Employee rewards are key to motivating your team, but managing an effective reward system isn’t always easy. To help you out, we look at the 6 best digital systems to impress and engage your workforce.
Employee rewards boost engagement and productivity while building employee loyalty. But managing an effective and fair reward system isn’t always easy, especially for busy managers and human resources (HR) teams already under pressure to perform.
That’s where digital reward systems come in. They save you time by automating employee recognition and rewards and make it easy to track and deliver them. Additionally, they help you align your reward program to your company culture and business goals and let you tailor rewards to your employees’ individual preferences.
Digital systems also measure the effectiveness of your rewards program and help you track it to ensure it’s fair for all your employees. Best of all, this is all done in a convenient, central location on your mobile device or desktop.
There’s a range of digital systems on the market. To help you find the right one for your business, we’ve compiled a list of the 6 best options.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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Best all-in-one employee reward system
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Good for customized rewards and recognition
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Good for global reward programs
Why trust us?
Our team of unbiased software reviewers follows strict editorial guidelines, and our methodology is clear and open to everyone.
See our complete methodology
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Tools reviewed
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Best tools
chosen
What to Look For in a Employee Reward System
When researching a reward system for employees and motivation, keep these features in mind.
- Gift cards are a flexible way to reward employees. Many systems offer gift cards for major retailers, local businesses, charities, and experiences. Some use a points-based structure, where employees can redeem points for a gift card of their choice.
- Peer-to-peer recognition so employees can celebrate each other. Look for platforms that offer colleague recognition rewards in addition to top-down rewards and recognition.
- Private and public recognition. Some employees respond better to a private “job well done” than a public one. The best systems, like Connecteam, let you do both.
- Customizable rewards options allow you to tailor rewards to suit your employees and support your company culture. Connecteam, for example, lets you create custom badges to celebrate any occasion.
- Automated milestone recognition. Automating employee rewards for events like work anniversaries and birthdays saves you time and means you never miss an important occasion.
- Reports make it easy to see how rewards are being distributed. They also help you measure their effectiveness and stay on budget with your recognition program.
- Notifications let employees know when they receive a reward (cue dopamine release!).
- A mobile app, like Connecteam’s, lets both managers and employees access your business’s reward system from anywhere. This helps you deliver rewards in real time.
The 6 Best Employee Reward Systems of 2024
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Connecteam — Best all-in-one employee reward system
Connecteam is the best employee reward system available today. Our user-friendly rewards feature helps a culture of recognition thrive in your company. And with its simple design, the app enables you to recognize and reward your employees quickly, easily, and in real time.
Whether you want to congratulate a group of employees for finishing a project ahead of schedule or recognize individual team members for their excellent customer service, Connecteam has you covered.
There’s a lot you can do with Connecteam’s employee rewards—examples include:
- Run an employee-of-the-month program
- Celebrate a work anniversary
- Mark the end of a project
- Congratulate someone on a promotion
- Share positive customer feedback
- Acknowledge employees who go above and beyond
- Encourage collaboration and teamwork
With a range of customizable features, Connecteam is the best rewards system to support company culture and boost employee engagement. Let’s take a closer look at what Connecteam can offer your business.
Reward employee excellence with gift cards
Use Connecteam’s token system to send tokens for a job well done to your employees, who can then redeem reward tokens for a gift card of their choice.
Connecteam gives you access to an extensive gift card library to reward your employees. It includes gift cards to major retailers, including Nike, Walmart, Google Play, Amazon Play, Uber, Macy’s, Apple, and Target.
This approach is a great way to motivate employees and celebrate their achievements in a personal and memorable way.
Recognize employee contributions
In addition to rewards, Connecteam also includes several employee recognition features. You can use these to celebrate individual, team, or company-wide achievements within the app. They’re also a handy way to run your employee-of-the-month program.
Connecteam offers ready-to-use recognition badges and lets you create your own badges to align with your company branding and messaging. Plus, you can add personalized messages when sending employees a recognition badge.
You can adapt recognitions to suit your employees’ preferred recognition style and share them company-wide or directly with the employee. When recognitions are shared publicly, other employees can react and comment on the recognition their colleagues receive. This is ideal for creating a sense of community and collaboration within your workforce.
Colleague recognition rewards
As well as top-down rewards and recognition from managers to employees, Connecteam supports peer-to-peer recognition. Authorized employees can send a personal “job well done” to their colleagues right from within the Connecteam app.
Never miss a date with automated recognitions
Connecteam also lets you set up automated recognitions. Whether it’s a work anniversary or birthday, you’ll never miss an opportunity to celebrate your employees.
Celebrate your employees from anywhere
With Connecteam’s mobile app, you and your employees have a reward system at your fingertips, wherever you are. You can send rewards and recognition in real time, and your employees can redeem tokens for gift cards straight from their mobile devices.
This takes the headache out of delivering rewards to your employees and makes it super easy for your team to access them anytime and anywhere.
Reports help you design an effective rewards system
Connecteam also has powerful reporting features that give you useful insights into the effectiveness of your rewards program. You can use Connecteam to track how your tokens and gift cards are being used, including who sent and received them.
This information helps you ensure rewards are being distributed fairly and according to your business’s rewards policy. It also lets you identify popular rewards across your team. You can use this information to shape your reward program to ensure you and your employees are getting the most out of it.
And so much more
We’ve saved the best news for last. Connecteam is more than just a rewards app—it’s an all-in-one work management solution.
In addition to a reward system, Connecteam also includes a range of other useful features like automatic employee time tracking, drag-and-drop and automated scheduling, employee training tools, a secure in-app chat, and much more.
Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Try Connecteam here!
Key Features
Token-based rewards system
Gift card rewards from various major vendors
Custom badges to recognize great work
Automated recognitions
Reports that show your most effective rewards
Full-feature mobile app
Pros
Flexible rewards to suit employee preferences and your budget
Reward employees in real time
Fully integrated with other Connecteam features
Free version
Cons
Needs internet or wifi access to work
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
Nectar — Good for customized rewards and recognition
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Nectar is an employee recognition and reward platform with a points-based system, where employees earn points that can be redeemed for rewards. Employee rewards examples include gift cards, charity donations, and company swag.
A partner of Amazon Business, Nectar provides access to the Amazon catalog for rewards. Managers can also create customized challenges, add customized rewards, automate celebrations, and use employee recognition features.
Nectar is available on both mobile devices and desktops.
Learn more about NectarKey Features
- Customized rewards
- Peer-to-peer recognition
- Employee discounts
- Company branding
Pros
- Use reward points to make Amazon purchases
- Mobile-friendly
Cons
- Only for rewards and recognition
- Per-user pricing can add up for larger teams
Pricing
Starts at $2.50/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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Awardco — Good for global reward programs
Available on
- Web
Awardco’s reward platform enables employee recognition, rewards, awards, and incentives. It’s available in 141 countries, so multinational employers with global reward programs may find it useful.
The platform uses a point reward system for employees. Employees earn Awardco points that can then be used on Amazon. Depending on their number of points, employees can redeem them for gift cards, event tickets, hotel bookings, charity donations, and company swag.
Awardco doesn’t put a markup on rewards. The platform also partners with Deloitte for compliance purposes.
Learn more about AwardcoKey Features
- Points-based reward and recognition system
- Incentives program manager
- Gift cards
- Integrations, including with Slack and Microsoft Teams
Pros
- No markups on rewards
- Supports over 100 currencies
Cons
- Pricing not publicly available
- No mobile app
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Bonusly — Good for peer-to-peer recognition
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Bonusly uses a point reward system for employees. Points can be converted to gift cards from retailers, charitable donations, or cash. The platform also allows for custom rewards and peer-to-peer recognition and rewards.
Additionally, Bonusly has a reporting feature and integrates with a range of employee communication apps.
Learn more about BonuslyKey Features
- Peer-to-peer recognition
- Custom rewards
- Automated birthday and work anniversary celebrations
- Analytics and reporting
Pros
- Mobile app
- Can define and publish company values on the app
Cons
- Per-user pricing can add up
- Standalone rewards and recognition system
Pricing
Starts at $2.70/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Caroo — Good for one-off rewards
Available on
- Web
Caroo is a corporate gift app businesses can use to buy items for their rewards and recognition programs. The platform offers a range of gifts and gift cards starting from $5.
The app offers gift cards from various retailers and allows employees to choose their own. Charity gift cards are also available for employees to donate to causes they support. Other reward examples include gifts like candles, curated food and drink hampers, and reusable drink bottles.
Caroo provides the option to automate gifts for employee birthdays, work anniversaries, and onboarding. It also has a membership program that offers access to discounts on products.
Learn more about CarooKey Features
- Collaborative eCards
- Customizable gifts
- Charity gift cards
- Office snack packs
Pros
- Worldwide shipping
- Range of gifts
Cons
- Best suited to one-off employee gifts
- No reporting or analytics features
Pricing
Gift cards start at $5 Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Blueboard — Good for experiential rewards
Available on
- Web
Blueboard is an employee reward and recognition platform that focuses on experience-based rewards. It offers a range of employee rewards—examples include an in-home sommelier experience, life coaching sessions, and surfing classes.
Blueboard can also be used for spot rewards, sales incentives, work anniversaries, and onboarding gifts. Recurring rewards can be automated.
Additionally, Blueboard has a reporting feature and offers automated employee feedback surveys.
Learn more about BlueboardKey Features
- Curated menu of experiences
- Automated employee feedback surveys
- Reporting feature
- Budget calculators
Pros
- Can be used by global organizations
- Integrates with Slack and Microsoft Teams
Cons
- Only offers experiential rewards
- Pricing not publicly available
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
Compare the Best Employee Reward Systems
| Topic |
Start for free
|
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews |
  |
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
|
Starts at $2.50/user/month
|
Contact vendor for price
|
Starts at $2.70/user/month
|
Gift cards start at $5
|
Contact vendor for price
|
| Free Trial |
yes
14-day
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
|
no
|
| Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
|
yes
|
no
|
no
|
no
|
no
|
| Use cases |
Best all-in-one employee reward system
|
Good for customized rewards and recognition
|
Good for global reward programs
|
Good for peer-to-peer recognition
|
Good for one-off rewards
|
Good for experiential rewards
|
| Available on |
Web, iOS, Android, Windows, Mac
|
Web
|
Web, iOS, Android, Windows, Mac
|
Web
|
Web
|
What Is an Employee Reward System?
A digital reward system is software that helps you manage your employee rewards and recognition program. It provides a central platform to deliver and track rewards and recognition in your business.
Rather than traditional systems, such as certificates, digital systems can be accessed and managed online. They typically offer gift cards, physical gifts, charitable donations, and experiences. You can also use a reward system to acknowledge employee work anniversaries, celebrate milestones, and recognize high achievers.
These systems help you showcase excellence in your business and encourage other employees to do the same. They are useful tools for increasing employee engagement, job satisfaction, and loyalty.
How Does an Employee Reward System Work?
A digital system is an online platform that manages and tracks employee rewards and recognitions. It allows you to deliver both monetary and non-monetary rewards and recognition to your employees from a central location, either on your desktop or mobile device.
These systems offer different rewards for employers and employees to choose from, including gift cards and physical gifts. Some operate a points-based system, where employees earn reward points they can later redeem within the platform for gift cards, gifts, or experiences.
Most include employee recognition features, like shout-outs, badges, and employee-of-the-month awards as well. Systems should also support both top-down and peer-to-peer recognition.
A reward system for employees and motivation may also include reporting and analytics features. These help you track your reward budget and measure its effect. You can see what the most popular rewards are within your business and fine-tune your program further.
The Benefits of an Employee Reward System
Rewards and recognitions are a great way to let your employees know you value and appreciate them. This boosts their morale and engagement, increasing productivity.
Rewarding your employees also increases their loyalty to your company, and recognizing employee contributions leads to higher employee satisfaction. When employees feel a sense of pride and fulfillment in their work, they’re likely to stay longer with an employer. This increases employee retention in your business and reduces the need for costly recruiting, hiring, and training processes.
Rewards are also an effective way to reduce absenteeism, as satisfied employees are less likely to miss shifts. This reduces the risk of projects going over budget or being delivered late, since employees are more likely to be present and productive. In the end, you save money and strengthen your reputation.
Not only do they simplify rewards management, but these systems also enhance transparency within your business. Employees can track the rewards they receive and see what other team members have been rewarded for.
Public rewards and recognition also incentivize other employees to perform well and be more productive.
Finally, with a range of rewards and customizations available, a digital system helps contribute to company culture and support your business’s core values.
How Much Does an Employee Reward System Cost?
Most employee reward platforms operate on a monthly subscription basis. Several, including Nectar and Bonusly, start around $2.70 per user, per month. While this is affordable, per-user pricing models can quickly add up.
It’s rare to find a system that offers a completely free version. That’s why Connecteam stands out from the crowd.
Connecteam’s Small Business Plan is completely free for up to 10 users. It gives you access to all of Connecteam’s most popular features, including its customizable rewards and recognition platform.
Paid plans start at $29 per month for up to 30 users, which is excellent value for money. Connecteam’s paid plans also include access to other powerful features like an in-app chat, employee directory, and GPS-enabled time clock.
When comparing the price of systems, remember to factor in the cost of the rewards themselves in addition to any subscription fees.
FAQs
What are the 4 types of employee reward and recognition systems?
Reward and recognition systems can involve monetary rewards, non-monetary rewards, employee assistance, or employee recognition. The most effective strategies use a combination of these rewards. Above all, provide the type of employee rewards that align with your team’s preferences and your business’s needs.
What is a good reward system for employees?
A good system, like Connecteam, gives your employees meaningful rewards that motivate and engage them. To do this, use a combination of reward types in your system. Reward examples include monetary rewards, such as commissions, and non-monetary ones, like professional development opportunities.
What’s the science behind employee rewards?
Rewards stimulate two parts of an employee’s brain: the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc). When you reward an employee, their VTA releases dopamine to their NAc, triggering further reward-seeking behaviors. Reward systems with real-time notifications, such as Connecteam, can increase the frequency of these dopamine releases.
The Bottom Line On Employee Reward System
A digital reward system is the best way to effectively reward your employees. These systems centralize and simplify the delivery and tracking of your rewards program, ensuring it’s fair for all employees and transparent across your whole team. With customizable rewards and recognition features, your system can be tailored to suit individual employees and your budget.
As you can see from the above employee reward system examples, Connecteam is the best on the market. Easy and convenient to use, it lets you reward employees in real time with meaningful gifts and gestures that will motivate them to do good work.
More than just an employee reward and recognition system, Connecteam is a full-featured work management solution that provides everything your business needs to run smoothly.