50 Employee Perks

50 Employee Perks to Offer Staff

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Businesses will use all kinds of incentives to encourage staff to work well. These efforts lead to better personal development, higher work output, and greater business success.

A popular way to achieve this is by using an employee perk. However, they only work well if people find them interesting enough to aspire to them.

Whether you’re rewarding new starters or those on your recognition scheme, these perks can help motivate and retain great workers. Let’s look at some of the best employee perks and benefits to use in your business:

Financial perks

1. Bonuses

 Most people would work more if given bonuses. Bonuses show instant appreciation for hard work and efforts – making them a great perk to offer.

2. Commission

 Commission perks are often earned by individuals or entire teams. They promote friendly competitiveness between peers; but in the end, the business wins!

3. Profit shares

 Profit shares aren’t just for those in senior roles. Many businesses use them to promote their retention rates, specifically for their high-flyers.

4. Student loan reimbursements

 Student loan reimbursements are great perks for employees with ongoing debt. It’s incentives like these that can make a difference in their personal lives.

5. Access to salary early

 We’ve all been in situations where we could do with a little more cash. Having access to our salary early can eliminate all kinds of financial penalties and late fines.

Health and wellness perks

6. Gym membership discounts

 Going to the gym isn’t just good for our physicality, it also helps our mental state. From fitness classes to yoga sessions, these healthy perks provide something for everyone.

7. Therapy sessions

 Whether it’s financial troubles or bereavement issues, therapy can help people in times of need. Perks like these vastly improve employee well-being, as well as personal welfare.

8. Meditation rooms

 Meditation rooms provide a space to escape the stresses of life. Employees can use these perks to pray, meditate, or simply decompress for an hour or two.

9. Nap rooms

 Nap rooms are popping up in more workplaces today. Studies show a 20-minute power nap can do wonders for our health. Just be sure to include alarm clocks with these perks!

10. Wellness programs

 Wellness program perks cover all kinds of fields; like therapy, exercise, and even addiction programs. Remember, privacy and confidentiality are paramount in these spaces.

Career progression perks

11. Promotions

 An extremely common perk used to encourage hard work is promotions. These often include higher positions, increased salaries, and greater benefits.

12. Work mentoring

 Some employees are motivated by being able to grow professionally. That’s why work mentoring perks are a must in all businesses.

13. Ambassadors

 When employees are constantly over-achieving, try promoting them as your brand ambassador. They’ll be able to represent your business values with authenticity and pride.

14. References

 Nothing’s more eye-capturing in CVs than a glowing reference. Don’t just save these for existing employees. Offer this perk as part of your career progression program.

15. Paid training

 Many businesses actively help their staff develop their skills and talents. Paid training courses are an ideal perk to have and work in almost any kind of workplace.

Annual leave perks

16. Extra paid holidays

 Most UK employees are entitled to 25 paid holidays per year. But, who wouldn’t want a few more? Perks like these lead to greater engagement, motivation, and loyalty.

17. Additional sick leave

 Most employees receive five paid sick days per year. If you give more, provide perks to deserved employees or across your entire workforce.

18. Late starts and early finishes

 Nothing inspires employees to work harder than being able to finish early and start late. Just be sure these perks don’t interrupt the flow of your business productivity.

19. Birthday off

 A personalised perk you can offer employees is having their birthday off. Roll this out across all your staff for a more caring touch.

20. Four-day working week

 This new fad has its ups and downs; but if it works for you, give it a shot. Again, ensure this perk doesn’t end up costing your business.

Workplace perks

21. Flexible working

 Many candidates actively seek jobs that offer flexible working. You definitely can’t afford to ignore these employee perks at work. Or else you’ll lose candidates to rival businesses.

22. Personalised parking

 Parking perks aren’t just for senior staff or the CEO. Offer it to employees who’ve truly worked exceptionally in recent times or projects.

23. Extra parental leave

 It’s so important for employees to have a healthy work-life balance. Extra parental leave perks allow this – ensuring they never miss out on another family milestone again.

24. Ergonomic furniture

 A great workplace perk to offer is ergonomic furniture. Reclining seats, blue-light-blocking glasses, and gel rest pads – they all help employees work in safer and more comfortable environments.

25. Shared kitchen appliances

 Make employees feel at home with shared kitchen appliances. Toasters, microwaves, fridges, ice machines –  they’ll never worry about being hungry at work again.

Food and drink perks

26. Healthy snacks

 Fruit baskets, juice dispensers, cereal pantries – healthy snacks are a great perk to keep your workforce fueled with energy.

27. Free breakfast

 We all work better on a full stomach, so imagine the potential of your workforce. Why not offer free breakfast as an employee perk? Do it every day or as a special reward.

28. Happy hours

 Many businesses host happy hours; either after reaching certain goals or as a Friday treat. Just be sure to cater to employees who don’t drink alcohol for religious or personal reasons.

29. Food delivery discounts

 In an age where food delivery is the norm, why not offer discounts to help employees save on these extra charges?

30. Celebratory lunches

 Round up the team and celebrate work achievements with a free lunch. You can book a fancy place for a real treat, or order in for an office party.

Recognition perks

31. Company newsletter

 Being recognised for hard work is a perk that helps improve our self-esteem and drive. A great way to do this is through shout-outs in company newsletters.

32. Employee of the month

 Having an ‘employee of the month’ scheme can inspire employees to work hard. You’ll soon be struggling to pick only one person for this perk!

33. Gifts cards

 There are all kinds of gift cards out there – making them a versatile employee perk! Pick ones that everyone will love; or something related to their interests for a personal touch.

34. Awards evenings

Many businesses host awards evenings to showcase their greatest achievements. What a great place to recognise your employees’ diligence, loyalty, and above all, efforts.

35. Dinner with the CEO

 These perks allow employees to receive great career advice. Not to mention, this type of recognition is pretty hard to top.

Discount perks

36. Commute discounts

 Trains, buses, trams – many employees use public transport to get to work. To deal with the costs, offer discounts on travel commutes as the perfect perk.

37. Driving discounts

 Car owners are constantly adding up the costs of driving to work. Tailor your perks to help with fuel costs, parking tokens, and even vehicle maintenance.

38. Technology discounts

 Whilst this may be work-related, providing new tech and apps can be especially helpful for certain employees. Not only can it make work easier, but it can also extend their skills.

39. Accommodation discounts

 In some industries, employees are required to stay near their workplace, or even live onsite. If you don’t offer free accommodation, set up discount perks to help cover rental costs.

40. Company cars

 A super popular perk that many businesses offer is company cars. However, make sure employees comply with relevant driving regulations or you could end up facing costly fines.

Family-related perks

41. Emergency childcare

 Childcare fees are some of the most expensive household bills we have. Offering employee perks for these can really take a load off their mind, as well as their bank balances.

42. Bring your pet to work day

 There’s nothing more fun than playing with pets in the office. They can help encourage happiness and relaxation. Just be sure to check for allergies before initiating this perk.

43. Workplace crèche

 Having a family-friendly crèche at work is such an attractive feature to own. Perks like these allow employees to avoid the stresses of school commutes.

44. Wedding gifts

 Nothing’s better than receiving gifts to commemorate weddings. Send employees wedding gifts to show congrats for their big day.

45. Fertility and adoption support

 Employees who are thinking of having children deal with all kinds of stress. Be supportive by offering fertility or adoption support perks, like paid leave or references.

Social-related perks

46. Social tickets

 There’s a ticket to an event that’ll just about suit everyone’s taste. That’s why it’s a fool-proof employee perk to offer your hard-working staff.

47. Office parties

 Office parties allow employees to celebrate work achievements together. Try to schedule them after pinnacle moments or when your teams need an additional boost.

48. Team-building exercises

 A great perk to offer employees is team-building exercises. Schedule these creative employee perks on a weekly basis or send them off for the weekend if and when needed.

49. Charity donations

 It’s very common for some employees to raise money or awareness for charities they support. Why not match them pound for pound and double their donations as a work perk?

50. Cultural celebrations

 Eid, Hanukkah, Diwali – there are so many cultural festivals celebrated in Britain. Be an inclusive business and enjoy innovative employee perks together! The perfect excuse for a ‘knees-up’!

Contact Love2shop for our awesome corporate perks!

Here at Love2shop, we have the everyday benefits card, which gives employees discounts on big brands. Contact us for more details.

Types of employee rewards

21 Types of Employee Rewards and How to Use Them

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Employee rewards are powerful incentives used to drive engagement, celebrate achievements, and encourage progression.

The benefits of recognising and rewarding employees are endless. And they go both ways – for you and your workers.

But, how do you choose the best reward for employees? Well, there’s more to it than certificates and verbal praise. The key indicator is to be creative, thoughtful, and above all, considerate.

Let’s dive straight in and look at 21 types of employee rewards and how to use them:

1.    Show gratitude

It’s probably one of the most underrated methods for rewarding employees. Who doesn’t love a bit of gratitude for our hard work and efforts. Whether it’s a shoutout in the morning meeting or a handwritten note – don’t skip out on showing gratitude to deserving employees.

2.    Celebrate birthdays

Most of us usually wake up forgetting our own birthdays. But, that’s no excuse for employers. Make a note of your employees’ birthdays and surprise them on their special day. A card, cake, and singsong never fails to make people feel valued and remembered.

3.    Give personalised business cards

What’s the perfect way to show affiliation to a workplace? – Personalise business cards. They’re commonly used to reward an employee for their ongoing progression and business loyalty. Just be sure to check for any spelling errors before you press ‘print’!

4.    Create a recognition wall

Some of us may blush at the thought; but having a recognition wall really helps celebrate outstanding employees. Charge up your camera and create an ‘employee of the month’ board. Or use digital screens to share live gratitude feeds across the workplace.

5.    Offer designated parking spots

Classic examples of employee rewards come in the shape of a spot – a designated parking spot. It’s a timeless reward that really screams ‘workplace privileges’. Offering personal parking can also inspire motivation and ‘drive’ in other employees, too.

6.    Get those gift cards ready

What’s a very popular type of reward? Giving gift cards! They offer guilt-free spending and endless shopping experiences. There’s probably a gift card for everything – making it the best way to give employees rewards you know they’ll love.

7.    Recognise employee milestones

Employee milestones deserve a special kind of recognition. You can give these rewards to those who’ve passed their 6-month probation. Or throw a party for veteran employees who’ve dedicated decades to the company. Now, that’s dedication in need of a reward!

8.    Invest in personal interests

It might seem a little crazy… but most employees tend to have personal interests outside of work. They could be in a band, dress up in cosplay, or collect trainers. Why not invest in their hobbies and offer them personalised rewards; like tickets to concerts and expos.

9.    Help their career development

Some people may prefer to have a career-based employee reward; like a salary rise, promotion, or even work-shadowing opportunities. You can reward them by setting up a meeting with a senior or executive person – helping to encourage their career development.

10.  Gamify recognition and rewards

Gamification is when you digitise a non-gaming situation, like a workplace rewards program. There are thousands of ways to offer virtual rewards for employees to motivate or recognise their achievements. Remember, a little healthy competition never hurts anyone.

11.   Spur-of-the-moment rewards

Sometimes, despite all our hard efforts, the workload doesn’t seem to get any smaller. In times like these, spur-of-the-moment rewards can really help reset motivation levels. Offering free ice cream, hiring food trucks, or letting staff finish early can all show gratification.

12.  Take a day off or two

Companies often give out extra annual leave as a reward for hard work or recent achievements. A few days off can be enough for employees to rest, recharge, and return fighting-fit. Why don’t you spend it in your pyjamas, lounging around with the kids all day.

13.  Offer rewards they really want

Nothing shows appreciation more than a well thought-out gift. Go the extra mile and offer rewards employees actually want. It doesn’t have to be a diamond ring or fancy tech. It just needs to have a personal touch – they’re guaranteed to remember it for life.

14.  Write handwritten notes of gratitude

Despite living in a digitalised world, handwritten notes are still popular. They often show a person’s inner thoughts and capture it on paper. It’s the type of reward that sits on the mantelpiece or is added to keepsake boxes for future reminiscence.

15.  Give out company merch

Who doesn’t love getting free stuff from work? Pens, mugs, hoodies, electronic gadgets –  company merchandise shows comradery, loyalty, and free marketing. We see it as a ‘win-win’ type of employee reward.

16. Promote them as an ambassador

When employees constantly go out of their way to achieve company goals, they deserve more than a ‘pat-on-the-back’. Consider promoting them as a company ambassador. They’ll be able to help grow an inclusive work environment and stand as aspiring role models.

17.   Upgrade their work tools

A great way to enhance employee performance is to upgrade their work tools. Think about buying equipment that’ll help them produce better results. Maybe upgrade their old desktop or invest in some new tech that’s guaranteed to make their job easier.

18.  Offer discounted travel benefits

Commuting is set to become a hefty expense, especially with the recent cost of living. Employers can offer discounted (or free) travel benefits as rewards. From train passes to shared taxi rides – why not help employees get from A to B without emptying the bank?

19.  Give a glowing reference

In an age where decent work experience can be hard to come by, a glowing reference can truly be beneficial. These can be added to CVs, portfolios, or online job profiles. Don’t wait for them to leave to give a reference – help them progress up the career ladder!

20.   Give out a promotion

For employees who go beyond their expected duties, there’s no bigger reward than a promotion. Promotions offer solid recognition for hard work, determination, and loyalty. Don’t forget about the salary rise, new work benefits, and swanky new office (if it’s in the budget!)

21.    Money, money, money

Most of us agree, that money is a great type of employee reward. Who doesn’t love receiving commission pay, end-of-year bonuses, or even some well-earned profit shares? A little extra cash can go a long way for some people. Just be sure to budget carefully for financial rewards – or else it can leave your business out of pocket.

Love2shop offers the very best advice on how to reward employees

Recognising hard work and achievements works wonders when it comes to business progression. Without it, employees have very little reason to go beyond their work norms.

What better way to encourage commitment than through employee rewards?

At Appreciate, we offer an Employee Recognition Platform that helps manifest your company’s mission. We guarantee to provide the very best employee reward ideas that work for you.

Five unhappy workers at a Christmas Party

Is a bonus better than a Christmas party?

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Christmas is the time of year when everyone looks to let their hair down – and everyone loves a works Christmas party… right?

Well, to a point. While many people in work get excited about the works Christmas ‘do’, others contemplate it with a quiet dread. There are even some who simply aren’t bothered.

And research supports that. A 2022 study by global workforce consultancy Resource Solutions found that in the UK only 37% of workers expect a Christmas party from their employer and of those who don’t, 42% would prefer a gift or bonus.

Reasons for not wanting a Christmas party included: not celebrating Christmas (11%), not wanting to socialise with colleagues (34%), or preferring to arrange something with close colleagues (30%).

Do people really not like Christmas parties?

Until the pandemic there had been an acceptance that extroverts ran the workplace – the go-getters, the self-starters, the risk-takers and the networkers.

While those attributes are still admired, remote working allowed individuals who are motivated differently to shine, highlighting the valuable contribution quieter workers can make.

As writer Jade McAndrew-Barlow put it: “Now, the calm consideration of introverts is having a moment. They are finally valued for all the wonderful things they contribute to the workplace.

“In all the rush and tumble, introverts take time to deliberate, assess and consider the little details and how they will inform the bigger picture. They bring a calming and reassuring presence.”

It’s estimated that between 25% and 40% of people are, to some degree, introverts. In other words, people who prefer a quieter life, both at work and in their spare time. For them, Christmas parties may be something to be endured rather than enjoyed.

In addition to that, the rich diversity of the UK workforce means that for a significant number of people, Christmas is simply not a relevant holiday. Different faiths have different key gifting and feasting moments to celebrate friendship and togetherness that mean more than Christmas.

Festive stress

The work Christmas party is an event that can cause even the more extroverted among us to take a deep breath.

With its excess of food and drink, sometimes loud, lewd and inappropriate behaviour that keep HR teams busy through January, the festive do is an obstacle course where the prize is often a sore head and some stories that will be heavily edited and recounted for 12 months until everyone is fed up hearing them.

Add to that the expense of buying a new outfit, hairdo, paying for taxis (and maybe even hotels) and suddenly, even if the employer is footing the bill for the party, the event can end up hitting workers in the pocket.

With the cost of living stubbornly rising, is it time to rethink the Christmas Party?

Say thanks – and mean it

So if we ditch the Christmas party how to we reward employees for their hard work this past year?

The challenges posed by the rising cost of living – high food and fuel prices and rising mortgage and energy costs – are getting worse. What your staff may really appreciate this time of year is a little bit of help with the cost of Christmas.

Love2shop’s Employee Value Report 2023 may hold the answer. The report surveys workers across the UK to find out how they feel about their employer and the impact of reward and recognition strategies.

One key finding in this year’s report was that 6-in-10 workers said receiving spontaneous gifts at key times of year, such as Christmas, from their employer made them feel valued.

In addition, 57% felt that days off, multi-retailer gift cards or flexible working were the best ways to reward staff.

And a huge 90% of workers said they felt more valued by their employer after receiving a multi-retailer gift card – such as Love2shop.

What’s interesting about that is, when asked what they would spend such a gift card on, 34% said it would help towards their weekly shop.

The increased cost of living effectively means that giving a gift card can help your employees with their day-to-day shopping – possibly freeing up additional money for them to spend on their families at Christmas.

What’s more, 57% of respondents also reported that their productivity increases when they feel valued.

So with people facing a challenging Christmas this year, instead of giving them an extra cost to worry about, why not make things a little easier for them with a Christmas gift?

Don’t be a Grinch

Rethinking the Christmas party isn’t an excuse to simply do away with any sort of festive cheer.

An astonishing 32.5% of UK employers were offered neither a bonus nor a party in 2022, according to research published by Employee Benefits Magazine.

And the Love2shop Employee Value Report 2023 found that 39% of people felt their employer was not generous at all. Indeed, when asked how does your employee show their generosity, as well as spontaneous gifting and organised team events there were also examples like: ‘providing biscuits’ and ‘giving shout-outs on conference calls’.

Employees who feel recognised and valued are happier, more productive and less likely to leave your business.

And gifting is easy thanks to HMRC’s Trivial Benefits provisions. This allows gift cards or e-codes up to the value of £50 to be given as gifts tax-free, with no national insurance contribution or paperwork – so there’s no excuse.

Let us help make Christmas special

Love2shop is one of the best known gifting brands in the UK. Available as a gift card, e-gift card or voucher, Love2shop is accepted by around 150 retailers.

These include well-known brands such as Marks & Spencer, Iceland, Matalan, Argos, Costa, Harvester and many more. Staff can even use Love2shop holidays to put vouchers towards a getaway with more than 150 leading tour operators.

The Love2shop Business team is here to help you get your Christmas gifting right. Love2shop offers a selection of fun festive card designs to choose from. You can even order personalised cards with your business branding on them, although you need to be quick as the deadline to order those is October 20.

Christmas parties can be a great part of the festive mix but if you really want your teams to feel valued and rewarded in an inclusive way this year, it’s worth considering a new approach.

Get in touch with our team today or visit business.love2shop.co.uk to find out how we can help.

Avoid the Christmas rush and plan your rewards now

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Although it’s still August and the barbecue may be sizzling in the garden, Christmas is not that far away.

Now is exactly the right time to start planning how you want to recognise the hard work and achievements of your employees at the end of the year.

2023 has been another challenging year for both individuals and businesses across the UK. Although they’ve eased a little, energy prices remain high, helping fuel inflation, making goods and services across the board more expensive.

But thanks in large part to the hard work and imagination of their staff, companies and organisations are weathering the storm. UK employers are showing remarkable resilience through one of the toughest economic periods in decades.

Christmas is a great time to show employees that you appreciate their contribution – this year maybe more than ever. Many businesses typically wait until October, November or even later to start planning Christmas bonuses, gifts or parties for staff. But that old adage ‘it’s the thought that counts’ still holds true. It’s better to plan early and do it properly.

Don’t just give, make staff feel valued

Every savvy husband or wife knows a well-planned gift or surprise is worth a lot more than a bunch of flowers and a card from a petrol station grabbed at the last minute.

The same goes for gifting and rewarding employees. There are different ways employers can think about rewarding their teams this Christmas and, surprisingly, HMRC offers some help in this area.

The Trivial Benefits exemption allows you to give employees tax-free, non-cash gifts of up to £50 per person. So what kind of gifts are we talking about?

The best, most flexible way to give using this provision is gift cards or e-codes. The team at Love2shop Business are the experts in this area. For decades they have been working closely with more than 150,000 employers across multiple sectors, delivering gift card and contactless e-gift card products that allow you to give the gift of choice to your team.

Avoid the Christmas party pressure?

The traditional Christmas party is a festive staple but with the increased cost of living crisis still affecting everyone, would your employees thank you for giving it a miss?

While research from events experts Togather reveals that the average cost-per-head to a business for a works Christmas party is £70, there are deeper costs for your employees to consider.

Even if as an employer you plan to cover the entire cost of a meal, venue hire and drinks, your team will still face the cost of taxis or accommodation, outfits, and other additional expenditure they probably haven’t planned for. The rising cost of living means many find it harder to afford a big night out, so perhaps this year it’s worth looking at a different approach.

Small gifts, big rewards

In 2022, Love2shop published its first Employee Value Report following a UK-wide survey of workers. This found that almost 10m UK workers – around a third of the total workforce – felt undervalued at work.

This coincided with the rise of the phenomenon known as ‘the Great Resignation’. This saw an increasing number of people willing to leave jobs where they didn’t feel appreciated or sufficiently well rewarded.

Consequently, a hefty 74% of dissatisfied employees, according to the study, were ready to up sticks and look for another job.

The good news, however, was that for those employers willing to give a little, the benefits were huge. The report found 76% of employees felt valued or recognised when their employer spontaneously gave them a gift, with 52% adding that the feeling of value it gave them made them more productive.

It also discovered that 60% of employees ranked days off, flexible working and multi-retailer gift cards as the best forms of workplace gifting. They are proven to be a powerful addition to any staff retention strategy.

Love2shop is one of the UK’s leading gifting brands. Offering, gift cards, contactless digital e-gift cards and physical vouchers, Love2shop products are accepted by around 150 retailers nationwide.

These include well-known brands such as Marks & Spencer, Iceland, Matalan, Argos, Costa, Harvester, Tui, Jet2Holidays and many, many more.

Bring some festive cheer

One of the more interesting aspects of the Employee Value Report was an insight into how people used their gift cards – with many putting them towards groceries.

Of course, most will still use them to purchase a treat for themselves or their loved one but it was a sign of the economic climate we are in that using gift cards to help offset the weekly food shop – or even their Christmas dinner!

So planning ahead to ensure your employee Christmas gifts are sorted soon means you can present them earlier. This will help your team plan to reduce the cost of Christmas and bring a whole new dimension to the ‘season of goodwill’. A gift card today is much more than just a token of appreciation. It can provide a lifeline at Christmas, a time of the year when many people find their finances squeezed.

Beat the rush

As we stated earlier, proper planning is essential when it comes to getting rewards right. The closer we get to Christmas, the more lead times and postal pressures can have an impact. There is also a level of expectation from employees today around workplace gifting and appreciation. According to Love2shop retailer Marks & Spencer: “As well as elevated business demands, employee expectations have increased, too.

“Staff are no longer content with a bottle of wine or box of chocolates from their employer at Christmas. They expect to be treated to thoughtful gifts regularly throughout the year – to reward performance, celebrate special occasions and ‘just because’.”

The Love2shop Business team are here to help. Start thinking about your Christmas rewards programme today, even if you are sat on the beach, and get in touch with our team to discuss our range of products and services.

The clock is ticking – the deadline to order Christmas gift cards featuring your own business branding or any personalised features is October 20.

Employers and managers are busy with what is happening today, of course. But that is all the more reason to plan our Christmas rewards in advance and ensure we don’t put ourselves under more pressure as the festive season approaches.

Rewards are a powerful motivator when it comes to productivity and staff retention. Give well thought-out rewards to your team and they are more likely to reward you with a motivated and driven workplace.

For more information or to contact the team visit business.love2shop.co.uk.

What UK consumers want from their company this Christmas and beyond?

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Every year we explore what employees want from their employers at Christmas, and beyond, and how you can get workplace gifting right – but in 2022 and 2023 it’s more important than ever.

From high earners to apprentices, inflation and recession are having a significant impact on household budgets and lifestyles. Many workers – even those considered to be in well-paid jobs – have swapped where to eat out for where’s the best value for groceries. Rising costs of energy and goods means the money people may previously have splurged at the shops is now going towards increased bills.

With workers under stress, how can you make sure that your Christmas gifting and your general day-to-day reward and recognition programmes are  well-received and makes a real difference to your employees? And importantly, as businesses also face rising costs, can you do it within a strict budget?

Is there still time to deliver a little something for Christmas 2022? Yes – who would turn their nose up at a digital gift card?

Why should you gift employees?

Many business owners may be reconsidering giving employee gifts this year, (Christmas or otherwise), thinking instead about saving money amid the challenging economic landscape. Others may simply not believe in employee gifting – feeling that the salary individuals receive  for their work is reward enough.

But research commissioned for the Love2shop Employee Value Report this year has revealed that 10 million UK workers – around a third – feel undervalued at work and 79% of those are looking for an alternative job.

Compare that to the fact that 76% reported they felt valued or recognised when their employer spontaneously gave them a gift and you can see that getting gifting right is key to retaining talent and reducing recruitment costs. Bear in mind that the vast majority of those looking for a new job have said that they are willing to stay in return for a simple sign of appreciation. It’s like the old adage: Ps and Ts go a long way.

Don’t know what to gift? Listen to your workforce

The Love2shop Employee Value Report for 2022 found that  60% of employees ranked days off, flexible working and multi-retailer gift cards as the best forms of workplace gifting.

While this is a consistent finding across such polls over recent years, our report found that, with the recession looming, 89% of workers awarded a multi-retailer gift card like Love2shop would not spend it on luxuries or experiences – in fact, they would use it to buy essentials like groceries, freeing up their cash to pay rising bills.

This is a clear indication of the growing pressure we all face and a sign that the most meaningful gift you can give as an employer this Christmas is something to help your colleagues get by.

It’s also worth remembering that small gifts up to £50 do not need to be declared to HMRC and are not subject to tax or National Insurance, which means no additional burden to your business.

A gift that lasts

With workers more likely to spend any extra money on just getting by, there is a certain employer satisfaction you can enjoy in offering a gift that helps them all year round – the Everyday Benefits Card lets a cardholder with an average family size to save over £1,300 each year

This is a prepayment card onto which you can load funds as a gift to each employee. The loaded funds are subject to a 7.5% discount – so every £100 loaded on only costs £92.50 – and employees can top up their funds all year with the same discount.

Their funds can then be spent in more than 90 outlets that accept Love2shop Gift Cards plus they can access additional savings on items like gift cards for major supermarkets, plus you can also pre-load funds onto their Everyday Benefits Card tax-free (up to the value of £50), to give them a little extra boost.

Over to you

If you haven’t set your Christmas staff gifts in stone yet, it’s worth taking a second to reassess your plans, especially during Christmas week when time is short and before you know it we’ll be in 2023. So if you need a quick fix, many business owners are ordering digital gift cards to bring a smile (and a sense of pride) to their teams.

If you want to talk about it, feel free to get in touch. We’ll be here to talk about Christmas right up until the 23rd of December.

Everyday Benefits Cards and Love2shop are flexecash products. Flexecash is the prepaid card platform that issues flexecash Love2shop Cards. This facility is provided by Park Card Services who are Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to issue electronic money. FRN: 900016.

Love2shop Cards are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and as such we may need to complete an electronic identity check.

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Christmas is the ideal time to start rewarding your staff

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With the worst cost of living crisis in many years now in full swing both people and businesses are tightening their belts.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 93% of adults in the UK reported an increase in their cost of living in August and September 2022. This hits low income households harder as they spend a greater proportion of their income, on average, on energy and food.

Inflation, currently above 10%, is close to a 40-year high. And economic research specialist Capital Economics is warning the cost of living crisis is turning into a cost of borrowing crisis.

It said people were increasingly turning to credit to pay for food and bills. This was backed up by data from the Bank of England which showed credit card borrowing rose at its fastest pace for 17 years in August.

Peter Tutton, head of policy, research and public affairs at debt charity StepChange, said people were “vulnerable to panic borrowing to try to fill the gap between their income and their essential spending”.

Businesses are also feeling the squeeze. Rising energy, stock and raw materials prices are creating a dilemma of how much to pass on to the hard-pressed consumer. This was brought into sharp focus by retail analysts Springboard in late October. It showed a decline in high street footfall of 3.3% and 1.5% in retail parks over one week.

Now Christmas is on the horizon and the ‘season of goodwill’ presents its own challenges. Weather is getting colder and heating bills are on the rise and people are wondering how they can afford to buy gifts and extra food.

Businesses are also battling strong headwinds as we head into the festive season. Costs of energy and raw materials have soared in recent months. Add to that a fiercely competitive jobs market which is making staff recruitment and retention all the more difficult.

According to corporate rewards and employee recognition specialist Love2shop, businesses across the UK could do more for their workers. Its Love2shop Employee Value Report 2022 found 33% of all of UK employees feel undervalued at work. And, alarmingly, it reported 74% of people said they would look for a new job if they felt undervalued.

Now you would imagine Christmas would be the perfect time to let your teams know how much their work all year round is valued.

However, rising overheads are putting a squeeze on available cash so offering any kind of bonus or reward to their employees presents a challenge. While their workers face a cost of living crisis, employers face a cost of GIVING crisis.

Another interesting statistic from the Love2shop report is that 76% of employees did feel valued or recognised when their employer spontaneously gave them a gift. And this does present a real opportunity.

Now, an easy route to this could be a trip to the wholesalers to bulk buy some bottles of wine and boxes of chocolates and give them out. However, it seems to lack a little thought and imagination. Like the husband who grabs a cheap bunch of flowers from a service station for his wife for their anniversary.

So how can an employer offer a reward that seems genuinely thoughtful, offers real help to employees struggling to make ends meet, and doesn’t cost the earth.

Love2shop has been helping companies across the UK do just that for more than 50 years. During that time is has partnered up with 150,000 businesses to help them provide rewards and recognition to both staff and customers.

Its Love2shop gifting products are available in both physical and digital form. Accepted by more than 90 big-name retailers across the UK, Love2shop is one of the best established and well recognised gifting brands in the UK.

Love2shop e-Gift card offers multi-choice digital reward codes can be delivered directly to your employee’s inbox. Recipients then exchange the balance for any of the top single-store e-Gift Cards or Love2shop Gift Cards.

Love2shop Contactless is the UK’s first digital gift card. It works with Apple, Samsung and Google phone wallets. Sent and received online, add to mobile wallet and it’s right there on their phone, ready to go. People can even schedule rewards to be delivered on Christmas Day.

Some people prefer something more tangible and the Love2shop Gift Card fit the bill. Cardholders can also exchange their balance online for e-Gift cards to capitalise on online sales.

And with a long tradition, the Love2shop vouchers have been a popular choice as a gift for many years and come with long expiry dates. With the cost of loving now an issue for so many people Love2shop is perfect as it can be spent on everyday essentials or luxuries such as day out experiences or meals.

Alternatively, Love2shop offers the Everyday Benefits Card. This offers all the advantages and flexibility of Love2shop, offering a 7.5% discount when a user loads up their card. So, a card load of £100 costs the recipient just £92.50. They can then use their card to shop with multiple top brands.

And they represent really good value for businesses. They can cost as little as £6 per card if 1,000 cards are purchased.

Frank Creighton, Director of Business Development at Love2shop, said: “We know from our own research, and from years of feedback from clients, the power of a carefully-targeted employee benefits and rewards programme.

“We are witnessing the phenomenon of ‘The Great Resignation’ where people are no longer prepared to remain in workplaces where they feel undervalued, are demotivated and believe no one is seeing or appreciating their efforts.

“We have worked with thousands of employers across multiple sectors, in the public and private sectors, over the years and we have the know-how and experience to make these programmes work for you and your teams.”

By utilising Love2shop Gift Cards, employers can take advantage of HMRC’s Trivial Benefits Allowance. This allows them to gift up to £50 in Love2shop Gift Cards completely tax-free to every employee in their organisation.

This offers a saving to the business of up to £48.10 per employee (for higher rate taxpayers), simply by delivering a non-cash gift. This makes gift cards a far more attractive means to say ‘thank you’ than cash issued through an employee’s salary.

Frank added: “Incentivising and rewarding people is what progressive and forward-thinking businesses do. It helps you hire and retain the right people, increases productivity and ultimately boosts the bottom line.

“Offering rewards also simply makes your workplace a nice place to be for everyone who works there. And it is easier and less costly to set up and run than you may think. What’s not to like.”

Flexecash is the pre-paid card platform which issues the Love2shop Cards. This facility is provided by Park Card Services Ltd who are Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to issue electronic money. (FRN: 900016)

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