- Fewer reward options than specialized rewards and recognition brands.
- Limited peer-to-peer features.
- Third-party integrations limited to 4 payroll software providers.
- API access is for Enterprise plan only.
- No phone support.
- In the communication hub, the app offers no confirmation that messages were sent and/or seen.
- Certain features that some teams consider essential, such as GPS-tracking, are only available in the higher-tier pricing plans.
Instead of taking the spotlight, Connecteam's rewards and recognition are designed to complement other features this workforce management software offers. And we must say, they totally nailed it.
Unlike Assembly, the tokens you buy from Connecteam never expire, and you can get a refund if you need to. There are fewer gift card options than with competitors like Bonusly or Motivosity, but popular brands like Amazon, Apple, and Best Buy are available.
Unsurprisingly, transaction fees are applied—10% for any purchased gift card in the U.S. and 15% for other countries. What we do appreciate here, though, is that the vendor has always been upfront about its prices. It always informs users about the cost of purchasing tokens and the price of the gift cards so they know the difference before buying.
Connecteam gives you different ways to show appreciation for your employees. You can send recognition messages to individuals, select multiple users to send to everyone, or filter recipients based on specific criteria. Plus, you can create your own customized recognition badges to add a personal touch.
However, Connecteam doesn’t seem to give peer-to-peer recognition the attention it deserves. At the time of writing, there’s no way for employees to gift tokens to others. To give a colleague a shout-out, they either have to rely on the comment section on the admin’s recognition posts or use the chat feature.
Integration is another area this vendor falls short. It can connect natively with just 4 payroll solutions, while its API access is only available on the Enterprise plan.
36,000+ companies, including Siteline, EnviroCon, and Copernicus.
- Small Business Plan: Free for up to 10 users.
- Basic Plan: $29 per month for the first 30 users, $0.5 per additional user.
- Advanced Plan: $49 per month for the first 30 users, $1.5 per additional user.
- Expert Plan: $99 per month for the first 30 users, $3 per additional user.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing with features like personal account managers, SSO, 2FA, biometric lock, and API access.
Best For
Non-desk or distributed teams to celebrate achievements and show employee appreciation.
We use Connecteam for task management. Employees are assigned daily/weekly tasks based on their roles. With Connecteam, all employees are working toward the bigger goal, one person at a time. The app is also a great communication platform for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and accomplishments.
Three major pros Connecteam offers are task management, community, and timekeeping. Connecteam’s task management tools empower each employee to give their best. The communication tools are a great asset to the company’s culture. Connecteam’s timekeeping functions make scheduling less time-consuming.
Before moving the organization to Connecteam, basic employee functions were on different systems. Timekeeping and workload checklists were all in paper form, taking up valuable space. Connecteam helped create operational excellence. Now, supervisors can delegate workloads to employees without physical paperwork to confirm completion. Employees are now eager to post photos of their completed tasks. Timekeeping has also become much easier. We have used Connecteam for over a year.
The biggest con could be app usage for employees who are not comfortable with technology or mobile apps. This is no fault of Connecteam, but inactive users can slow down operational progress. Using a mobile device can also be a distraction for some employees. From an HR perspective, auto-scheduling is generally helpful, but in some cases, employees' schedules can change weekly or biweekly, which requires extra time to ensure schedules are correct.
Compared to other systems I have used at different companies, Connecteam offers much more ease for users. It also has fewer problems with maintenance and malfunctions.
When buying this tool, I think people should consider operational excellence. Companies should also think about the diversity of their team and whether employees will be open to using the app. In addition to gaining employee buy-in for using this software, buyers should also review the price point to ensure they are comfortable using it within their business. Lastly, potential buyers should ensure that a person or team is in place to explore all the functions to get full use of the app.
The access to the helpdesk and training videos for using the app has greatly met the needs of both the users and employees.
This tool is great for businesses that focus on operational excellence or operational standards. Operational size doesn’t matter because the app is multifunctional. Larger organizations may need to use more of the app’s functions.
Organizations where physical paperwork is required, or where phone service or usage is limited.
Guusto
We are big fans of Guusto’s inclusive approach to rewards, with features that enforce a culture of appreciation across all employees - from the frontline to the executive suite. The platform is also easy to set up, has a straightforward redemption process and a free plan for SMBs.
PROS
- Guusto is remote-friendly and planet-conscious: All gift cards are digital, so no plastic waste and no shipping.
- The gifts are real dollar value – no confusing points.
- You can use the platform on mobile devices thanks to its Android and iOS apps.
- The subscription fee is for reward givers only. You can add unlimited recipients for free.
- Guusto partners with One Drop Foundation: the platform donates one day of clean drinking water for every gift sent.
- International rewards have grown a lot recently, with over 4,000 options available as of Spring 2023.
- They partnered with the One Drop Foundation to donate 1 day of clean drinking water for every gift sent.
- All gift cards are actually digital, meaning there’s no plastic waste. This also makes it a very remote-friendly product.
- Guusto is not a points program. All the gifts within the platform are real dollar value.
- As of early 2023, their global rewards options have grown to the thousands.
- In the process of becoming more international, gift redemptions can now be done in almost any currency within the regions they operate in.
CONS
- Accounts can only be funded with USD or CAD, although gift redemptions can be made in a variety of currencies.
- For subscriptions, there is a minimum of $40/month for the Lite tier, $80/month for the Essential tier, and $400/month for the Premium tier.
- Accounts can only be funded with USD or CAD
Guusto makes rewards and recognition seamless for dispersed workforces with its inclusive and automated software. We appreciate a simple approach to rewards and Guusto offers just that. Rather than point systems which can be confusing to understand, Guusto uses real dollar value rewards that can be sent to any employee, even if they aren't in the system yet. To make things even better, you only need to pay for users that send recognitions; recipients can be added for free, without any limit.
Another thing we love about Guusto is its focus on frontline and deskless workers, ensuring they’re not left out of any appreciation efforts. These employees are often on the move, and many of them don’t have corporate email access. Their rewards and shoutouts can be sent to them via SMS text messages and physical cards.
The software empowers managers with custom budgets to consistently recognize achievements, reinforce values, and automate milestone rewards. Peer-to-peer shoutouts boost morale across locations, automated drawings help randomly issue rewards and incentives, and employees can redeem their recognitions for hundreds of digital gift cards from top brands worldwide, company swag, donations, and more.
Staples, Compass One Healthcare, The Body Shop, Fairmont, Rexall Pharmacies
Guusto has scalable pricing:
- Free - $0/month (single user sending rewards)
- Lite - $40/month (single user sending/scheduling bulk rewards)
- Essential - $120/month (30 seats included, additional seats cost $4/month)
- Premium - $400/month (80 seats included, additional seats cost $5/month)
Note: Only recognition senders need user seats. There are no limits on how many recognition receipts there are in the system. Guusto also offers volume discounts for enterprise customers. Contact Guusto's Sales team for more details.
Best For
Guusto is best for companies with frontline employees, particularly in the Healthcare, Retail, Financial Services, and Hospitality industries. They’ve also been actively updating their offering with features to suit the needs of companies with deskless workers.
I as an employee who received a guusto bonus use it as much as I can. I have looked into sending money seems simple enough. A nice way to send money to family and friends even when not sure what to buy them. They are allowed to pick their own gift out and get what they truly want.
It's simple to send money to well-deserving employees. It's quick - there is no wait time. It's private when an employer wants to send money even small amounts today a job well done not everyone has to know
All I know is my company at the time was looking at rewarding employees for exceptional work. It is a safe secure and private way of sending out bonuses to deserving employees. My company is able to better provide bonuses and keep track of where the money is going and who is receiving it. Employees feel recognized and deserving. Work morale has improved with guusto.
I really have had no issue with it
I can't say I have only had experience with guusto
Cost would be a major factor. If you're not going to use it as a regular probably look for something simple. Ease of transfer for you and employees
Couldn't say as I am a fairly new user
Employers who want to reward employees
Companies that rarely treat employees and family gift-exchanging
Workstars
Workstarts gives you the choice to gift employees from its online rewards and prepaid cards or to create your own catalog of incentives and perks that meet your employees’ liking, redeemable at both a local and global scale.
PROS
- Pretty simple to launch and navigate.
- Pricing is transparent—no fees for setting up the system.
- Cost-effective when compared to similar platforms.
- Culturally aware, while based mainly in the UK and the US, the Workstars team has been known to go the extra mile to adapt to the customs, expectations, and cost of living adjustments of clients in other parts of the world.
- 30-day trial with a dedicated support agent.
- Custom rewards like service awards, top performer awards, nominations, voting, etc
- Cost-effective when compared to similar platforms.
- Culturally-aware; while based mostly in the UK and US, the Workstars team has been known to go the extra mile to adapt to the customs, expectations, and cost of living adjustments of clients in other parts of the world.
CONS
- No HRMS integrations. To upload employee data, the user must either make do with XML/CSV files or set up the API integrations.
- No free plan.
- No HRMS integrations. To upload people data, you’d have to make do with XML or CSV files, or try to have IT set up an integration with an API.
- No free plan or free trial
Workstars can help you deliver an exceptional employee experience with its global flexibility, seamless integrations, actionable insights, and strong security. Through the platform, you can access an online catalog of rewards and prepaid cards to incentivize employees, locally or globally. In our testing, we were quite impressed by how the platform let us add and change languages, countries, currencies, and cost of living adjustments without extra fees. It’s got a level of flexibility we’ve not seen on other platforms.
We are also fans of Workstars’ analytics capabilities, giving users valuable insights into workforce engagement trends, undercover achievers, and corporate value effectiveness. It also provides the reports you need for finance, IT security audits, and more.
Workstars also integrates with popular tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Salesforce, and prioritizes security, with robust protocols around data storage, GDPR compliance, and penetration testing. To top it all off, the platform is fully responsive on mobile devices, ensuring employees can access Workstars anywhere.
TT Electronics, Trac, and AstraZeneca are some of the many companies that use Workstars.
Workstars offers three subscription plans, billed monthly: Entry, Pro, and Global. The pricing for these plans ranges from £1.50 - £4 per user depending on the number of user seats you need and whether you need to use the platform in multiple languages/currencies.
Best For
Workstars is great for scalability. Their clients have a range of 50-10,000 employees. The bigger the team, the better the price.
We use it to say happy birthdays. We use it to wish each other happy work anniversaries. We use it to create a positive environment for our employees. It has helped increase overall morale.
I really like the design of emails. I like that you can custom-make emails that are sent to employees. I like to provide employees with a fun tool.
They decided to use workstars as an additional resource for employee recognition for birthdays. They also wanted to recognize employees for anniversaries. They wanted to be able to give each other props on a regular basis.
Thought it was expensive for the platform. Wish it was more user-friendly. Wish we had one dedicated rep.
They are very similar to other platforms out there.
How often you plan to use it. How many employees you will have using it.
I haven’t noticed changes while we used it.
Hybrid organization that has employees all over the world.
It’s good for all organizations
Matter
It's rare to find a vendor that can so effectively integrate rewards and recognition within tools we're already using daily. So seeing Matter automate global reward delivery, birthdays, work anniversaries, and employee surveys, all inside Slack or Teams—and it does so beautifully—is truly impressive.
PROS
- One app for rewards, recognition, and surveys working right inside your Slack or Teams.
- Gift cards, donations, and prepaid card rewards in 100+ countries.
- Visually appealing and user-friendly software design.
- Transparent, affordable plans with discounts for non-profits and educational institutions.
- Free plan offers unlimited users, customizable notifications, and kudos.
- 200+ HRIS integrations available.
- Option to reward survey completions with redeemable Matter coins.
- Pulse Survey delivered and responded to right in Slack or MS Teams.
- Pulse Surveys use real-time data from a library of 100 questions to provide insights on cultural categories.
- Survey recipients won't see the same question twice within 90 days.
- Real-time anonymous feedback with custom notifications.
- Affordable and transparent plans with discounts for non-profits and schools.
CONS
- You have to use either Slack or Microsoft Teams to be able to use Matter.
- Coin allowance resets weekly if not fully used. (Kudos coins don't expire though.)
- Free plan only support 30 days of analytics history.
- To use Matter, you must have either Slack or Teams installed.
- At this time, the vendor doesn't allow the Pulse Survey questions to be editable.
- Pulse surveys are only available on the highest-priced plan.
We love the fact that Matter automates the delivery of global rewards, celebrates birthdays and work anniversaries, and even conducts employee surveys—all within the familiar interfaces of communication platforms Slack and MS Teams. As a remote team that uses Slack daily, it felt natural and incredibly efficient to incorporate the tool into our workflow.
Navigating the software, it became apparent to us that the vendor has paid close attention to their product’s user experience. Matter’s app not only possesses an elegant design but also a straightforward set of functionalities. It only took a few minutes to set everything up: we selected the rewards categories we wanted, used the built-in Rewards Calculator to figure out how many coins to allocate to each team member given our budget, and tweaked the default coin allocation accordingly. Then, all that was left was to approve or reject incoming rewards requests, either in bulk or one by one.
The pricing structure is another aspect we found quite reasonable. At $3 per month, it didn't feel like a significant investment, and the fact that there's a free trial and a free plan available made it an even easier decision for small teams like us to give Metter a go.
However, the requirement to use Slack or Microsoft Teams means it wouldn't be suitable for every organization. While we’re aware that Matter does have some very large teams in its customer base, its offerings seem to be most valued by small-to-medium-sized companies with less than a thousand employees.
A bit of a letdown for those looking to start with Matter’s free plan: there’s a 30-day limit on analytics history. Yet, considering the other benefits, it’s something we trust most budget-minded teams would be willing to work around.
4,700+ companies, including Petco, Shell, and JiffyLube.
Matter offers four pricing plans, ranging from free to $5 per month. All features are accessible during a 30-day free trial.
Best For
SMBs that are using communication platforms Teams or Slack and are open to incorporating their rewards programs within these apps.
Kudos
Kudos’ employee rewards storefront is highly configurable, allowing you to tailor rewards that speak to your brand and employees’ needs. Extra support is also provided during and after the tool’s launching phase.
PROS
- Kudos possesses a set of unique, company culture-oriented features that are present all across the platform.
- Users love how easy Kudos is to navigate.
- It has all the bells and whistles out-of-the-box, both on the web and mobile versions.
- Available in 11 languages.
- Unique, company culture-oriented features are present all across the platform, such as in the way they approach analytics, or on the actual Culture Accelerator module.
- Excellent relation of mobile / desktop functionality. You basically get all the bells and whistles on both versions.
CONS
- An insider's help is needed to get a good idea of the Kudos app from the website, so a demo is necessary.
- The UX/UI could be improved: some users reported issues with attaching images, .gifs, and emojis.
- No free version and no trial version.
- Unless you get a demo and start exploring the tool with the help of an insider, we’d say it’s somewhat hard to get a good idea of what features are like, how they work, and even what they do, just from their website alone.
- From our research, we could gather that the points system and how this works can get a bit confusing for some users.
Kudos offers an engaging employee rewards platform that amplifies recognition and supports stronger company culture. One of the features that stood out for us is its customizable online storefront where employees can redeem their points. We’ve gone through the catalog, which includes popular rewards like gift cards, merchandise, charitable donations, travel experiences, and company swag. It’s also easy to add custom rewards to the storefront and tailor it to what your employees like.
As an employee using the system, it’s easy to rack up points through peer-to-peer shoutouts, manager recognitions, completing learning modules, hitting key milestones, and more. From the employee interface, it’s also easy to track points balance and redeem them for rewards.
Kudos also provides dedicated program management support to ensure seamless execution. Their team helps handle reward sourcing, point tracking, reporting, and communication to drive program success. With their help, you are guaranteed to run effective employee recognition and rewards programs your people will love to be part of.
ATCO, Bulgari, Arch Insurance, KidsPeace
Kudos offers a starting price of $3.25 per user per month, catering to organizations with a minimum of 500 employees. The actual pricing is flexible and determined by factors such as the number of users and the duration of the contract.
Best For
Kudos is best for businesses with over 500 employees looking for a rewards-focused program that supports multiple languages and diverse forms of recognition, from shout-outs to gift cards, experiences, and charity.
We use the points to issue to team members. Team members can then send points to each other as a show of appreciation. This can be for providing good ideas during a meeting or helping out on a project. Employees can use the earned points for rewards like gift cards. We also use the awards feature for different company and department recognition across the board.
I like the awards feature because you can customize the categories to the company. The platform is easy to use and navigate, which makes the learning curve manageable. Recognition can be sent with or without points, so it doesn't limit employees in showing gratitude.
The client bought Kudos because they wanted a different way of recognizing and incentivizing team members. There wasn't a clear method for recognizing employees. We were also looking to find motivating initiatives to make recognition a part of the everyday culture. Kudos allowed collaboration and gratitude to be easy not only from a company standpoint but also by allowing team members to shout out to each other. We have a mixture of remote and on-site teams, so the platform makes it easy to navigate recognition.
I dislike that points expire after a certain period. I know it is to encourage giving recognition, but we also don't want to force it. The pulse survey feature is a bit limited in customization and analysis. Besides those two issues, I have no other cons.
I think they have really put time into ensuring the experience is top-tier. The platform structure compared to some of the others is what sold the company.
What do you want out of your recognition program? How do you want it to align with or enhance your culture? It's not just about points and getting rewards; it is about the specific outcomes you're hoping to see.
I am not sure, as I only used it for a brief period.
A medium or big sized company that want to reward and recognize their employees will find Kudos to be a good fit.
A startup or a small company that doesn't have an intentional plan around recognition will not get the most out of Kudos.
Bonusly
Bonusly’s specialty lies in its reward catalog: it packs an impressive number of gift cards that work in dozens of countries. Teams with 50-5000 employees, remote or in-office, can make great use of the tool. Bonusly’s discounts also make it a sound option for nonprofits.
PROS
- Bonusly has an intuitive user interface where both admin and employee users find it easy to navigate through.
- The platform is available in German, English, French, and Spanish.
- There are Android and iOS apps for on-the-go access.
- Nonprofits and educational organizations get discounted pricing from Bonusly.
- There is a 14-day, full-featured free trial that anyone can sign up for.
- Intuitive user interface.
- Available in German, English, French, and Spanish.
- Supports Android and iOS.
- Discounts for nonprofit and education organizations.
- 14-day, full-featured free trial.
CONS
- The Core plan which is marketed for small businesses is capped at 50 users.
- The analytics and reporting capabilities are relatively limited in functionality and customization.
- The reward options are centered around gift cards, cash, and donations rather than experiences.
- Features like requiring hashtags or showing top receivers were unnecessary according to a few users.
- Unused bonus money does not carry over; you use it or lose it.
- The starter plan is for small businesses that cap out at 50 users.
- Analytics and reporting features are relatively underdeveloped.
- The reward catalog lacks in-person experience and physical goods, and options and focuses on gift cards, cash, or donations.
- Unused bonus funds don’t roll over: users use it or lose it.
Bonusly’s full-featured and flexible employee rewards platform prioritizes choice, meaning, and connection. We’ve gone through their rewards catalog and liked what we saw: 1,200+ gift cards from popular vendors, redeemable in over 200 countries. Employees have abundant options to choose from across apparel, F&B, travel and more.
We find Bonusly’s approach to giving branded company swag quite unique. Through an integration with AXOMO, employees can browse and order company-branded items themselves. We also like how Bonusly gives employees the option to take their rewards in cash, with points redeemable for PayPal transfers, Visa gift cards, and prepaid Mastercards.
Customizable reward options are yet another advantage to Bonusly. You can get creative with experiential rewards like lunch with the CEO, local sports tickets, paid time off, and more. The platform is also connected to over 50 charitable causes, allowing employees to accept rewards in the form of donations to causes that matter to them.
Besides tangible rewards, Bonusly helps you set up automated awards for milestones like work anniversaries and birthdays to foster a culture of continuous appreciation. These public messages encourage social connections, praise, and gratitude between coworkers. You can also tie awards to business goals, driving performance and morale simultaneously.
Bonusly is used by over 3,250 companies, including Cerebral, Baxter, Headspace, and InVision.
Bonusly has 3 plans. When billed annually, they cost as follows:
- Core: Designed for small businesses, this plan costs $2.70 per user per month for up to 50 users.
- Pro: For $4.50 per user per month, this plan can be used by teams looking for more flexibility with reporting, permissions, and integrations.
- Custom: This plan has custom pricing and is made for larger businesses needing premium SLA and implementation support.
Best For
Bonusly works well for companies ranging from 50 to 5,000 employees looking to build a culture of appreciation.
We use Bonusly through the desktop and mobile version, and the team uses it on average about once a week. The team can use Bonusly to recognize their teammates for great work, or for their alignment with our core values. We also use it to give larger quarterly recognitions for client compliments or large wins.
It has an easy to use interface. It is easy to set up team members on it. It can be customized to align with our core values.
We were looking to integrate recognition into our workflows. We wanted it to be distributed across the organization, so it wasn't leadership only but everyone participated. We also wanted to align recognition with our core values. We've been using Bonusly for just over a year, and it has helped our team pause each month and recognize people for their efforts.
While Bonusly offers several beneficial features, there are areas that could be improved to enhance user experience and functionality. One of the drawbacks is the clunky and challenging nature of the Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) process, particularly when using it on mobile devices. Simplifying and streamlining the 2FA procedure would make it more user-friendly and accessible. Another area of concern is the Signals feature, which falls short when it comes to conducting employee surveys. The limited scale options of 1-5 restrict the ability to capture nuanced feedback, as some questions may require a more extensive rating scale. Providing customizable scales would allow for greater flexibility in survey design. Moreover, the lack of customization options for survey questions itself is a drawback. Enabling users to personalize and tailor questions to their specific needs and objectives would enhance the effectiveness of data collection. Lastly, improving the process of extracting and integrating survey results into analysis systems would facilitate data analysis and reporting. By addressing these cons and implementing the suggested improvements, Bonusly could offer a more seamless and customizable experience, enhancing its usability and value as an employee engagement tool.
One of Bonusly’s key strengths is the ability to customize company awards and rewards, allowing organizations to tailor recognition programs to their specific needs and culture. This flexibility ensures that employees feel appreciated in meaningful and personalized ways. Additionally, Bonusly has a user-friendly mobile interface, enabling seamless access and participation on the go. This makes recognition accessible anytime, anywhere. Another standout feature is its integration with Google Chat, which streamlines use within our team’s workflow. When searching for an employee engagement software, these qualities—customization, mobile interface, and integration—should be top considerations, and Bonusly excels in all these areas, making it an ideal choice for fostering a culture of recognition and appreciation.
It has worked great for our small company
People who are not tech savvy, and I can see it getting expensive for larger companies.
Reward Gateway
We love Reward Gateway's multiple offerings in a single platform. Keeping rewards, recognition and surveys within each other's reach is just plain smart.
PROS
- Excellent customer support thanks to their 24/7 help desk team and multiple communication channels
- Varied rewards, including products from Amazon, customizable ecards, and experiences.
- Employees will receive the reward budget's total value without processing or admin fees, as all rewards are provided at market pricing.
- A vast number of employee engagement modules can be purchased separately.
- Branded mobile apps are available for both Android and IOS users.
- Remarkably good customer support due to their 24/7 help desk team and multiple communication channels
- Varied rewards including products from Amazon, customizable ecards, and experiences
- You can purchase modules separately if you prefer it
CONS
- No free plan at this time.
- The reporting side of the platform could be enhanced to provide deeper insights.
- With mobile being so prevalent now, the lack of a mobile app to access Reward Gateway is a drawback. Having to log in separately on mobile is not ideal.
- At times, it can take a while for cashback earnings to be credited after a purchase.
- No free trial
- The “Reward Gateway for Small Business” version is only available for companies in the UK and Australia
Reward Gateway is an excellent tool for organizations that determine to have their rewards program centered around retailer gift cards.
As we look into user feedback, the software provides on-the-spot tools for managers to give in-person or digital rewards, tracking benchmarks and making it possible to reward employees once they achieve the set goals.
Reward Gateway is used by over 4000 companies, including McDonald’s, Comcast, and Pepsi.
- Reward Gateway employee reward and recognition solutions can be purchased separately and have custom pricing.
- The pricing of Reward Gateway’s “for Small Business” version starts at £6 per employee per month with no minimum price commitment.
Best For
Reward Gateway’s rewards program works for in-office, hybrid, and remote teams. Yet mid-size companies (51-500 employees) are the ones that typically make the most out of the software.
While using Reward Gateway, I used it every day. The employee engagement platform was customized to our organization and enabled us to provide regular newsletters, formal and informal recognition in a public setting, and wellbeing initiatives for our staff. We customized an exit interview equivalent to understand why employees were leaving and how we could improve. The platform allowed us to engage and connect with our remote workers and included job vacancies and opportunities for staff. Management and executives appreciated the analytic function, which showed their return on investment and tracked team performance.
- The customization allows us to align the platform with our business needs and add various functions.
- It is very easy to navigate and integrate with our internal systems.
- The analytics provide transparency and the ability to drill down to see our return on investment and identify areas for improvement.
- The ability to communicate with the entire organization and engage with remote workers has been transformative.
The organization I worked for purchased Reward Gateway to improve employee engagement, organizational culture, and staff retention. There was a noticeable issue with culture and engagement, which became evident as staff left the organization and cited these factors as reasons for leaving. The executives approved funding to implement Reward Gateway as a solution to enhance the employee experience and improve culture and retention. Reward Gateway has allowed the organization to streamline communications, provide rewards and recognition, and improve overall employee satisfaction. I used this tool for one year during my tenure at the organization.
- Removing a staff member is not user-friendly and could be improved.
- Some staff reported difficulties in settling canceled retail transactions.
- More local retailers for rewards would be preferred.
Reward Gateway stood out for its ease of integration with our internal systems and data transition. The platform's customization, user-friendliness, and robust reporting capabilities made it the best choice. Other platforms were clunkier, more difficult to transition to, and more expensive with less functionality.
Consider the price for the functionality provided; Reward Gateway offers a lot at a reasonable price. Evaluate the customization options to ensure it aligns with your organization’s values and user-friendliness. The tool's ease of integration and data transition, along with outstanding customer service, simplifies the implementation process.
Yes, the reporting was of concern. However, there has been improvement in this area, and in speaking to people who currently use the platform, they have also commended Reward Gateway on the improvement in their reporting.
Reward Gateway is excellent for medium-sized organizations looking to increase employee engagement and culture. It helps set the organization apart from competitors and contributes to staff retention.
Small businesses may find the costs outweigh the benefits. Additionally, dedicated employees are needed to manage and update the platform's content.
Awardco
Awardco helps you give thoughtful and personal rewards to employees. Besides Amazon rewards, it features Bonus Boxes, digital MemoryBooks, and extensive redemption options, letting you appreciate people in creative ways.
PROS
- The platform is easy to use and navigate.
- It’s available in 16 languages.
- Awardco’s integration with Amazon gives employees a wide range of reward options redeemable in many countries.
- It can integrate easily with many popular tools including Slack, Teams, and Hubspot.
- Amazon Business integration, huge reward catalog for a multitude of countries.
- The platform is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese.
CONS
- No free trial.
- Some users said that the prices for certain rewards are higher than retail prices.
- There have been complaints that reward delivery at times takes longer than expected.
- Actual pricing is not publicly available, so getting started won’t be a quick and self-service process like with other companies in the space.
- With Awardco, digital and physical gift cards are ineligible for refunds.
- Only Amazon-delivered products are available from Awardco. Goods sold by third-party vendors on Amazon are not available.
- The Awardco mobile app is only available as a Progressive Web Application, not from the App Store or Google Play, which might be less intuitive for some users.
Awardco helps you appreciate your people in unique ways. We’ve not seen other platforms offer the same degree of gift customization and personalization as Awardco. For starters, you can create and give out Bonus Boxes, which are creative care packages filled with fun branded items suited to the recipient. Digital MemoryBooks are another way to honor employees' work anniversaries. These interactive books compile messages and photos from colleagues into a cherished keepsake.
The way Awardco automates the rewards process is a major time-saver. It sends automatic reminders about service anniversaries, birthdays, and other occasions, prompting participation from the team. The software also seamlessly integrates with communication tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, making it easy to give timely shoutouts.
Robust incentive programs are another thing we liked about Awardco. Employees can earn points for achieving goals, then redeem them from an extensive catalog including top brands like Apple and YETI. For sales teams, Awardco partners with Amazon Business to provide the ultimate flexibility - earners can choose their own rewards without any friction.
Overall, we think Awardco succeeds at modernizing traditional employee rewards through creativity, flexibility, integration, and automation. The focus on curating unique experiences sets it apart from generic reward platforms. For any organization seeking to boost engagement, appreciation, and motivation, Awardco is worth strong consideration.
Awardco has over 3 million users including known companies like Percepta, Paramount, Hertz, Pacific Life, and Aptive
Awardco has two plans for SMBs, Lite and Go.
- Lite provides automation for service awards, birthdays, tracking, reporting, and manager notifications to establish a solid foundation for $2,500/year.
- Go builds on Lite by adding automated onboarding, peer-to-peer recognition, manager-to-employee recognition, value-driven recognition, and budget management for $4,000/year.
As for enterprises, Awardco offers plans that are more custom. The pricing for the enterprise plans depends on the features needed. Contact Awardco’s Sales team for more information.
Best For
Awardco is an excellent choice for growing teams and multinational businesses looking for a powerful and flexible solution to appreciate their employees.
We use Awardco for recognizing our employees for anniversaries with the company, birthdays. And personal anniversaries. We also allow supervisors to go in a recognize high performers.
- It keeps track of and sends gift cards for employee birthdays.
- It lets us supervisors highlight high performers.
- It makes employees feel recognized and us to gift them a small gift of appreciation.
Our office subscribed to Awardco to help with our retention issue. Although we had a good culture, talent is still hard to retain in this market and we wanted our employees to feel appreciated and want to continue working here.
There really is not much we dislike. This is the only service we have seen that’s been able to boost morale the way it has.
I am not sure of any competitors in this market
If you’re looking to boost employee moral this is a great tool and we have seen a big trend upward in our retention. We were hesitant at first to spend money on an award system but we are glad we did.
I’m not sure of any changes since we have started using it.
This is great for any company that has more than 30 or 40 employees and would like to recognize employees
Small business that you could easily track what Awardco tracks, or a company not wanting to spend money on employee recognition.
Nectar
Nectar's catalog covers an extensive range of rewards, from company swag to Amazon goods, gift cards, and charity donations. If that’s not enough, you also have the option to add custom rewards that are tailored to the relevant recipient(s).
PROS
- Transparent pricing.
- Volume discounts are available for organizations with 500+ employees.
- You only pay for the used rewards – unused pointed allowances won’t cost a dime.
- Regularly releases user-driven features and product updates.
- New AI-powered internal communications tool with drag-and-drop editor and templates for quick announcements.
- Regularly introduces new features and enhancements to its products.
- Volume discounts available for organizations with 500+ employees.
- You pay for the rewards that are claimed. Points and allowances that remain unused won’t cost you a dime.
CONS
- No longer offer a free plan. No free trial available.
- The rewards selection could feel limited to some teams, especially those looking for more experiences.
- Requires a minimum annual commitment of $4,000.
- The priced plans are not available to start off as a self-service process. You’d have to book a demo and pay to access some of the premium features.
- The rewards selection could feel limited to some teams, especially those looking for more experiences in offer.
- No longer offer a free plan.
Nectar’s employee rewards platform is comprehensive, customizable, and easy to use. We were particularly impressed by its variety of employee reward options. Through a direct integration with Amazon Business, employees can choose from Amazon's vast product catalog for their rewards. For those who prefer gift cards, Nectar offers access to ones from hundreds of different brands all over the world. Employees can also opt to receive company-branded swag shipped directly to their door or donate their rewards to charity. For a more personal touch, you can add custom rewards to Nectar’s catalog like tickets to local events or lunch with the CEO. With this many options, there’s definitely something for everyone and the best part is, if we haven’t clarified this already, employees get to pick their own rewards!
Nectar also automates service awards and birthdays, eliminating the need to manually send gifts for employee milestones. We were able to quickly set up automated birthday and anniversary point awards and social feed shoutouts. Another way to see upcoming events is through Nectar’s calendar, which we’ve found quite straightforward and tells you what’s happening on a given day if you hover over it.
Beyond rewards, you can create challenges aligned with goals or values, have employees self-report completion, and approve submissions. Plus, a new feature for internal communication has been added to the platform, which lets you create an announcement within minutes right within Nectar.
All in all, if you’re looking for a platform to boost engagement and show appreciation to your employees, we think Nectar is worth considering.
Nectar is used by many known brands including Redfin, Golden State Warriors, Major League Baseball, and SHRM.
Nectar offers three plans with an annual agreement of $4,000.
- Plus plan: $5 per employee per month when billed annually.
- Premium plan: $6 per employee per month when billed annually.
- Custom plan: Quote-based pricing.
Best For
Organizations with 50-2,000 employees seeking to build a lasting culture of appreciation.
We have managers give recognition at least once a week. Employees use it to get items with their points. They also like to have another way to communicate with each other.
We like the user-friendly platform. They have great customer service. Our employees are able to use their points towards stuff they enjoy.
We purchased it to engage employees and give recognition. We love the idea of employees giving positive feedback to each other. Our employees wanted to be able to give each other recognition as well. We used it for 2.5 years.
Nectar took a while to implement. Our employees would like to see additional / new options to purchase with points. Notifications to employees didn’t always work.
They are very similar to competitors. Their gift selection seems smaller then others.
Consider time of implementation. Make sure that your team uses it on a regular basis. Give incentives for employees to give each other recognition.
They are always making updates to improve. They have improved the overall design of the app.
Larger companies that aren’t able to recognize and acknowledge every employee all the time.
Small companies that interact every day.
WorkTango
Employees can enjoy the freedom of choosing merchandise, gift cards, donations, and other custom rewards from WorkTango’s massive rewards catalog. The platform also ensures that offered rewards align with your business’ culture and core values.
PROS
- The majority of users find WorkTango to be intuitive and easy to use.
- Points can be redeemed for a wide variety of gift cards, prizes, and other reward options.
- Coworkers can publicly or privately recognize one another in any direction, with or without reward points. Public recognition is viewable company-wide in a social media-like activity feed.
- The platform’s automated recognition ensures timely shoutouts for employee birthdays, work anniversaries, and other milestones.
- WorkTango is available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, German, and French, making it accessible to diverse users.
- Create custom incentives to reinforce your company’s objectives, programs, core values, or any positive actions that help your employees and your business succeed.
- The reporting and analytics dashboard gives you near real-time insights on how your efforts are faring.
- Unlimited surveys available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Korean.
- You can add modules as you go and these will be charged on a prorated basis.
CONS
- Billing can only be done annually.
- All plans require a minimum commitment of 12 months.
- Free trials aren't available at this time.
- Billing is only done annually and all plans require a minimum agreement for a 24-month subscription (see our FAQs for more and their pricing page for full details).
- Several users have complained about the rewards redeeming process being not very intuitive.
WorkTango’s all-in-one employee rewards platform makes appreciating and incentivizing employees easy and meaningful. We’ve peeked through their rewards catalog and it is massive, packing over a million rewards from popular retail gift cards to charity donations.
We like how the rewards catalog covers different price ranges, meaning you can incentivize all behaviors and achievements no matter how big or small. Another thing we like is its built-in search and filtering capabilities. Despite how big the catalog is, employees can still search and accurately find rewards that fit their interests best. WorkTango also gives personalized suggestions based on each employee’s past activity and has wishlists, reward points trackers, and an option for group reward redemption to build camaraderie.
Aside from rewards, WorkTango helps you give timely shoutouts for employee birthdays, work anniversaries and more through its automated recognition feature. It also lets you create incentives, gamifying and making it more fun for employees to reach performance goals, demonstrate certain values or positive actions. It’s a win for everyone.
Kia Motors, HUB International, Rexall, Accruent
WorkTango has custom pricing. Request a demo to learn more.
Best For
WorkTango is great for distributed teams and SMBs, particularly in tech, FSI, healthcare, and business services.
We used it for all employees to recognize each other for a job well done, birthdays, and anniversaries. HR would send birthday and anniversary recognition and other employees would comment wishing them well.
I liked that employees can recognize each other for accomplishments and a job well done. I like that employees can be recognized for their birthdays. I like that employees can be recognized for their anniversary each year.
We purchased WorkTango to build employee morale and encourage team building and recognition amongst peers. This is another way to provide positive reinforcement to our employees and encourage them to work hard and love what they do! I used it for 2 years.
Some employees would complain about the shop and being hard to navigate. We would receive feedback that employees didn't think it was super user-friendly. We had technical issues occasionally that would take a little while to resolve.
WorkTango is very similar to other programs out there. Not a lot of difference between the different ones I've used.
This is a great way to build morale and recognize employees. Employees love to be able to use their points towards items in the shop.
They have added unique features that make the overall experience more enjoyable.
WorkTango is good for companies that are looking for ways to recognize employees and build morale.
I think WorkTango is good for all companies that are interested in building morale.
Mo
With Mo, you can design and automate your employee rewards program with its easy-to-manage peer-to-peer appreciation, budget controls, and reporting functionalities.
PROS
- User-friendly UI with a wide range of gift card options.
- Transparent and reasonable pricing, no rewards fees.
- Available in twelve languages and growing.
- Free software onboarding and implementation support for all plan users.
- Mobile apps are available for both Android and iOS users.
- UI is easy to navigate, and users seem to appreciate the varied choice of gift cards they can offer through the platform.
- Transparent pricing starting from $2.25/user/month with no rewards fees.
- Free onboarding and implementation support for all users.
- Robust and feature-rich mobile applications.
- Available in 12 languages and growing.
CONS
- No HRIS integration in Base plan. Potential implementation fee for Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations.
- The customer support hours are limited to weekdays, 9 AM - 5 PM GMT.
- No free trials or free plans.
- HRIS integration absent in Base plan. Possible implementation fee for Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations.
- The customer support hours are limited to weekdays, 9 AM - 5 PM GMT.
Mo makes rewarding employees incredibly simple, meaningful, and fun. We put it to the test and found the UI quite intuitive. It’s easy to grant credits to deserving employees, which they can redeem from Mo’s extensive rewards marketplace of major brands like Amazon, Nordstrom, and Tesco.
Colleagues can post public or private appreciative “Moments” and react with comments, emojis, and GIFs, nurturing a culture of appreciation from the bottom up. Managers can also use Mo’s unique “Boosts” to regularly prompt team members to recognize one another for day-to-day wins.
We like a lot of things about Mo but if we had to choose just one, it’d definitely be their automated Assistant. The Assistant automatically reminds managers to recognize employees on their special days like birthdays, work anniversaries, and other special occasions. It also nudges managers and employees to share appreciation if someone has not been recognized in a while, which is something we’ve not seen on other platforms.
Mo has more than 58,000 users. Some top customers are SGN, The O2, NHS, Aspen, William Hill, and SHL.
Mo has three plans, billed annually:
- Appreciate costs $2.25 per user per month.
- Engage costs $4.5 per user per month.
- Transform has custom pricing – contact Mo's team for a quote.
Best For
Mo works exceptionally well for distributed teams who want to connect and motivate employees within established internal communications platforms like MS Teams and Slack.
We use Mo every day across my remit which is back office Operations. We have roughly 1100/1200 people on the platform and an average of 1500 moments shared on it a month. The key processes we use it for are:
- P2P points scheme - We give everyone in the departments a small financial amount at the start of each month. They can't spend it on themselves, they can only give it to colleagues when sharing moments. It encourages them to recognize each other for things like training, help with a tricky problem or account, support as a friend/colleague, advice or generally being a good egg. This is the most popular activity we use Mo for and has the biggest impact on the shift in culture and engagement.
- All leadership groups have additional ad-hoc pots that they can reward from which focus more on performance-based recognition.
- We use the platform for our quarterly awards. The award categories are sent out and everyone nominates their colleagues for different awards. Last month we had 283 nominations from a department of 400. It's then easy to shortlist and pick winners there. The winners can then be celebrated through Moments on Mo, and rewarded at the same time. It's also 1 click of a button to then send out the nominations to every nominee for each award category.
- More recently we've started using Boosts which are automated triggers set once a week, in line with our agile sprint work. They prompt people to celebrate their weekly wins in a shared setting for everyone to engage with. This also makes it much easier for senior leadership to have a presence on the platform when their time is so limited. We also use it for the start of the week's focusses and goals to keep everyone connected on our objectives.
- As the budget master I then also use the platform for any additional ad-hoc activity I run such as monthly non-performance-based incentives to further build our culture and connect people.
- I don't know if I'm allowed to share how much has been cashed in by our colleagues at the inhouse store in Mo over the last 2 years but suffice to say it's an astounding figure and all of it is people saving up what they receive from various things and spending it on exactly what they want as the store is so extensive. It gives them autonomy and choice and makes it really easy which they love. It's been particularly appreciated during the cost of living crisis to go towards supermarket shops or school shoes from Clarks, house renovations from B&Q, as well as AirBnB staycations and so, so much more.
- It saves me SO MUCH TIME!
- It's so simple to use and for other people to pick up
- Its use grows organically once people start using it
- The variety of the store gives our people huge autonomy and variety
- It makes rewarding easy and fun
- It helps drive a positive culture, a culture of recognition and appreciation
- I love just how much everyone else loves it
- The team that works there is so helpful and works with you to always deliver improvements
- It continues to deliver extra value, we're always finding new ways to get more out of it.
- It's made my life a million times easier. I could never go back.
We initially bought it to automate the plethora of manual processes that I was trying to execute manually myself beforehand. This includes managing the general reward and recognition schemes, all nomination processes, awarding, and the peer-to-peer R&R scheme we ran. All purchasing of vouchers, prizes, etc in a hybrid world which requires getting people's addresses, etc.
This range of activities took up almost all of my time and left very little to work on bigger strategic projects. It couldn't continue.
Mo automated all these processes, for example sending out the nominations sent in for our quarterly awards to each nominee. This took the best part of a day to manually send all of these emails for every nomination. Now it takes no more than 30 seconds, I click one button for each category and they all go out. This is a time saving that is replicated across multiple processes and has completely changed the scope of what my role can deliver because of the time it saves.
However, the real value has come since then. With my free time, I've been able to develop our use of Mo to be the centerpiece that everything is built around. We've learned much further on the peer-to-peer scheme and the overarching objectives of engagement are about bridging the gap and connecting people to feel part of a team where community is our culture and fun is in our DNA. Mo allows us to drive this culture shift, connecting people all over the country through positive interactions on the platform, strengthening working relationships and our sense of broader identity. We've been using it for 2 years now, and are averaging 1500 moments shared on the platform a month (each being a recognition, thank you, or award) with c1100 users. It's helped drive a 1.9 increase in our engagement score in Peakon in 1 year.
- I really can't call out things I dislike. The only feedback I get is:
- You can't edit a moment once you've sent it (but I understand why that's the case).
It wraps everything up into one easy-to-use and comprehensive platform. At the same time, it's not cluttered with useless extras. The service you get for the price is extremely good, the customer service is exceptional and the team is an absolute pleasure to work with.
It was the only platform I found that facilitated the peer-to-peer scheme I was running. I was able to completely replicate the model in Mo but have the entire thing automated. Nothing else allowed that level of autonomy for the user but control for the admin too. The store is extremely comprehensive too which makes a massive difference. Others were good but the Mo one is bang on with variety and caters to a wide range of preferences. Once or twice at the start, I had people ask if other stores could be added but I've never had it since.
The Boost functionality and how it helps support our agile ways of working has been a real leap forward and their manager assistant is a really helpful tool for our leadership population. It seems as time goes on, the more and more we can align how we work and what we do to utilize the platform to support us.
Think about what you really need, and what problem are you directly trying to solve. That's the first question. The second is what's possible. My view shifted so much once we got Mo to all these other possibilities that I hadn't considered before. Ask the what-if questions, challenge what you are doing, and think what would be the dream scenario. Also, think of it from a bigger cultural piece. What attitudes, behaviors, and cultures are you wanting to drive within your business and what's going to best support you in doing that. Also, does it automate for you? The more it automates, the more time you have to dig deeper into the bigger issues/questions.
Since we started using it 2 years ago. It introduced the Boost function and the manager's assistance. These two upgrades more specifically target the leadership population as we/they'd identified that they were the harder population to get engaged with the platform. These upgrades build in routine and simple triggers which are easy for leaders to respond to. The assistant also gives all the key information you need in one easy place (budgets, team activity, etc) but also great in-house articles to get people thinking about management approaches with a more modern and progressive approach which I know has been really well received.
I would say a more modern organization or one that wants to modernize. It's probably not good for a traditional working environment so much. It works for big businesses and small businesses too. Its functionality allows you to manage the view in a way that means you can scale as large as you like and not lose the personal touch it offers.
As explained above, a traditional working organization that doesn't really want to modernize in how it treats its employees or thinks about things like culture and engagement.
Vantage Circle
Vantage Circle offers a wide range of peer and manager rewards to boost engagement, with the flexibility to support global teams through localized redemption options in over 100 countries and in 16 languages.
PROS
- Vantage Circle features an excellent user interface that’s modern, clean, simple, and easy to navigate.
- There’s a wide selection of gift cards and shopping discounts to redeem points.
- The process for redeeming points for gift cards and vouchers is quick and straightforward.
- Users praise Vantage Circle’s support team for being quick to respond and resolve issues.
CONS
- There’s a learning curve due to the platform’s feature breadth. The clean and easy-to-navigate interface does make up for it though.
- The conversion rate of points to monetary rewards is low according to users.
- The mobile app can sometimes be slow or buggy. Reports include occasional technical issues with logging in or displaying points accurately.
Vantage Circle offers a comprehensive and user-friendly employee rewards platform that makes it easy to appreciate and engage your workforce.
The platform stands out for its massive rewards catalog, containing gift cards, merchandise, and curated experiences accessible in over 100 countries. What’s also great about it is that it takes the Standard of Living Index (SOLI) into account, adjusting reward points for international teams to redeem in a fair manner.
There’s a host of features around peer-to-peer recognition. Employees are empowered to recognize one another's accomplishments via custom awards and badges. There’s also a social feed that showcases all the recognition passed around and a leaderboard that not only tracks but gamifies everyone’s efforts.
Milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries are never forgotten with Vantage Circle’s automated messages. The platform also helps you create a digital yearbook and service catalog for long service awards.
With its comprehensive feature set, focus on user experience and powerful administrative capabilities, Vantage Circle ticks all the boxes for an effective employee rewards solution. Companies looking to delight their global workforce should consider this well-thought-out platform.
Vantage Circle is used by over 700 companies including Bosch, Tata, and DHL.
Vantage Circle’s pricing depends on the number of employees you have. SMBs with up to 1000 employees can access the Grow plan at a starting price of $200 per month. The other two plans, i.e. Transform and Enterprise have custom pricing. Contact Vantage Circle’s Sales team for an estimate based on the size and needs of your company.
Best For
Companies of all sizes can benefit from Vantage Circle’s employee rewards and recognition offering. Generally though, the more employees you have, the more value you derive out of platforms of its kind.
I use Vantage Circle daily to participate in workflows that enhance our workplace culture and employee experience. Each day, I use the platform to reward and praise my colleagues for their contributions through peer-to-peer recognition or manager-driven awards. This fosters an appreciative culture and motivates our teammates.
I also participate in the wellness programs offered by Vantage Circle, which include various challenges and activities promoting healthy habits for both body and mind. Integrating these wellness initiatives into my routine has significantly improved my engagement, productivity, and job satisfaction.
- Vantage Circle offers a variety of rewards for employees to choose from, making it easy for them to find what truly inspires them.
- The platform includes wellness activities to promote healthy behaviors and overall well-being among employees.
- With its user-friendly design, Vantage Circle is intuitive and accessible for users at all levels.
When we bought Vantage Circle, we aimed to address three major gaps in how we engage, recognize, and support our employees. First, we needed one system to handle all the different forms of rewards, recognition, and wellness, making it easier to run the programs and boosting their effects. Second, we wanted to lift spirits, retain more staff, and create a healthier workplace. Finally, we sought an easy-to-use rewards and recognition solution that employees would truly appreciate.
Vantage Circle attracted us because it offers a wide array of perks and rewards to choose from. The wellness plans enable us to take care of the human being in the employee. The lightweight system integrates easily with other standard HR tools, making it simple to set up. The powerful analytics and reporting tools shed light on employee engagement and help management assess the success of our recognition programs.
I have used Vantage Circle for the past couple of years and have enjoyed watching staff satisfaction spike. The system opens up lines of communication and allows everyone to participate in the recognition process, fostering a culture that embraces everyone in the workplace.
- There are fewer customization options available for those looking to tailor the platform to their needs and culture.
- It can be expensive for smaller organizations.
- Setting up and integrating with existing systems can be time-consuming and may require strong technical support initially.
Vantage Circle offers an integrated platform for meaningful rewards, recognition, and wellness programs. While other tools focus mainly on employee recognition, Vantage Circle's wellness features promote a healthier workforce. Additionally, its global reward options meet the needs of multinational companies, making it a flexible solution for diverse workforces.
Ensure the tool has a range of features, including rewards, recognition, and wellness programs, to meet various employee needs. Verify that it integrates well with existing HR systems and is user-friendly. Consider the level of customization available and whether it fits your organization's specific requirements.
Vantage Circle has improved its user interface, making it easier to use, and provided more integrations. They have also enhanced their offerings, focusing on employee well-being.
Global corporations with large employee bases will appreciate Vantage Circle's broad reward options and ability to cater to diverse cultural tastes. Organizations that prioritize employee health will benefit from its integrated wellness programs.
Small organizations operating on a tight budget may find Vantage Circle pricing too high. Companies that require extensive customization for their recognition and reward systems might find the available options insufficient. Organizations with low technology adoption may find using Vantage Circle unnecessary.
Benefits of Employee Rewards Systems
An effective employee reward program strengthens workplace engagement, boosts morale and HR efficiency, and reinforces company core values, all while cultivating a positive culture.
Improved Employee Engagement and Retention
With 77% of employees performing their best when engaged and appreciated, rewarding worker contributions have a tangible impact. That does not just stop at better staff performance; it also helps turnover rates. Gallup found organizations that prioritize rewards at work see a 56% decrease in the likelihood of employees seeking new job opportunities
You would also want to consider a program fostering peer-to-peer recognition, as recent data suggests that employees who feel recognized by their peers are five times more likely to feel valued and to invest in their work.
Increased Productivity and Innovation
Employee recognition statistics demonstrate that employees perform better and feel more motivated when their contributions are recognized. According to Gartner, a well-designed recognition program can lead to an 11.1% increase in average employee performance.
Also, when employees receive regular recognition, they are more likely to offer creative solutions and strive for higher performance. For instance, those recognized monthly are 36% more likely to report feeling productive and engaged compared to those recognized quarterly.
Higher HR Efficiency
Too often, HR professionals wear many hats and have multiple aspects they need to attend to, so any opportunity to streamline the processes should be seized. The best solutions have all manner of automation options to ensure that rewards programs are implemented consistently and fairly. These tools can automate everything from milestone celebrations, work anniversaries, and birthdays to onboarding—all in one user-friendly interface.
Strengthened Company Culture and Employer Brand
Implementing a well-planned rewards strategy with the help of employee rewards software is a surefire way to build positivity around your company brand.
Rewards don’t have to be financial, either: Plenty of well-known companies have received positive press coverage for the non-monetary incentives they offer to reward staff.
Employee Reward Software Pricing
Employee reward platforms are typically priced per employee per month or follow a marketplace pricing model.
Per Employee Per Month Pricing Model
A flat per-employee-per-month model is best suited to companies that regularly use the employee rewards platform—typically larger companies for whom paying by usage would be prohibitively expensive.
A typical per-employee-per-month pricing model for an employee reward system might look like this:
Marketplace Model
With the marketplace model, customers pay a variable amount based on their use of the tool rather than a flat rate.
If you don't make extensive use of the rewards software during any given period, your costs stay low. This model works best for smaller companies who may not use the platforms enough to justify the flat monthly fee.
Here’s an illustrative example of a marketplace model fee structure for employee reward programs:
Types of Employee Rewards (with Examples)
There are several ways for rewarding employees in the workplace, but generally, they all fall into two types:
- Monetary rewards are directly linked to an employee's performance, achievements, or contribution to the organization. Examples of monetary rewards for employees include bonuses that comprise a percentage of their salary, a commission on a sale, and a bonus allocated to reaching a specific metric target.
- Non-monetary rewards don’t involve direct financial compensation but aim to motivate and recognize individuals by gifting a specific item or experience. Some ideas for non-monetary rewards include an employee award title, peer nominations, an employee wellbeing program, paid days off to rest after hard work to celebrate a big achievement, and company-sponsored training opportunities an employee wants to pursue.
You can use either one or both. The center point here is to ensure that the rewards initiatives (as well as the employee recognition programs) are: 1) meaningful to the recipients (your employees) and 2) aligned with your company values.
How to Set Up a Staff Reward System
Best practices for implementing a successful employee reward system include ensuring smooth integration with your HRIS, monitoring outcomes closely, encouraging feedback from employees, and securing management and employee buy-in at all stages.
- Integration: Accessing employee data already stored in an HRIS, for example, makes tracking progress toward goals much smoother, while a team-up with team collaboration tools like Slack is a hugely effective way to encourage engagement.
- Monitoring: Rather than set-and-forget systems, reward programs require regular monitoring and optimization to ensure that rewards for staff are distributed as intended. The work does take time and effort, but the return will be worth it.
- Encourage feedback: The more engaged the employees are in your reward program, the more on-target it is likely to be. So, involve your people in sharing their thoughts about the tech. They’ll be able to tell you exactly which rewards motivate them (aka what to focus on) and which ones they don’t care for (aka what to cut).
- Management buy-in: The more that management knows about the upsides (actual and potential) of the software that they have signed off on, the easier it will be to obtain approval for scaling it up or improving it in other ways.
FAQs
What is an employee rewards program?
An employee reward program is a structured method for companies to offer rewards, such as cash, gifts, or non-monetary incentives, to employees for their service and positive behaviors. When effectively implemented, these programs can motivate, attract, and retain top talent, and enhance employee performance.
How do I know if my team needs an employee rewards program?
A staff rewards system should be in place if you experience one of these circumstances with your team:
- Team members' productivity decreases significantly.
- Complaints become more frequent among workers.
- High employee turnover rates.
- Most engagement surveys and performance review answers suggest a need for better employee experience and retention.
You may also want to check out our experts' advice on what to consider before buying an employee rewards system to ensure success when exploring recognition solutions.
What companies have the best employee rewards programs?
Depending on each business’s needs and priorities, but according to our experts’ testing and evaluations, Nectar’s rewards feature set has always enriched every time we re-visited their site, Guusto’s employee recognition platform works so well for frontline employees, Vantage Circle is ideal for global teams, while Workstars is best for U.K.-based businesses.
What are the main benefits of employee rewards software?
Key benefits of employee rewards software include improved employee engagement and productivity, reduced employee turnover, better teamwork, plus the ability to build your work culture and automate various tasks to save time.
How much does an employee rewards program cost?
Many employee rewards platforms offer free trials. A basic rewards program for small businesses can start at as little as $1 per employee per month, while more comprehensive options can cost thousands of dollars or more, often with annual subscriptions required.
What are some examples of employee rewards?
Amazon gift cards, e-cards, and charitable donations are a few examples of employee rewards. However, rewards don’t have to be financial. Plenty of well-known companies have received positive press coverage for the non-monetary incentives they offer to reward employees.
How do companies motivate and reward employees?
Rewarding employees can come in different shapes and forms, but effective programs all have three things in common:
- They recognize employee contributions both publicly and privately.
- They balance out tangible and intangible rewards, and perhaps, most importantly,
- They are tailored to individual preferences.
Learn more: Ultimate guide and actionable tips for effective employee reward systems
Final Advice on the Best Employee Rewards Programs
Last but not least, don’t forget to integrate your employee rewards and recognition tools with the rest of your HR tech stack (i.e. HRIS/HCM, employee engagement platforms, and performance management systems). Let that happen and you will gain a more comprehensive grasp of your employee experience, which you can use to supercharge your organization's employee appreciation levels.
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