The current COVID-19 stay-at-home climate has made travel impossible or inadvisable – and many of the experiential events have been canceled or postponed. The Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) reported trends for 2020, some of which have been severely affected by COVID-19. These are three of the trends in incentives,rewards and recognition that will affect companies in 2020:

• Support for employee incentives from leadership is growing. It is critical fortop leadership to show support for any type of initiative for employees to take it seriously. Company leaders are finding that when they build a culture of recognition, they improve performance.
• Personalization is key. One size does not fit all. What motivates one employee may be meaningless to the next. Merchandise and travel far outweigh cash in successful employee programs. It’s important that yourreward options are appropriate to your audience and will appeal to your recipients.
• Employees are seeking unique experiences. In a great economy, employees at a certain level can pretty much buy anything they want. Companies that can provide unique experiences will see their workforce improve productivity in orderto earn unique travel opportunities and experiences. Many companies that offer merchandise rewards are finding that including travel experiences in the reward mix can be very powerful.

How do you offer unique travel experiences when travel has been halted?

JustRewards™ travel certificates are the answerto this specific dilemma. These certificates allow yourrecipient to choose from a variety of experiences or destinations in the price range that you designate. The recipient chooses where to travel and when – with up to 3 years to redeem the certificate.

The Coronavirus crisis has brought a number of factors to light, not the least of which is having all of a company’s top performers in the same place at the same time. JustRewards™ certificates allow the reward recipient the flexibility to manage their own schedule and choose an event or experience that interests them personally, and reduce stress on company resources at the same time. Employee incentives are important in any business climate, but more than everin the high-stress environment we’re currently experiencing.

Rewarding your top performers with a unique experience will keep them motivated and productive in trying times. Call Marc Matthews (202) 345-2474 or email Marc at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information on how you can continue to motivate your employees during the Coronavirus crisis.