15+ Best Rewards Systems for Employees (2024)

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.

• 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

• 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.

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.

• 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

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.

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.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.