The Ultimate Guide to Employee Gifting Platforms for Happier and More Productive Teams

Giving gifts to employees seems simple on the surface. But building an impactful and successful gifting program requires strategy and know-how.

As a fellow HR professional, I’ll walk you through everything you need to turn gifting into a high-ROI initiative for your people and business.

By the end, you’ll be able to:

• Understand the science-backed benefits of gifting employees
• Learn best practices for implementing employee gifting
• Compare the top 7 gifting platforms to find the right fit
• Get actionable tips to launch effective gifting at your organization

Let’s get started!

Why Gifting Employees Matters More Than You Think

We all enjoy receiving gifts. Getting a surprise reward at work makes us feel valued and happy.

But there’s a science behind why employee gifting delivers real benefits for people and organizations.

Gifting Increases Oxytocin and Reduces Cortisol

Oxytocin is the hormone released when we feel cared for. Cortisol is the stress hormone.

Gifts actually cause a biological reaction – increasing oxytocin and lowering cortisol. This puts employees in a positive, relaxed state.

57% Higher Job Satisfaction

In a survey by BambooHR, employees who received gifts and rewards had 57% higher job satisfaction than those who didn’t.

This shows that gifting has a measurable impact on how content and engaged people feel at work.

29% Less Likely to Look for Another Job

The same study found employees receiving gifts and rewards were 29% less likely to search for a new job.

Gifting boosts loyalty and emotional commitment to the company, reducing turnover risk.

14% Higher Productivity

McKinsey research indicates organizations with recognition programs have 14% higher productivity than those without.

Gifts that celebrate achievements motivate people to continue high performance.

Up to 41% Lower Absenteeism

SHRM data shows employee recognition drives up to 41% lower absenteeism rates.

When people feel genuinely appreciated, they’re more devoted to showing up.

28% More Accountability

A LinkedIn survey revealed that employees who feel recognized are 28% more accountable in their roles.

Gifting for milestones fosters an ownership mentality and drive.

As you can see, gifting influences much more than just happiness levels. It delivers real ROI in productivity, engagement, retention and culture.

Now let’s look at how to build a gifting program that realizes these benefits.

How to Create an Impactful Employee Gifting Strategy

Gifting should align closely with your company values and culture. Here are best practices to develop an authentic and effective program:

Set Goals and KPIs

Like any people initiative, gifting should tie to specific objectives you want to achieve. Some examples:

• Improve engagement scores by 15%
• Reduce voluntary turnover by 20%
• Boost employee NPS by 5 points

Tracking metrics before and after implementation allows you to continually refine the program.

Budget Appropriately

Determine what you can reasonably invest annually, and a nominal value per gift. Avoid excessive or extravagant gifts.

Typical gift values range from $10 for small treats to $100 for special occasions or tenures.

Gift Frequently

One-off holiday gifts have far less impact than regular gifting. Consider monthly peer recognition, quarterly team celebrations, and annual tenure milestones.

Alternate Gift Types

Rotate through gift cards, food/treats, charitable donations, experiences, merchandise and more. Variety and surprise create excitement.

Make It Inclusive

Ensure no employees feel left out. Make joining gift recognitions optional. Collect feedback to guide options.

Avoid Favoritism

While high performers deserve praise, be careful of bias. Recognize new hires, diverse staff, and unsung heroes too.

Align Gifts to Company Values

Reflect your culture in the gifting approach. Empower managers with gifting guidelines.

Personalize for Recipients

Handwritten notes, name badges on gifts, experiences related to hobbies, and consumer choice allow personalization at scale.

Automate Gifting Workflows

Tools that integrate with HCM systems enable easy bulk sending, tracking and reminders. This saves administrative hassle.

Now that we’ve covered strategy, let’s explore the top gifting platforms to make your program a breeze.

Reviews of the 7 Best Employee Gifting Platforms

Here are the leading gifting platforms that enable rewards at scale while delighting employees.

1. Snappy Gifts – Best Overall Gifting Platform

Snappy offers the largest gift selection and most robust platform capabilities. You can send individual or bulk packages with digital and physical gift cards, treats, merchandise and more.

Highlights

• Access to 1000+ digital and physical gift card options including retail, dining, streaming services, and experiences

• Curated gift boxes with treats, accessories, and swag

• API and integrations with recognition platforms like Kazoo and CultureAmp

• Personalized packaging and messaging

• Bulk order capabilities and fulfillment

Snappy is the easiest way to implement a high-impact gifting program with meaningful options and seamless delivery.

2. Giftbit – Best for Virtual Gifts

Giftbit provides virtual gift cards that can be spent anywhere online. You can send Visa, Mastercard or brand-specific gift cards.

Highlights

• Flexible virtual gift cards work for every employee

• Scheduled and automated gift card rewards

• Easy bulk order and email delivery

• Custom branded e-gift cards

• Detailed reporting and analytics

If you want to digitize and automate gifting, Giftbit is a top choice for easy virtual rewards.

3. Giftogram – Best for Personalized E-Cards

Giftogram takes the uncertainty out of gifting with customizable digital gift cards. Recipients receive gift amounts to spend on a big brand network.

Highlights

• Pre-designed holiday gift card templates

• Custom designs using your logo and brand palette

• Upload photos and videos to add a personal touch

• Integrates with employee recognition platforms

• Automated scheduled delivery

For a more branded and thoughtful e-card gifting approach, Giftogram is a great fit.

4. Giftly – Best Brand Gift Card Gifting

Giftly enables gifting of 200+ top brand e-gift cards tailored to the recipient‘s interests. You suggest places for them to spend the gift card.

Highlights

• Wide range of brand gift cards from restaurants, retail, travel and more

• Custom suggested gifts based on the employee‘s tastes

• Instant digital delivery to their email

• Ability to schedule future gift cards

• Seamless bulk gifting for multiple employees

If brand gift cards align well with your recipients, Giftly makes it easy to personalize and send.

5. Tango Card – Top Choice for Physical Gift Cards

Tango Card is the leader in physical gift card fulfillment. They can mail out plastic gift cards from 700+ brands tailored to your employee.

Highlights

• Broad selection of physical gift cards

• Integrates with recognition software and HR systems

• Scheduled rewards and reminders

• Company branded gift cards and packaging

• Detailed ROI reporting

For a gifting program with tangible rewards, Tango Card is a reliable choice.

6. Goody – Best Curated Gift Boxes

Goody handles all the guesswork by providing expertly picked gift boxes catered to each employee. Their team vets quality items people want.

Highlights

• Unique gifts like craft kits, snacks, skincare and more

• Recipient profiles ensure relevant gifts

• Simple bulk ordering and delivery

• Gifting for anniversaries, new hires, promotions etc

• Seamless recipient support

If you want creative gifts tailored to employees, Goody does the heavy lifting for you.

7. Swag.com – Best for Branded Merchandise

Swag.com makes it easy to design and send custom apparel, drinkware, office supplies and branded merch.

Highlights

• Curation tools to design swag box kits

• Company store for employees to redeem points

• Integrates with recognition programs

• Bulk ordering and fast delivery

• Products like t-shirts, water bottles, notebooks etc

For company swag superfans, Swag.com has you covered end-to-end.

Gifting platforms reduce the time and hassle associated with rewards delivery. The right platform depends on your budget, culture, and gifting strategy.

Now let’s move on to launching your program.

How to Get Started with Employee Gifting

Once you’ve aligned on goals, budget and platform, here are steps to roll out gifting smoothly:

Survey Employees First

Get input on the types of gifts people would truly appreciate and use – whether food, experiences, merchandise etc. This guides your program design.

Start Small

Run a pilot gifting initiative with a few teams first. See what resonates before scaling company-wide.

Equip Managers

Provide managers guidelines and examples on gifting opportunities relevant to their staff like tenure, achievements etc.

Automate Gifting Workflows

Leverage your platform’s APIs and HR system integrations to enable automated reminders, bulk ordering, and tracking.

Promote and Communicate

Let employees know about any new gifting initiatives and the purpose behind them. Share recognitions publicly to highlight peer role models.

Measure Success

Track metrics before and after launching gifting to see the tangible impact on retention, engagement, productivity etc.

Continuously Improve

Use insights to iterate on the types of gifts, cadence, and how you recognize different employee segments over time.

With the right foundations, you can build an impactful culture of appreciation through gifting.

Let’s wrap up with key takeaways.

Key Takeaways on Gifting Happy Employees

• Gifting triggers biological reactions that reduce stress and boost motivation. It delivers business impact – not just smiles.

• Align gifting to your engagement and culture strategies. Make it frequent, inclusive and personalized.

• Leading gifting platforms enable sending a wide variety of branded, digital and physical rewards while automating processes.

• Surveying staff, piloting initiatives, equipping managers, and tracking data ensures a successful launch.

• A strategic employee gifting program improves satisfaction, loyalty, productivity and retention.

The right gifts make people feel genuinely valued and committed. With some careful planning, you can spread smiles at scale and see tangible ROI.

If you have any other questions on launching gifting at your organization, I‘m always happy to help! Reach out anytime.