Updated August 7, 2025.
📌 TL;DR: How to offer a compelling rewards catalog for employees
• Top 3 reward picks: Gift cards, virtual prepaid cards, and donation options
• Employee choice matters: Letting staff choose from diverse catalogs boost morale and retention
• Gift card platform must-haves: Customization, integrations, and user-friendly design
Not sure if you need an employee rewards catalog? 🤔 Hint: if you're asking this question, you probably do!
Smart companies know that purposeful employee recognition is non-negotiable, which is why 90% of top-performing companies reward their sales teams with incentive programs.
With the right strategy and right rewards catalog, companies of all sizes can motivate their staff, cut retention rates, and boost their productivity.
In this article, we’ll explore employee rewards, what to include in an employee rewards catalog, and how to create and manage an effective rewards program.
Employee rewards are tangible or intangible perks that companies offer to their employees to recognize their hard work and achievements. The right rewards can improve job satisfaction, boost morale, and incentivize high performance.
Examples of employee rewards include monetary bonuses, extra vacation days, public recognition, and personal development opportunities.
Monetary rewards for employees are increasingly offered in the form of digital rewards—i.e., virtual prepaid cards from Visa® and Mastercard® and/or digital gift cards to popular brands and restaurants.
These types of rewards are great for employees, because they’re flexible and can be redeemed immediately.
And they’re great for businesses, because they’re cost-effective, easy to distribute, and can be personalized to suit different and diverse preferences. The ability to send gift cards in bulk also makes life a lot easier for HR teams.
Like Giftbit CCO Nat Salvione always says, “gift cards get results.”
So, yes. The old days of browsing through catalogs of branded socks and tote bags and watches that no one really wants are out. These dated types of rewards aren’t compatible with modern (and increasingly hybrid) workplaces.
In their place are digital employee rewards catalogs