While some may prefer to leave Christmas until the last minute, now is a great time to start planning your Christmas rewards.

A successful end to the year with satisfying Christmas rewards and year-end gifts is not only valuable in itself. It also provides incentives, helping to boost morale, loyalty and staff retention (as January is a time when many look for new jobs).

In the current economic climate, businesses that may be tempted to spend less on Christmas incentives are in danger of demotivating staff. Rather than cutting back, businesses that want to motivate staff for the new year will be investing even more in sales incentives to build morale as well as give employees the chance to end the old year successfully.

Year-end rewards considerations

In managing a Christmas awards programme aimed at employees, companies need to consider:
•    What do they want to achieve through the award programme? For instance, boost sales of particular products or services? Inspire particular groups such as poor or average performers?
•    What is the budget?
•    How do they ensure the desired impact of the rewards programme? The impact must be made by the reward incentive and the communications.
•    Should the award type be vouchers, prepaid cards, gift cards or another form of reward?

A vast choice of year-end gifts, rewards and incentives

When deciding what Christmas rewards to offer, companies are faced with a staggering choice and so it is vital to conduct research among employees to establish what incentives will work. Giving them choice is vital.

Gert Tuppinger, CEO of Accor Services, says: “It is usually impossible to select a single reward that will appeal to every employee, as tastes and interests will vary.

For this reason gift cards are often highly effective as they overcome these issues and offer flexibility and freedom. With their gift cards recipients can select gifts that they desire and aspire to own, and they will appreciate this opportunity to choose.”

Compliments gift cards

Accor Services offers a vast choice of gift cards to suit every taste this Christmas. As well as within a network of over 3 000 top brand retailers countrywide, the Compliments gift card can be redeemed at more than 120 000 outlets where MasterCard is accepted, giving individuals unrivalled choice.

Accor Services has many years of experience in advising on and creating reward programmes. So please tell us what your objectives are and we will happily present you with ideas on how to achieve them.

Next steps
Request more information on the choice of year-end rewards and gift cards available from Accor Services.

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