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The Best Employee Rewards Programs of 2024
10 min read
Published: Dec 13, 2023
Revised on: Mar 1, 2024
Here’s our curated shortlist and our reasons for liking each company; please click into each company to get more details:
- Assembly
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned Assembly is simple, easy to navigate, and user-friendly.
- Good customer support. Reviews mentioned Assembly's support team is responsive in resolving issues.
- Rewards redemption process is smooth. Users liked the gift card and other reward options that can be redeemed with points.
- Integrates well with Slack and Microsoft Teams. The integration makes giving recognition quick and seamless.
- Good for employee recognition and engagement. Reviews highlighted Assembly's peer-to-peer recognition features that help boost employee morale.
- Awardco
- Easy to use and user friendly interface. Many reviews mention how simple and intuitive the platform is.
- Wide variety of redemption options, including gift cards, donations, and products through Amazon. Provides employees choice in how they want to be rewarded.
- Ability to recognize coworkers both publicly and privately. Allows for flexibility in giving praise.
- Integration with Amazon for product redemptions. Gives access to a huge catalog of items.
- Features like the recognition feed increase engagement and positivity among employees. Helps boost morale.
- WorkTango
- Easy to use and user-friendly interface. Many reviews mentioned how simple and intuitive the platform is.
- Ability to easily recognize and reward coworkers. Giving points and recognition is seamless.
- Fun way to boost employee morale. The gamification and rewards help motivate employees.
- Provides insight into employee engagement. The data and analytics provide valuable insights.
- Good variety of rewards to choose from. Many gift cards and merchandise options in the catalog.
- Motivosity
- Makes it easy and fun to recognize and reward peers and employees. Many reviews mentioned how Motivosity makes it simple to give thanks and praise to coworkers.
- Improves employee morale, culture, and engagement. Multiple reviews highlighted how Motivosity has enhanced company culture, boosted team morale, and improved employee engagement.
- Fosters connections between remote/hybrid teams. Reviews noted how Motivosity helps remote and dispersed teams stay connected.
- Provides visibility into what's happening across the company. Reviews liked being able to see praise and recognition across the organization.
- User-friendly interface. Many reviews complimented Motivosity's clean and easy-to-use interface.
- Bucketlist
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned how simple and straightforward Bucketlist is to navigate.
- Quick reward redemption process. Users like that gift cards and other rewards can be redeemed instantly.
- Peer recognition. Bucketlist makes it easy to recognize coworkers and give "shout outs" for jobs well done.
- Fun experience. Users enjoy the ability to use GIFs and emojis to liven up recognitions. Overall, Bucketlist makes recognition fun.
- Customizable. Reviews highlighted the ability to customize Bucketlist to match company branding and values.
Implementing effective employee rewards programs is essential for fostering a positive workplace culture. These programs are not just about acknowledging hard work; they are key drivers of employee engagement.
This Employee Rewards Programs guide is designed to offer insights into the most impactful and innovative reward strategies. Learning how to recognize and motivate your employees is the key to developing a productive and positive workforce.
Recognition goes beyond the occasional thank you; it involves understanding and appreciating the unique contributions of each employee. Motivation, on the other hand, is about inspiring employees to achieve their best.
Effective reward systems act as powerful motivators, encouraging employees to excel in their roles. When employees feel recognized and appreciated through tangible rewards or acknowledgments, their motivation levels tend to increase. This not only boosts their job satisfaction and engagement but also drives them to maintain or improve their performance, creating a positive cycle of productivity and recognition within the organization.
Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, this guide will help you navigate various reward programs to find the ones that best align with your organizational goals and employee needs, ultimately creating a more productive and satisfied workforce.
What Is the Best Way to Recognize Employees?
Recognizing and rewarding your team for its performance is about more than just rewards. It involves a combination of factors, including:
- Providing frequent and relevant feedback - Employee recognition should be specific and timely, highlighting each team member’s accomplishments and clearly expressing why their contributions are valuable and appreciated.
- Encouraging peer recognition - Encouraging team members to acknowledge each other’s achievements is an effective way to foster a culture of recognition within your organization. This practice can strengthen teamwork and make employees feel more appreciated by their peers, enhancing the overall work environment.
- Offering varied and meaningful rewards - Employee recognition can be enriched using various methods to celebrate excellent performance. This can range from acknowledging important milestones to offering rewards such as gift cards, additional paid time off, or donating to charitable organizations in the employee’s name.
How Do Rewards and Recognition Motivate Employees?
An employee recognition system and rewards program motivates team members, improves productivity, and keeps them engaged. By investing in an employee rewards and recognition program, you can expect the following benefits:
- Morale booster - Acknowledging and rewarding employees for their work milestones and achievements can boost morale, making them feel more optimistic and enthusiastic about their role.
- Improves job satisfaction - Employees receiving regular recognition for their work are likelier to be happy with their jobs. A 2019 study has linked job happiness with individual productivity, indicating high job satisfaction benefits for both the employee and the organization.
- Increases employee loyalty - Rewards and recognition programs help employees feel valued by their employers. It can also help to build company trust and loyalty among your employees to reduce staff turnover and build a more stable and reliable workforce.
- Encourages teamwork - Software platforms that enable peer recognition can help team members value one another and recognize each other’s achievements. This can help produce stronger bonds between teams, increasing team productivity.
Our Selection of the Top 10 Employee Rewards Programs
Choosing and implementing an optimal best employee rewards program and recognition system can promote a more positive company culture, fostering better team collaboration, productivity, and overall employee happiness.
To assist you in selecting a program that meets your organization’s specific needs, we have compiled a list of the ten best employee rewards programs.
Pricing
$2.80 per user/month
- Free version
- Free trial available
- Seat Minimum: 1 User
Assembly is a comprehensive platform designed to elevate employee recognition and rewards within an organization. It offers a suite of tools tailored to acknowledge and incentivize team efforts while enhancing productivity.
The platform hosts a range of features specifically crafted to celebrate accomplishments, provide valuable feedback, and maintain connectivity.
Assembly Key Employee Recognition Features:
- Customization is key - Assembly's platform allows for customization through various templates, ensuring recognition programs align with a company’s culture. The Recognition Feed function offers a transparent view of employee achievements, allowing managers to acknowledge milestones, assign rewards, and celebrate successes publicly.
- A Hub for acknowledgment - Within the Assembly's employee recognition and rewards solution, teams gain access to a centralized hub for acknowledging achievements, fostering engagement, and maximizing individual and collective contributions.
- Enticing employee rewards - Accumulate reward points that can be exchanged for a vast selection of reward options from thousands of gift cards, charitable contributions, and personalized cultural rewards.
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned Assembly is simple, easy to navigate, and user-friendly.
- Good customer support. Reviews mentioned Assembly's support team is responsive in resolving issues.
- Rewards redemption process is smooth. Users liked the gift card and other reward options that can be redeemed with points.
- Integrates well with Slack and Microsoft Teams. The integration makes giving recognition quick and seamless.
- Good for employee recognition and engagement. Reviews highlighted Assembly's peer-to-peer recognition features that help boost employee morale.
Cons
- Limitations in analytics and reporting features. Some reviews wanted more detailed analytics and user statistics.
- Creating flows and automations can be tricky. Reviews noted workflows and automations are sometimes hard to setup.
- Limited customization options for recognitions. Users wanted more ways to customize recognitions with images/GIFs.
- Lack of mobile apps earlier on. Reviews mentioned lack of mobile apps made it hard to use when not by a computer.
- Confusion due to branding changes. Reviews noted frequent name changes of the reward units was confusing initially.
2
Awardco
Pricing
Contact sales for pricing
- Free version
- Free trial available
- Seat Minimum: 1 User
Awardco’s platform focuses on two key goals: simplifying the recognition process within organizations and enhancing the significance of rewards. The platform offers businesses various ways to acknowledge work performance milestones, achievements, and years of service, complemented by an extensive selection of rewards and incentives.
Awardco Key Employee Recognition Features:
Customizable employee incentives - Awardco enables organizations to create and establish awards for accomplishing one-time and ongoing tasks, like completing security training or daily responsibilities. This task-oriented strategy assists in keeping employees actively engaged with the company’s values and goals.
Three-step recognition process - Recognizing a team member on Awardco is an easy, three-step process. Select a team member, assign a category, and write a custom message to recognize their achievements.
Offline recognition capabilities - Awardco allows non-desk-based workers to feel seen and rewarded for their work. Companies can print reward codes, similar to QR codes, which offline employees can scan with their devices and redeem at their convenience.
Pros
- Easy to use and user friendly interface. Many reviews mention how simple and intuitive the platform is.
- Wide variety of redemption options, including gift cards, donations, and products through Amazon. Provides employees choice in how they want to be rewarded.
- Ability to recognize coworkers both publicly and privately. Allows for flexibility in giving praise.
- Integration with Amazon for product redemptions. Gives access to a huge catalog of items.
- Features like the recognition feed increase engagement and positivity among employees. Helps boost morale.
Cons
- Limited selection of products compared to full Amazon catalog. Not all options on Amazon are available.
- Inability to pay difference when order total exceeds points balance. Must have exact points amount.
- Reporting capabilities could be more robust for admins. Some want more data analysis options.
- Navigation issues like having to reload item list when going back to browsing. Causes inconvenience.
- Lack of ability to track shipments of ordered items. Status not always clear after ordering.
Pricing
Contact sales for pricing
- Seat Minimum: 150 Users
WorkTango is a business software platform that increases employee engagement and promotes a more positive workplace culture. This platform includes many employee-focused features, such as feedback collection tools, performance management solutions, a social recognition system, and a rewards marketplace.
WorkTango Key Employee Recognition Feature:
- Point-based employee incentive system - WorkTango’s reward point-based incentive system enables employees to earn points by completing tasks that match their objectives or company values. This helps them quantify their value and reward their day-to-day performance.
- Comprehensive rewards catalog - After receiving points, employees can redeem them for a wide range of rewards, including gift cards, products, event tickets, and even bonus cash.
- Employee recognition at all levels - WorkTango’s social recognition system lets your team show their appreciation for employees at all organizational levels. The platform allows for both public and private acknowledgments, and you can include rewards and send a message of recognition.
Pros
- Easy to use and user-friendly interface. Many reviews mentioned how simple and intuitive the platform is.
- Ability to easily recognize and reward coworkers. Giving points and recognition is seamless.
- Fun way to boost employee morale. The gamification and rewards help motivate employees.
- Provides insight into employee engagement. The data and analytics provide valuable insights.
- Good variety of rewards to choose from. Many gift cards and merchandise options in the catalog.
Cons
- Point system not ideal. Reviews mentioned points being hard to earn or expiring too quickly.
- Rewards catalog limitations. Some wanted more options, lower point costs, or better rewards.
- Reporting and analytics could be better. Some found the data analysis functionality lacking.
- Issues with notifications. Reviews cited missing or too frequent notifications as problems.
- Navigation issues. Some found the site navigation confusing or unintuitive at times.
Pricing
$2.00 per user/month
- Seat Minimum: 10 Users
Motivosity is a software platform that improves employee engagement, workplace culture, and performance. It features peer-to-peer recognition and fosters a culture of gratitude within your company. Employees are rewarded with monetary incentives for their achievements, which can be exchanged for various perks.
Motivosity comes equipped with performance management tools that facilitate goal setting and feedback, as well as advanced analytics to monitor engagement and identify areas for improvement. It’s highly adaptable, allowing integration with current HRIS systems, ensuring it matches your company’s values and requirements.
Motivosity Key Employee Recognition Features:
- Customizable rewards catalog - Motivosity offers gift cards from prominent retailers and local brands and allows companies to include their customized rewards and branded merchandise in the rewards catalog. The platform also automatically manages the inventory and balance of these rewards.
- Peer-to-peer recognition with perks - Motivosity lets team members recognize each other’s performance with customizable messages and donations of award points. You can enhance each recognition message by using checkboxes to highlight the company values most reflected in the recognized action.
- Segmented integrations - Motivosity offers integration capabilities with a range of business software programs, each with a specific set of compatible features. For instance, employees can express their gratitude using Slack, while managers can use Microsoft Azure to manage Motivosity accounts.
Pros
- Makes it easy and fun to recognize and reward peers and employees. Many reviews mentioned how Motivosity makes it simple to give thanks and praise to coworkers.
- Improves employee morale, culture, and engagement. Multiple reviews highlighted how Motivosity has enhanced company culture, boosted team morale, and improved employee engagement.
- Fosters connections between remote/hybrid teams. Reviews noted how Motivosity helps remote and dispersed teams stay connected.
- Provides visibility into what's happening across the company. Reviews liked being able to see praise and recognition across the organization.
- User-friendly interface. Many reviews complimented Motivosity's clean and easy-to-use interface.
Cons
- Leaderboards can cause unwanted competition. Some reviews felt the leaderboards promoted competition instead of true recognition.
- Money rewards aren't always motivating. A few reviewers felt the money wasn't the real motivator - the recognition was more meaningful.
- Reporting and analytics could be better. Some reviews wanted more robust reporting capabilities.
- Mobile app lacks functionality. The mobile app was called out for missing key desktop features.
- Technical glitches. A couple reviews cited occasional technical issues with the software.
Pricing
Contact sales for pricing
- Free trial available
Bucketlist, an employee recognition and rewards platform, officially launched in 2015. It has since grown to become the employee recognition platform of choice for numerous international customers across numerous industries, including Chick-fil-A, Nexon, Versiti, and Majesco.
Bucketlist Key Employee Recognition Features:
- Easy-to-use interface - Bucketlist is recognized for its clean, intuitive, mobile-friendly user interface that anyone can navigate regardless of their technical expertise or device type.
- Goal-oriented reward system - Employees who complete tasks that meet the organization’s values or objectives can earn extra points. This functionality synchronizes employee engagement with the company’s values and overall organizational success.
- Customizable recognition awards - Bucketlist allows organizations to design and tailor their awards, emphasizing tasks or behaviors they most value. For instance, one company might establish a Safety Award, while another could introduce an Innovation of the Month award.
Pros
- Easy to use and intuitive interface. Many reviews mentioned how simple and straightforward Bucketlist is to navigate.
- Quick reward redemption process. Users like that gift cards and other rewards can be redeemed instantly.
- Peer recognition. Bucketlist makes it easy to recognize coworkers and give "shout outs" for jobs well done.
- Fun experience. Users enjoy the ability to use GIFs and emojis to liven up recognitions. Overall, Bucketlist makes recognition fun.
- Customizable. Reviews highlighted the ability to customize Bucketlist to match company branding and values.
Cons
- Limit on number of points to give out. Some users felt restricted by caps on how many points they could distribute to peers each month.
- Lack of notification for comments/likes. Users wanted to be notified when someone interacts with their recognitions.
- Sparse experience options. The "experiences" available to redeem points for were limited in some users' locations. More variety was desired.
- No tracking of points. Users wanted an easier way to see how many points they've earned and spent over time.
- Small amounts of points. A few reviews mentioned the points seeming like small amounts, likely due to company policies rather than the software itself.
6
Bonusly
Pricing
$3.00 per user/month
- Free trial available
- Seat Minimum: 1 User
Bonusly is an employee recognition and rewards platform tailored for organizations. It boasts a user-friendly interface reminiscent of social media and is designed for effortless integration and use within any organization.
Bonusly places a strong emphasis on peer-to-peer recognition, helping companies and organizations of various sizes to promote a culture of teamwork. According to Bonusly’s own statistics, 70% of companies that use the platform to recognize and reward team members saw an increase in employee engagement.
Bonusly Key Employee Recognition Features:
- Large selection of rewards - Employees with accumulated points on Bonusly have the flexibility to redeem them for rewards. This includes gift cards, cash transfers, donations to charity, or even branded merchandise specific to your organization.
- Automated milestone system - Bonusly automatically distributes rewards for occasions like birthdays, work anniversaries, or the completion of successful projects. The system is designed to grow with your company, ensuring all employees continue receiving rewards even as the workforce expands.
- Extensive integrations - Bonusly can seamlessly integrate with various popular business applications, including HRIS platforms, team collaboration tools, and intranet systems. Examples of compatible software are Office365, Workday, Slack, and Microsoft Teams.
Pros
- Easy-to-use interface and seamless integrations (e.g. with Slack) make it simple for employees to recognize each other.
- Hundreds of international reward options make it useful for international teams.
- Wide variety of gift cards and reward options to redeem points.
- Analytics provide insights into employee engagement levels.
- Ability to customize rewards and tie them to company values.
Cons
- Can be costly, especially for larger organizations.
- Some users have reported that Bonusly can be slow to load
- Users express dissatisfaction with the inability to keep transactions private between themselves and the recipient.
- Some users feel constrained by the number of points they can award to colleagues
- Reliant on user adoption - engagement declines if employees don't actively participate.
7
Nectar
Pricing
$2.75 per user/month
- Seat Minimum: 50 Users
Nectar is a corporate employee recognition solution focused on cultivating a positive work environment. This system, geared towards rewards and recognition, aims to boost employee engagement, morale, and overall well-being.
Central to Nectar’s employee recognition strategy is the concept of loyalty. The platform’s rewards, recognition, and incentives are crafted to foster employee loyalty, contributing to a workplace culture that excels in retaining employees and enhancing their satisfaction.
Nectar Key Employee Recognition Features:
- Configurable challenges - Besides a simple point-based recognition and reward system, Nectar supports positive challenges. A challenge is a configurable task that rewards an employee when completed. Tasks can be designed to reward work objectives, promote healthy habits (e.g., walk 50,000 steps), or complete training courses.
- Amazon-based rewards - Nectar features a built-in Amazon integration, letting team members claim Amazon purchases as rewards. This integration helps employees choose from an extensive product catalog, ensuring they find a useful or meaningful reward.
- Social media-style recognition - Nectar lets employees recognize each other in any direction through a social media-style interface. All that is needed is to mention a coworker, type a message, add points, and include a hashtag representing a specific company value.
Pros
- Makes it easy to recognize and reward employees (praise, points, gifts)
- Boosts employee morale and positivity in the workplace
- Allows recognition across departments and remote teams
- Simple and intuitive interface, easy to use
- Provides analytics and insights into employee recognition
Cons
- Limited options for rewards in some regions/countries
- Can feel like a popularity contest with the leaderboards
- Monthly points expire if not used quickly enough
- Not integrated with common workplace tools like Slack or Teams
- Mobile app is not as robust as desktop site
8
Guusto
Pricing
$40.00 per user/month
- Free version
- Seat Minimum: 1 User
Guusto is an employee recognition platform that was first launched in 2013. Initially, Guusto was a mobile app that let employees gift each other drinks and meals in real-time.
Since its inception, Guusto has evolved into a comprehensive employee rewards and recognition system. While maintaining its original mobile-first approach and the straightforward, real-time gifting concept, the platform has broadened its functionalities and the range of rewards it supports.
Guusto Key Employee Recognition Features:
Adaptable to all organizations - Guusto’s reward and recognition system is designed to be simple and easy to integrate, regardless of your company’s sector or industry. The system is also highly adaptable, whether it is primarily office-based or has a large number of frontline workers.
Helps prevent gift expiration - Guusto lets employees add Guusto Cards, which are money-based rewards and recognition benefits, to their accounts. Guusto money added to an account does not expire and can be used to purchase gift cards from various vendors, reducing the risk of issuing expirable gift cards.
Integrates with top HR software - Guusto can integrate with various business HR programs, including ADP, BambooHR, Ceridian, Factorial, IntelliHR, and Workday.
Pros
- Wide variety of gift card options to choose from
- Easy and simple to use
- Good customer service
- Ability to split gift card amounts between multiple merchants
- Option for recipients to select gift card of their choice
Cons
- Some issues with less tech-savvy users having trouble redeeming
- Can be confusing to navigate initially
- Reporting capabilities could be improved
- Limited customization options
- Fees associated with credit card payments
Pricing
$7.36 per user/month
- Free trial available
- No Seat Minimum
Reward Gateway integrates a rewards platform with surveys and feedback tools to increase employee engagement and retention. The aim is to make employees feel more appreciated within their organization.
Managers can use Reward Gateway’s features to build a personalized employee experience, from collecting employee feedback with surveys to offering unique rewards.
Reward Gateway Key Employee Recognition Features:
- Unique rewards system - Reward Gateway lets companies choose from a range of unique reward options, from standard gift cards to discounts, cash-back plans, and financial support programs.
- Instant award delivery - Embracing a mobile-first approach, Reward Gateway enables companies to provide instant and accessible awards and recognition. Awards are sent directly to the mobile devices of the rewarded employees, facilitating immediate acknowledgment of their achievements.
- Engagement analytics on demand - Reward Gateway allows managers and HR personnel to observe the real-time impact of employee rewards on performance. The platform includes various charts and dashboards that track team engagement rates and provide actionable insights for further improvement.
Pros
- Easy to use and user friendly interface
- Good variety of discounts, offers, and cashback opportunities
- Ability to customize the platform to match company branding
- Provides a good tool for employee recognition and engagement
- Strong customer service and quick response times
Cons
- Mobile app lacking full functionality compared to desktop site
- Reporting capabilities could be improved
- Administrator side is overly complex and not intuitive
- Lack of ability to update employee profile information directly
- Communication and follow up from customer service can be inconsistent
10
Scoot
Pricing
Contact sales for pricing
Scoot's Preciate Recognition program is a mobile-first employee recognition platform with social functionalities tailored especially for frontline workers. Its mobile-centric design enables company members and managers to connect and acknowledge accomplishments directly from their mobile devices. This application is accessible on both iOS and Android platforms. Organizations can use it as a standalone app, integrate it with Microsoft Teams and Slack, or use the version built into the Scoot virtual meeting platform.
Scoot Key Employee Recognition Features:
- 100% free software - Scoot is one of the few employee recognition and rewards solutions that is completely free, without any paid or subscription-based options. This feature makes it an ideal choice for organizations of every size and type, particularly those operating on tighter budgets.
- Multifaceted recognition system - Scoot allows team members to recognize each other with badges, appreciation stickers, and awards in line with your organization’s core values.
- Built-in analytics board - The analytics dashboard of Scoot provides reports, graphs, and charts, offering organizations insights into how employee recognition contributes to enhancing work performance and boosting employee engagement.
Pros
- Easy to use and set up. Makes it convenient to recognize colleagues.
- Allows you to easily recognize remote/distant employees. Helps teams feel more connected.
- Integrates with other platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, etc. Makes giving recognition quick without logging into another app.
- Provides a way to regularly recognize employees between formal reviews/evaluations. Ongoing positive feedback.
- Fun badges, stickers, gifs make giving recognition more personalized. Adds a "fun" element.
Cons
- Not all employees have an account or use it regularly. Limits ability to recognize all employees.
- Lack of incentives like rewards or gift cards reduces motivation to use it.
- No way to include multiple people or groups in an appreciation. Limits recognition capabilities.
- Difficulty going back to recognize someone who appreciated you. Miss opportunities to reciprocate.
- Odd Microsoft Teams integration. Harder to use and not seamless. Could improve user experience.
Conclusion
Although each business is unique, the success of all organizations hinges on having engaged and motivated employees for optimal productivity. Using the capabilities of an employee rewards and recognition platform is an effective strategy to maintain high engagement levels and ensure that your team remains happy at work.
Choosing the right platform for your company’s needs can bolster your organizational objectives, boost team morale, and even help increase employee loyalty, decreasing turnover rates. The ideal platform can do more than just keep your team engaged and productive; it can also ensure they are in harmony with your company’s values.
