Employee Engagement & Rewards

Employee Recognition: Key Trends for Today's Workforce

Today’s workforce wants more than just a paycheck. They want to feel connected, appreciated, and part of something meaningful. In an environment where values matter just as much as KPIs, human resources and employee recognition isn’t a nice-to-have anymore—it’s a business essential. The way we work is changing, and so are expectations. Teams thrive when their efforts are seen, celebrated, and tied to a bigger purpose. That’s where thoughtful, consistent recognition comes in. It strengthens culture, boosts morale, and helps people feel proud of the work they do every day.

Understanding Employee Recognition in Today’s Workforce

Employee recognition is all about shining a light on the good stuff—the effort, the wins, and the everyday magic your people bring to work, which ultimately contributes to employee performance. It’s a way to say, 'We see you. We appreciate you.'

When aligned with your company’s values, this becomes a cultural driver. It reinforces the behaviours that make your business better, builds trust, and helps teams feel more connected and motivated.

Defining employee recognition for modern organizations

Modern recognition isn’t just a once-a-year award or a manager’s passing praise. It’s timely, specific, and frequent. Think quick shout-outs in a team chat, peer-to-peer kudos, or even a digital gift card sent after a job well done.

Acknowledgment that’s public and inclusive creates a ripple effect—boosting team morale and encouraging others to follow suit. Just as important: it’s fair. Every team member should have the opportunity to be acknowledged.

Tie appreciation to your company values, and it becomes more than kind words. It becomes a strategic tool that shows people what matters most and how they can contribute.

Why employee recognition matters in shaping company culture

Recognition is a key ingredient in shaping the kind of culture people want to be part of. This form of acknowledgment, when leaders and peers regularly acknowledge effort and achievement, gratitude becomes part of everyday life at work.

This builds trust, increases credibility, and helps people feel seen—not just for the results, but for how they show up. Over time, this strengthens your culture and contributes to business success.

It also has a direct link to retention. When employees feel valued, they’re more likely to stay. That means lower turnover costs and a stronger, more stable workforce.

The shift toward human-centric workplaces

We’re in the era of people-first business. Employees don’t want to be cogs in a machine—they want to be seen as individuals with unique strengths, contributions, and stories. Recognition is a vital part of delivering on that need for top performers.

It taps into our human desire for belonging and esteem. Whether it’s celebrating a small win or a major milestone, giving someone that moment of acknowledgment can have a lasting impact on their engagement and wellbeing.

By weaving acknowledgment into your everyday culture, you’re creating a more compassionate workplace—one where your people can thrive.

The Power of Employee Appreciation and Engagement

Recognition and engagement go hand in hand. When employees feel seen and appreciated through regular acknowledgment, their connection to the work and the team deepens. They’re more likely to contribute, collaborate, and go the extra mile.

It’s more than a morale booster, it’s a business strategy.

How recognition drives employee engagement

Appreciation is motivating and can help unlock employees' full potential. It lights up the part of the brain that drives effort and reward. When employees feel recognised, they’re more likely to take initiative, solve problems, and support their teammates.

Appreciation also boosts intrinsic motivation, especially when it’s specific and genuine. It tells people their work has purpose, which keeps them engaged and focused.

This is especially true for high performers, who thrive on knowing their efforts make a difference.

Impact on productivity, morale, and employee retention

The ripple effect of appreciation touches everything from output to team spirit. Recognised employees tend to be more productive and more collaborative, contributing to a positive workplace culture. And when teams are happy and engaged, they stick around.

That means lower turnover, fewer hiring headaches, and more consistent performance across the board.

Recognition also helps fight burnout. A culture that celebrates wins—big and small—gives people a reason to feel good about their work and feel part of something meaningful.

Building a sustainable culture of recognition

If you want recognition to work, it has to be more than a once-in-a-while thing. It needs to be a regular habit, woven into team routines and company values.

Make it consistent, visible, and easy. Appreciation tools like Prezzee help make appreciation feel personal, immediate, and part of everyday workflows.

And when acknowledgment reflects your values, it becomes a living example of what your organisation stands for.

Key Trends Transforming Employee Recognition

Today’s recognition programs are smarter, faster, and more inclusive than ever. Technology has transformed how we say thank you, making it easier to appreciate teams across locations, time zones, and roles.

The best programs put people at the centre, supported by tools that scale appreciation in meaningful ways.

Embracing flexible and remote recognition solutions

With remote and hybrid work now the norm, your recognition strategy needs to meet people where they are. A digital-first approach ensures no one is left out just because they’re not in the office.

Whether it’s a Prezzee gift card, a quick message in Slack, or a team-wide shout-out in a virtual meeting, remote-ready solutions help everyone feel included and valued.

The rise of peer-to-peer and social recognition programs

Recognition shouldn’t only come from the top. Some of the most impactful moments come from peers who see the day-to-day effort.

Social and peer-to-peer programs help build community and strengthen team bonds. They create a culture where appreciation is everyone’s job, not just the manager’s.

Data-driven approaches to employee appreciation

Tracking recognition efforts helps you see what’s working and where to improve. It gives you insights into participation, engagement, and cultural alignment.

By combining acknowledgment data with employee feedback, you can fine-tune your program and show clear ROI to leadership.

Integration of recognition platforms with HR systems

Recognition works best when it’s part of the everyday flow of work. Integration with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or your HRIS means less friction and more participation.

For HR teams, this creates one centralized source of acknowledgment data, helping inform performance conversations and cultural initiatives.

Beginner’s Guide: How to Create an Employee Recognition Program

Launching a recognition program doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right tools and a clear plan, you can create something meaningful that fits your culture and goals.

Here’s how to start.

What you need to get started: resources and tools

Start with purpose. What’s the goal of your strategic recognition program? Are you trying to boost engagement, reduce turnover, or reinforce values?

Then, set a budget (even a small one can make a big impact). Many top-performing companies dedicate at least 1% of payroll to appreciation.

And make it easy. A platform like Prezzee lets you send rewards instantly, track activity, and make appreciation simple and scalable.

Choosing the right recognition platform for your company

Look for a tool that’s user-friendly, mobile-friendly, and integrates easily with your current tech stack.

Features to look for:

• Peer-to-peer and top-down options
• Value tagging (to tie recognition to company values)
• Analytics and reporting

And don’t forget to ask your team what they’d actually use—they’ll tell you what works best.

Identifying key stakeholders and forming a project team

Building an employee recognition platform and appreciation program is a team effort. HR might lead the charge, but it takes a cross-functional crew to bring it to life.

Include champions from different departments and levels of seniority. Their input ensures the program resonates, and their buy-in helps it stick.

Having leadership support is essential too. When senior leaders model appreciation, others follow.

Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Recognition Program

Start strong with a clear rollout plan. Here’s a framework to help guide the launch:

Step 1: Assess current company culture and needs

Use surveys or focus groups to ask your team: How do they like to be recognized? What’s missing today? This helps you design a program that hits home.

Step 2: Set clear goals and objectives for recognition

Make your acknowledgment efforts measurable. For example:

• Boost engagement scores by 10% in 12 months
• Reach 85% program adoption in 6 months
• Reduce turnover by 5% in 18 months

Step 3: Design recognition criteria and select reward types

Clarify what deserves appreciation and align it with your values. Mix it up:

• Informal: shout-outs and kudos
• Formal: milestone rewards, monthly award
• Flexible rewards: digital gift cards, time off, experiences

Step 4: Communicate the program to all employees

Build excitement with clear, friendly communication. Explain the "why" and the "how" across channels your team already uses.

Step 5: Implement the recognition program and track progress

Launch with fanfare and get leadership involved early. Use analytics to monitor engagement and adjust as needed.

Step 6: Collect feedback and iterate for continuous improvement

Use pulse surveys, platform feedback, and employee input to keep your program fresh and relevant. Acknowledgment should grow as your culture grows.

Effective Employee Recognition Ideas for Every Budget

Meaningful employee appreciation doesn't have to be expensive. Everyday appreciation, which includes countless employee recognition ideas, can fit any budget, from no-cost gestures to more significant rewards. The key is to make your acknowledgment efforts thoughtful and genuine.

Different types of employee praise can be used to celebrate everything from small daily wins to major career milestones. The following sections offer creative and practical ideas you can implement to boost morale and show your team you value their hard work, which is a great way to enhance their motivation.

Low-cost and no-cost ways to recognize employees

Some of the most powerful forms of acknowledgment cost little to nothing. A simple, heartfelt "thank you" that highlights exactly what an employee did well can be more impactful than a generic, expensive gift, ultimately benefiting your bottom line.

Here are a few simple, no-cost ideas:

• Verbal praise in meetings
• Handwritten thank-you note
• Peer-to-peer "kudos" boards or Slack channels
• A team trophy passed weekly to the MVP

Creative approaches, from handwritten notes to public praise

Surprise your team with something memorable:

• Create a virtual "wall of fame"
• Start value-based monthly shout-outs
• Host a surprise appreciation day

Using gift cards and experiential rewards for employee appreciation

When you want to add a tangible element to your employee appreciation efforts, gift cards and experiential rewards are excellent options. Gift cards, especially those from a flexible provider like Prezzee, offer the ultimate in choice, allowing employees to select a reward that is truly meaningful to them. This personal choice makes the reward feel more special.

For celebrating significant achievements or great work, experiential employee rewards create lasting memories. Instead of a physical item, you could offer an experience like a cooking class, concert tickets, or a weekend getaway. These rewards show a deep level of appreciation and a commitment to an employee's well-being outside of work.

Both gift cards and experiences can be powerful motivators. They serve as a clear and valuable acknowledgment of an employee's contribution, reinforcing the message that their hard work is seen and highly valued by the company.

Service awards and milestone celebrations

Celebrating an employee's long-term commitment is a crucial part of a comprehensive acknowledgment strategy. Service awards and milestone celebrations honor the loyalty and dedication of employees who have been with your company for a significant period, such as 5, 10, or 20 years.

These celebrations acknowledge the formal recognition of an employee's accumulated knowledge and experience. They are typically used to mark work anniversaries and show appreciation for individuals who consistently go the extra mile. The rewards associated with these milestones often increase in value with the length of service and can include anything from a personalized gift to extra paid time off or a travel voucher.

By formally recognizing these milestones, you create a work environment that values loyalty and dedication. It sends a powerful message to all employees that their long-term contributions, including attracting top talent, are seen and will be celebrated, encouraging them to build a career within your organization.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Understanding employee recognition and employee motivation can be complex. Often, organizations wonder how to implement an effective acknowledgment program that resonates with their employees. The types of praise, from informal kudos to structured awards, play a crucial role in enhancing job satisfaction and engagement. An appreciation platform can streamline these efforts, allowing HR teams to regularly acknowledge good work, which directly impacts employee morale and motivation. Companies often query about the best practices for recognizing remote employees, as fostering a culture of appreciation in distributed teams presents unique challenges.

What are the key elements of a successful employee recognition program?

A successful employee appreciation program aligns with company core values, includes timely and specific acknowledgment efforts from both peers and leaders, and offers meaningful rewards. The key is to make it accessible and consistent, enhancing the employee experience and clearly demonstrating the benefits of employee praise across the organization, ultimately driving improved business results.

How can small businesses implement meaningful employee recognition?

Small businesses can focus on low-cost but high-impact employee recognition ideas that also consider mental health. Regular verbal praise, handwritten notes, and public positive feedback in team meetings are highly effective. The key is sincerity and consistency in showing employee appreciation to every team member, which strengthens bonds in a smaller setting.

What are common mistakes to avoid when recognizing employees?

Common mistakes in employee recognition include being inconsistent, giving vague praise, or only recognizing the same few people. To ensure effective employee acknowledgment examples and a positive impact, avoid making it a competition and ensure your appreciation program is fair, timely, and specific to the behavior you're rewarding.

Are there recommended platforms or tools for employee recognition?

Yes, platforms like Culture Amp and Workhuman are excellent examples of employee recognition software. This type of recognition software is ideal for facilitating peer acknowledgment and managing rewards, especially for remote teams. Integrating a recognition platform with tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams makes this type of acknowledgment seamless and part of daily work.

Conclusion

Employee recognition isn’t just good for culture—it’s good for business. When you celebrate the people behind your success, you build trust, motivation, and long-term loyalty.

Whether it’s a quick shout-out or a thoughtfully chosen gift, the best recognition is personal and timely.

Ready to bring more appreciation into your workplace? Prezzee is here to help you create meaningful moments that make a real impact.

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Christmas is the perfect opportunity to show appreciation for your employees and strengthen team connections. This year, instead of getting your team, clients or customers another bottle of wine, dive into our curated list of corporate Christmas gift ideas to make this festive season an unforgettable one.

The Kroger eGift Card opens up a world of choices, from groceries to housekeeping essentials, while the Target eGift Card is a ticket to the treasure trove of affordable trendy goods, home decor, and gadgets. The Sheetz eGift Card is all about convenience, designed for those who are always on the move, offering fuel, handy essentials or maybe a hot meal on the go. These gift cards add a personal touch to your corporate gifting, allowing recipients to choose exactly what suits their preference.

Tech and entertainment corporate Christmas gifts

Tech and entertainment gifts can bring a dose of fun and innovations to your employee's holidays.

Gifting a Best Buy Gift Card offers a wide range of options, from gadgets to books. Or, a Hulu Gift Card can help your colleagues or clients binge-watch their favourite shows and movies during their well-deserved downtime. For the tech enthusiasts, a Crutchfield eGift Card is a gateway to the latest electronics and entertainment gadgets.

The everyday treats

A tasty corporate Christmas gift can also go a long way in making your team feel valued these holidays.

A Prezzee On The Go Eats Smart eGift Card can provide a festive lunch at the office. A meal shared with coworkers can help celebrate the silly seasons and  make your employees feel valued and taken care of at work. Or, let them take the festivities to the next level with a fine dining experience. A Bloomin Brands eGift Card is one card that can be used at a number of America’s favorite eating destinations such as Bonefish Grill, Outback Steakhouse, and many more.

Luxurious corporate Christmas Gifts

Luxurious corporate Christmas gift cards add a touch of glamor to the holiday season.

A Delta Air Lines Gift Card is certain to wow your employees, and is the perfect invitation to relax and enjoy a well-deserved holiday state-wide or overseas. Or, for those who would rather travel by sea, the Holland America Line Gift Card is a ticket to pure indulgence and adventure, allowing your recipients to unwind and recharge in elegance. And if there’s a desire to enjoy an unforgettable meal, a Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse Gift Card is certain to have your employees reminiscing once the holiday break is over.

The company Christmas gift of choice

The Prezzee Smart eGift Card is the ultimate employee Christmas gift of choice that enables your recipient to swap and shop for one or more eGift cards from hundreds of top brands instantly.

If you’re looking for unique corporate Christmas gift ideas, this is one card that can unlock all of them.

What to consider when choosing corporate Christmas gifts for employees?

When selecting company Christmas gifts for your employees, several crucial considerations come into play to ensure that your gesture is thoughtful and well-received.

Diversity and inclusion

First and foremost, it's essential to consider the diversity of your workforce. Consider cultural and religious backgrounds to ensure that your company Christmas gifts are inclusive and respectful of everyone's beliefs and traditions.

Gift type

Additionally, think about the practicality of the gift. A useful and functional item, such as a customizable calendar, premium coffee products, or gift cards, tend to be appreciated.

Everyone likes to be recognized, and your employees are no different.

The good news is that you don’t need any fancy employee recognition software to make your team feel seen and heard. The more that you verbalize positive feedback, the more it shows you’re paying attention — which results in more trust earned from your team.

According to Forbes, a study showed that nearly 90% of employees who were shown recognition from their boss felt higher levels of trust in that manager. However, only 48% showed signs of trusting the authoritative figures of those who did not receive recognition.

Ready to be seen as a better people leader, increase business results, and make your team feel appreciated? Keep reading to find out how simple it is to accomplish all three with the right employee recognition ideas and strategy.

What is employee recognition?

Recognition is defined as “the acknowledgment of something's existence or validity.” This might sound like a simple and easy act — because it is! All you need is some organization (a simple calendar to start) and a little creativity.

In terms of your business, showing your employees recognition can come in an array of forms, whether it’s a mentioning an outstanding employee in a speech given at a company-wide meeting, or, through an employee recognition gift sent to their email. Each form of employee recognition has its own unique advantages, and knowing what’s the best way to show recognition will be specific to the wants and needs of your business and the employee themselves.

The benefits of employee recognition

Among many more examples, the top reasons to make employee recognition a priority include:

• Positive business outcomes
• Employee retention (decreased employee turnover and creates a positive environment for top performers)
• The encouragement of core values

Do employee recognition programs work?

Let’s take employee retention as an example, as it can be one of the most cost-saving areas for your company. Glassdoor’s Employee Appreciation Survey showed that 53% of employees reported appreciation from their boss motivated them to stay longer at their company. What might surprise you is that from that same group, 68% of respondents said their manager was already actively displaying a sufficient amount of appreciation.

This proves what we learned before: appreciation can’t be reserved for merely one holiday out of the year. Keep it continuous — in this case, more is more!

What are some measurable criteria for employee recognition?

Whist it’s important to regularly show your company’s teams and individuals recognition, having a measurable employee recognition criterion can make giving recognition easier and more valuable. This isn’t to say the act of giving recognition should be overly formalized, more that a criteria can help guide you and make noticing important employee moments easier to recognize.

The top criteria for employee recognition include:

• Reward sales performance
  It’s an effective motivator when we remind our top performers that we notice and appreciate their hard work and ability to excel within the sales team. By celebrating and rewarding these employees, we can incentivize them to continue to push on and reach their sales goals.
• Recognize individual progress
  While leaderboards and Employee of the Month awards are fantastic, you want to bring a human element to this. It's important to recognize individual growth and progress to maintain employee retention. Personalized, face-to-face expressions of gratitude from leaders make a lasting impact. By appreciating our employees when they improve or show growth, we remind them that their hard work and progress are noticed.
• Celebrate exemplary attendance
  Recognizing punctual employees is important, as attendance directly impacts productivity and profitability. Absences and tardiness can lead to decreased profits and negatively affect team dynamics. The CDC said that absenteeism costs roughly $1,685 per employee every year, for a total of $225.8 billion in the United States alone.
• Acknowledge important milestones
  There are many corporate milestones that are worthy of recognition in an employee’s time at your company. These include passing probation, yearly work anniversaries, and birthdays. Although not directly tied to company efficiency (like sales performance), employee recognition gifted for milestones tells your employees that you value their overall contributions to the team.
• Appreciate effective team work
  Real, honest, compassionate teamwork is something that can transform workspaces. When employees feel they can rely on one another or lean on each other, you’ve created a positive network of support where a business can thrive. Those who contribute to this positive culture of teamwork deserve to be recognized.
• Reward a positive attitude
  Recognize employees who consistently maintain a positive attitude, lift spirits and contribute to a cheerful work environment. It is not easy to wear a happy face to work all year long, especially with the many difficulties and stressors that come with daily life.
• Recognize compassionate customer support
  Your customer support team takes on the responsibility of being the voice for your business. They face a variety of different clients, all with different moods, stress levels, agendas, and so on, being careful to represent the company with respect and patience. Those that go out of their way to help customers reflect positively on the entire company as a whole.

How to create an employee recognition program

Now that you have some criteria for what events warrant employee recognition, it’s important to strategically plan how you intend to execute your company’s recognition program. Below are some key steps that will help you in developing an effective, productivity-driving employee recognition program.

Use a survey to guide the development of your recognition program

Poll the experts — your employees. You won’t know what will motivate your team the most until you ask.

An easy way to do this is by sending a Slack message (or whatever messaging software you use) to team members with a link to an online survey. Remember to keep it anonymous so your employees won’t feel reluctant to submit ideas.

Ask specific questions to help guide responses, such as the following:

• What motivates you the most?
  • For example, fun events, monetary rewards, time off, or social recognition.
• How long should a rewards program last?
  • For example, a month, quarter, year, or ongoing.
• What do you need the most motivation for?
  • For example: hitting sales targets, obtaining new clients, or reaching a new career milestone.
• What type of rewards system do you prefer?
  • For example, company-wide contests, incentives, a personal structure to challenge themselves, or teams vs. teams.

You can use the examples we gave here in a multiple-choice format or leave it open-ended.

Determine an employee recognition program budget

Setting a budget is crucial to setting realistic expectations for you and your employees and will also help structure the employee recognition program.

Once you have considered the employee-submitted ideas, start grouping common entry types into themes. Determine which themes will accommodate your budget.

Identify meaningful employee recognition rewards

Once you’ve established the rewards system, time frame, and budget, it’s time for the fun part — determining the reward. Make it easy on yourself and keep it simple — a meaningful reward can also be easy.

Employee gifts don’t have to be complicated, expensive, or grandiose. A meaningful reward will make your employees' lives easier or be a perk they couldn’t obtain otherwise.
Examples of valuable employee recognition gift ideas can include:

• Gift cards: The functionality of gift cards is famously easy. Make it even easier with instant digital delivery with Prezzee eGift cards. With options like Target, Chevron, HelloFresh, Airbnb, and hundreds more in Prezzee’s catalog, you can send your employees rewards they’ll actually use.
• Performance swag: Whether we want to admit it or not, a new wireless keyboard can be exhilarating. A customized mousepad with an image of their pet? Even better. You’ll earn some brownie points by providing an option to make their workday a little easier.
• Extra PTO day: Some may say an extra day off might be more valuable than a monetary reward. (Check with your human resources contact first to ensure that granting additional PTO days is approved.)

Ask for employee feedback over the course of the program

Asking for feedback is an essential step in ensuring the adoption of your employee recognition program. It’s always a good idea to keep your employees in the loop to keep them involved and further invested in the reward system. When a teammate feels like they are being heard, they are much more likely to stay engaged and participate.

Try periodically emailing a survey link to your team’s distribution list to monitor the program’s effectiveness and perception. You can use a ranking system (1 through 5 is best), multiple choice of provided answers, or an open reply box for responses.

Examples of questions you can use for the feedback survey include:

• What about this program is keeping you motivated?
• What would you like to see continued? Discontinued?
• What is a feature or roadblock of the program that is hindering your usage, if any?
• What’s one feature you wish could be added to the reward platform?
• Does the timeframe of when points must be earned to redeem prizes work for you? Why or why not?
• Do you enjoy working independently towards rewards, or would you rather join forces in groups? (or vice versa)
• What are more ways you’d like included as opportunities to earn points? Are there any service awards you’d like to incorporate?

Look at critical themes across the board — what do most responses have in common? Don’t throw away outlier answers: this is an opportunity to understand what certain employees may need differently to be set up for success.

Prezzee is here to help with employee recognition ideas

At the end of the day, don’t overthink it. If you put effort towards showing up and bringing purpose and encouragement through appreciation each day, your team will notice. Remember: if you stay continuous with your signals of appreciation and keep them genuine, timely, and specific, you can’t go wrong.

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Sources:

• ‍Why Employees Need Both Recognition and Appreciation | HBR‍
• Anniversary Gifts by Year: Our Traditional and Modern Guide
• ‍How Recognition Makes WorkHuman | SHRM‍
• 3 Reasons Why Employee Recognition Will Always Matter | Forbes‍
• Employers To Retain Half Of Their Employees Longer If Bosses Showed More Appreciation | Glassdoor ‍
• Formal and informal employee recognition – which works best? | HRZone‍
• It’s about time: Immediate rewards boost motivation | Cornell Chronicle‍
• What is Homeostasis? | Scientific American‍
• Positive Reinforcement and Operant Conditioning: Examples | Verywell Mind

A majority of business leaders believe that promoting wellness can affect employee and productive performance, according to Forbes.

It’s unsurprising that of the same leaders, who represented more than 500 U.S. companies of varying size, CNBC reported that 87% of businesses consider health a business investment or an essential part of their organization’s business strategies.

These findings prove that the value placed on employee wellness should be considered an effective business strategy. While already a popular belief held by most business owners, this number is only expected to grow, according to CNBC.

Let’s dig into the positive effects on business that are causing such a trend to develop in promoting health and wellness in the workplace.

Mental Health in the Workplace

First, how exactly could you define mental health?

Mental health encompasses anything that falls into our emotional, psychological, and social well-being buckets. If you aren’t experiencing physical pain, chances are it’s the state of your mind making you feel off.

Our mental health directly dictates how we deal with stress, interact with others, maintain energy levels, and make decisions. It’s no wonder companies have started to take this area of health just as seriously as the physical!

Leaders should never blame poor employee work performance with the accusation of laziness or disengagement because they could lose the trust of a productive worker. Instead, ask yourself if this could indicate mental burnout or distress.

Watch for early warning signs, including low energy, irritability, unusual forgetfulness, and anxiety. If you feel there could be an issue, contact your human resources department for guidance on how to aid the situation.  

Why is Health and Wellness Trending?

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts found that 62% of missed workdays can be attributed to mental health conditions.

In addition, 50% of full-time employees reported leaving a job for mental health reasons, while mentally distressed workers are 3.5 times more likely to have substance use disorders.

Ways To Maintain Positive Mental Health

Those with positive mental health are more likely to realize their full potential — in and out of the office. The positive contributions that a happy, mentally healthy person contributes to your company will far outweigh the costs of maintaining this headspace. The cost of unhappy employees is high: The CDC estimates that missed work days due to depression costs employers $17 to $44 billion a year.

With support, employees can more easily handle stress, cope with setbacks, connect with teammates, and stay positive. Mental wellness doesn’t have to only be improved by regular physical exercise and maintaining a healthy diet. Don’t limit the options that could benefit your employees in case the one area you decide to focus on doesn’t click for them.

Experts agree that meditation, social interaction, volunteering, and even learning to improve one’s financial health can help alleviate mental distress and promote mood.

3 Ideas for Wellness Gifts for Employees

So, how can you use this growing trend to improve the health of your employees and your business?

Supercharge the employee rate of adopting mental health habits by implementing a gift card incentive program. One way is to view mental health practices as a fun micro-vacation at the office.

Hold mini-events throughout the week and award those participating with a raffle ticket. Pull a winning ticket for a gift card at the end of whatever period you decide. Appropriately, ensure the gift card focus falls within the health and wellness genre.

Keep reading for sessions and events you can host for your team.

Run or Walk Club

Establish a weekly run or walk club. This can be held during lunch or after work (you can even coax folks out starting at 4:30 pm to get an early end to the day). Don’t go crazy with the distance or pace — start slow and steady and gradually build up if the group likes.

Distribute tickets to each attendee per session, then hold a raffle to win a gift card at the end of the week (or month, depending on your budget.)

A very motivating eGift card idea is a spa day to help ease sore muscles from the progress of their new hobby.

Meditation Session

Grounding exercises such as yoga, mindfulness practice, meditation, and deep breathing are great options to combat stress.

Establish a meditation session during lunch hours — the easy element of this is that it should only take 15 minutes max, and no one gets sweaty (great counter option if run club participation is hindered by the excuse of “I forgot my change of clothes.”)

Give participants a raffle ticket for a drawing frequency of their choosing. Consider a food and drink eGift card to encourage healthy habits by learning how to cook new fresh favorite meals.

Volunteer Day

Experts believe finding purpose at work and helping others is a significant mental health booster. Choose a few Fridays out of the year to volunteer at local charities. If you decide to go more frequently, say once a month, ask employees to nominate organizations with a special meaning or tie to their lives.  

Because this is a rare occurrence that requires more effort by the employee, hold a raffle after each volunteer session, and don’t be afraid to go a bit bigger with the digital gift card value.

Give the Gift of Choice

To support your employees' mental health and wellness, it’s often best to let them choose their reward. While this can be difficult to implement, Prezzee’s eGift card options are here to help.

Additionally, you could consider Prezzee’s Smart eGift Card — essentially the ultimate swap card. With the Smart eGift Card, recipients can choose from the over 360 brands and retailers in Prezzee’s catalog. They decide where they want to utilize their reward, meaning this eGift Card offers a tangible gift and the gift of choice.

Count on Prezzee

No matter what practices you decide to adopt for your team, Prezzee is here to support your future healthy habits.

With Prezzee, you can pleasantly surprise employees by customizing their newly earned eGift cards with an inspirational message or words of encouragement. We’re always here to help you keep going, so you can lead a happy, healthy team.

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Sources:‍

‍What Is Mental Health? | MentalHealth.gov‍

10 Tips to Boost Your Mental Health | BC Mental Health‍

Wellbeing Positively Impacts Firm Performance | Forbes

Mental health stigma at work - why it's a problem | Kaiser Permanente

How to Improve Mental Health | MedlinePlus

Depression Evaluation Measures | Workplace Health Strategies by Condition | CDC

Employers boost mental wellness benefits amid the Great Resignation | CNBC