A survey of 2,100 consumers indicates there is a disconnect between employee and employer attitudes to reward delivery. Love2shop Business Services, a specialist provider of consumer and employee engagement solutions, found a stark contrast in the attitudes of employers and end recipients toward sending and receiving rewards, both in the level of personalisation required and the preferred delivery method.
> 72% of employers opt to personally hand rewards to recipients and 23% post rewards.
> Yet when consumers were asked if they would find it acceptable to receive an electronic code as a gift, 46% of respondents said yes, with only 13% completely closed to the idea, ‘clearly demonstrating an appetite for instant online reward delivery’.
> 75% of consumers believe personalisation of gift cards or voucher rewards is important or very important.
> But just half (53%) of employers do not find branding and personalisation important at all, ‘clearly demonstrating a disconnect between the employer and employee perceptions’.
Chris Hartley, Director at Love2Shop Business Services, said:
‘Rewards being delivered in a timely fashion ranked highly as an important factor to employers and yet many employers seem hesitant to entertain the idea of digital delivery. The physical presentation is of obvious importance and we are strong advocates of this approach wherever it is practically possible. But if the physical presentation of rewards presents a barrier between the immediacy of their delivery then it is important for employers to consider alternative options. Waiting months to present an award at a company get together will prove detrimental to the impact of the reward. Recognition of achievements works best when delivered in a very timely fashion if you want employees to replicate those behaviours demonstrated.’
He added:
‘Finding the right delivery mechanism for employee rewards is crucial to the success of any programme. Many employers are still understandably hesitant to make the switch from paper to plastic, with a handful experimenting with digital reward delivery, but it is essential not to rest on your laurels. Employers should survey recipients, set up focus groups and review redemption information to ensure that the reward methods used are appropriate and appealing to the audience. This in turn will drive up employee performance, improve retention and help to make gains in engagement.’