Gift Store: How to Use it for Your Employee Reward App

For businesses, the Gift Store is a flexible tool to reflect company culture and values. Just as events, the Gift Store can be categorised by specific differences. Those could be patterns that you want to boost within the company: leadership, mental wellbeing, coaching, etc. And everything is customisable for your need:

• Categories: Organise rewards by themes such as wellness, professional growth, or fun perks. By the way, it is a great option to boost your company values or specific behavioural patterns with the help of gifts.

• Items: Select rewards that resonate with your team, from eco-friendly products to exclusive company-branded merchandise.

• Themes: Brand the store with your logo, colours, and messaging to make it uniquely yours.

💡Esteeme hint: to make your items more attractive, take cool photos of each of them. A great idea could be to invite your colleagues for a photoshoot and ask them to try on the branded clothes or other things. It can be both an interesting experience for colleagues and cool content to show off your items.

This approach ensures that the rewards offered align with your organisation’s priorities and values, fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation. The Gift Store is more than just a reward hub — it’s an extension of your company’s identity and a catalyst for engagement and motivation.

Gift Store: The Admin View

At Esteeme, we understand the operational challenges HR teams face when managing employee recognition programs. Processing deliveries, tracking statuses, and ensuring everything runs smoothly can be tedious and time-consuming. That’s why we’ve designed the Gift Store Admin View to function like an intuitive inventory space, minimising the effort required to manage it all. Admins have access to two specialised tabs in the Gift Store: Delivery and Items Management.

Delivery: Your Task Manager for Orders

The Delivery tab is a streamlined hub for managing all reward deliveries. Admins provide the rights to this panel only for those working on the operations. Forget hundreds of random excel files and personal messages about the delivery status. We got you covered. Here’s how it works:

• Track Orders at Every Stage:

  View and process new orders, move statuses from "New" to "In Progress" and "Delivered" with a simple click. You can dedicate specific days (e.g. each Friday), when you process the orders and update the status.

• Export Data with Ease:

  Download all order details for easy reporting or auditing. It is where you can add the tracking number and upload back to send the status for all associates.

• Automatic Status Updates:

  Associates are automatically notified of their order status, eliminating the need to manually send updates.

With this feature, you no longer need to copy-paste messages or manually manage orders — saving time and reducing operational hassle.

Items Management: The Engine Behind Our Game Economy

The Items Management tab is where the magic of Esteeme’s unique Game Economy comes to life. Just like every shop, we work with the economy: pricing, purchases, savings, etc. Our Gift Store is not an exception. Of course, we use virtual coins for the purchases, but for the companies – those are real budgets being used for actually producing the items and delivering. So we have a pretty comprehensive approach to this budget management:

• Manage Virtual Currency (Coins):

  Esteeme’s gamification is built on a solid game economy, where coins are tied to your real currency. All the calculations are done separately prior to the the Esteeme launch.

• Optimise the Budget:

  Before launching Esteeme in your organisation, we work with you to calculate the gift store’s budget using our proven formula. This ensures you won’t overspend while maintaining a balanced inventory.

• Set Gift Values:

  Control the value and quality of each gift to align with your company’s culture and goals.

• Monitor Inventory:

  Ensure the Gift Store always has enough variety to keep employees engaged and motivated.

This functionality doesn’t just optimise the gift store — it also empowers admins to use the Game Economy as a strategic tool. By aligning rewards with your company’s budget and values, you can create a recognition program that’s both cost-effective and highly engaging. The Gift Store Admin View is your partner in making recognition rewarding, efficient, and impactful—for both your employees and your HR team.

Life Hacks to Make the Most of Your Esteeme Gift Store

The Gift Store is a powerful tool to engage and motivate employees, but how do you make it shine? Here are a few practical tips and ideas to maximise its potential, complete with examples to inspire you:

1️⃣ Think Seasonally: Update the store with items that resonate with the current season. Example: Cozy scarves, mugs, and hot chocolate kits for winter, or picnic sets for summer.

2️⃣ Align with Your Industry: Curate items that match your company’s identity. Example: For gamedev teams, include PlayStation gift cards, game subscriptions, or themed merchandise.

3️⃣ Prioritise Employee Wellbeing: Incorporate rewards that promote mental and physical health. Example: Meditation app subscriptions, fitness trackers, or wellness kits.

4️⃣ Offer Unique Experiences: Go beyond physical items. Example: Add a virtual coffee session with the CEO or tickets to local cultural events.

5️⃣ Celebrate Milestones: Create categories for work anniversaries or project completions. Example: Include personalised gifts like engraved plaques or milestone certificates.

6️⃣ Encourage Learning and Development: Add professional growth options. Example: Online course vouchers, books, or industry-specific certifications.

7️⃣ Foster Team Spirit: Include team-oriented rewards. Example: Group lunches, escape room tickets, or team-building activities.

8️⃣ Promote Sustainability: Reflect your company’s values with eco-friendly options. Example: Reusable water bottles, solar chargers, or plant kits.

9️⃣ Cater to Hobbies: Recognise employees’ personal interests. Example: Include rewards for gardening, sports, or music enthusiasts, such as seed kits, yoga mats, or music lessons.

🔟 Gamify the Store: Create limited-edition items or mystery boxes to keep employees excited. Example: A “Secret Box” filled with surprise rewards for the most engaged users.

🔟 Celebrate Local Culture: Include rewards that reflect your team's regional diversity. Example: Traditional crafts or local food specialties.

If you'd like to explore more options for your Gift Store, take a look a this article of 100 Creative End-Year Rewards Ideas for even more inspiration. By curating a thoughtful and diverse Gift Store, you’ll create an environment where employees feel valued and excited about their recognition.

Why Employee Rewards Matter

Once we understood the mechanics behind the Gift Store, let's take a bird's eye view on this feature as a powerful instrument for your employee reward app. At its core, recognition is about more than just saying “thank you” — it’s about reinforcing behaviours and fostering a culture of continuous engagement. Rewards play a crucial role in this process, tapping into key behavioural patterns to motivate and inspire employees.

When employees are rewarded for their achievements, participation, or collaboration, they experience a sense of accomplishment and validation. Esteeme’s Gift Store enhances this by creating a tangible connection between efforts and rewards. By earning coins through badges, events, or feedback, employees are empowered to make autonomous decisions about what matters to them most.

This process isn’t just about material incentives—it’s about developing intrinsic motivation. Employees are naturally driven to engage more, contribute better, and align with organisational values when they see their efforts recognised and rewarded. Over time, this creates a ripple effect:

• Increased Engagement: Recognition programs that include tangible rewards see up to 56% higher employee engagement compared to those that don’t, according to a study by Gallup. Esteeme’s Gift Store encourages employees to participate actively in events, achieve milestones, and collaborate with peers, knowing their efforts translate into meaningful rewards.

• Enhanced Ownership: Autonomy is a significant driver of job satisfaction, with 79% of employees stating that the ability to make their own decisions improves their overall happiness at work (Forbes). By allowing employees to choose their own rewards, Esteeme personalises the recognition experience, making it more impactful and fulfilling.

• Reinforced Behaviours: Organisations that tie rewards to company values see a 30% improvement in cultural alignment, according to Deloitte. By curating the Gift Store to include items that reflect organisational priorities—such as eco-friendly products or wellness resources—companies can promote behaviours that support a thriving and value-driven workplace culture.

By integrating rewards into daily workflows, the Gift Store not only motivates employees but also helps businesses drive long-term engagement and satisfaction. It’s more than just a “store”; it’s a behavioural tool designed to nurture growth, appreciation, and loyalty.

Why Choose Esteeme for Your Recognition Journey?

At Esteeme, we believe that recognition is the cornerstone of a thriving workplace culture. The Gift Store is just one example of how we combine gamification, innovation, and a deep understanding of workplace dynamics to create tools that truly resonate with employees and employers alike. Here’s why Esteeme is the right partner for your recognition program:

• Tailored Solutions:

  Our platform is designed to fit your organisation’s unique needs, aligning rewards and recognition with your company values and goals.

• Efficiency at Its Core:

  From operational ease to budget optimisation, we’ve built features that minimise effort while maximising impact.

• Employee Engagement Reinvented:

  Gamified elements like coins, badges, and events turn recognition into a fun and motivating experience.

Curious to see Esteeme in action? 🚀 Request a 14-day free demo and gain access to a fully functional demo environment to explore how Esteeme works with your team. See firsthand how recognition can transform engagement and foster a culture of appreciation in your workplace. Contact us now to take the first step towards building a more connected, motivated, and inspired team. Your journey to a better workplace starts with Esteeme. Let’s make recognition a daily celebration! 💛