York firms urged to think local with festive rewards

York-based organisations are being encouraged to think local with their Christmas rewards and incentives as new employee research is unveiled showing strong local support.

Showing support for local businesses could be a secret weapon to boosting workplace motivation, according to new research backed by the York Gift Card.

The research found that 94% of employees believe it is important that the organisation they work for supports local businesses. 97% said they would feel more engaged/motivated if their company showed they care about local and their community.

Driven by York BID, the York Gift Card is part of the Town & City Gift Card initiative delivered by Miconex. Fintech Miconex undertook the research with over 4000 employees, organisations and consumers in August 2024. 

The York Gift Card can be spent with over 330 city businesses, giving employees choice, which was key for respondents in the survey. 89% of employees surveyed said having choice in their rewards and incentives was important to them.

When it comes to the reward staff would like to receive, gift cards maintained their popularity with employees, with 83% preferring to receive a £50 gift card (tax free) than £50 cash through payroll (taxed). 97% would like to receive a gift card from work that can be spent with local independent and national businesses. 

The research also suggested other opportunities to boost staff motivation, such as seasonally based rewards and unexpected rewards. According to the research, winter is the worst time of year for staff motivation, with just 14% of people saying winter is when they feel most motivated, followed by summer (17%), autumn (25%) and spring (43%).

Asked whether an anticipated or unexpected reward was more motivating, 56% of respondents in the survey said an unexpected reward from their workplace would motivate them more. In addition, 50% of respondents said they don’t feel valued by their employer and 69% think their employer could improve their reward and incentive offering.

New technology introduced by the York Gift Card in October 2024 allows organisations to send digital Town & City Gift Cards online to multiple recipients at once, either immediately or on a future date.

Operations manager of York BID Carl Alsop said: “Support for local is at an all-time high with employees. They want to support local and if their company shows their support for local too, it makes them feel more positively about their firm, boosting motivation. Choosing the York Gift Card for staff rewards this Christmas is an easy way for firms to make a tangible investment in their staff, and in their local community too, as all cards have to be spent right here in York. What’s more, as they offer unbeatable local choice, it aligns to what employees want from their workplace rewards.”

Colin Munro, managing director of Miconex said: “Boosting employee motivation is an ever present aim for organisations, so much so that 60% of organisations in our research said they expect this to be their main objective in 2025. The research presents a number of opportunities for York based organisations to boost staff motivation by looking at their rewards and incentives differently, from the time of year they are offered to rewards that help employees to feel appreciated and valued, and rewards that demonstrate the organisation’s commitment to supporting local. Organisations could also use the Trivial Tax Benefit to offer unexpected, and potentially more motivating, rewards.”

https://corporate.townandcitygiftcards.com/