Year-round rewarding is the key to a more engaged and healthier workplace community
In many organizations, employee rewarding is still focused on individual moments, typically at the end of the year. While these moments are important, the greatest impact is created in everyday work through how employees are recognized throughout the year. Year-round rewarding is not a standalone HR initiative, but a way to build culture. When recognition is continuous and a natural part of everyday work, it strengthens the sense that one’s efforts are seen and truly matter.
Why does continuous rewarding work better?
Research has repeatedly shown that feeling recognized has a direct impact on employee engagement. Gallup has highlighted that employees who feel appreciated at work are significantly more engaged and experience their work as more meaningful. In Finland, the same phenomenon is visible in everyday working life. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health emphasizes that the experience of appreciation and employee well-being go hand in hand. When employees feel recognized, it shows in their resilience, motivation levels, and willingness to stay with the organization.
Ultimately, it is not about grand gestures, but about repeated, genuine interactions. Even small moments saying thank you, recognizing contributions, or celebrating achievements together build a whole that has a long-lasting impact.
What does year-round rewarding look like in practice?
Year-round rewarding works best when it is embedded into everyday work. At Edenred, this means that recognition is built into our shared practices. Monthly shared moments play a key role. In our monthly company-wide meeting, we recognize employees with the Extra Mile Awards, which are based on our values and Dream Team culture. The awards are given to different employees in turn who have gone “a little further” in their day-to-day work—for example, by helping across team boundaries or contributing to shared success.
Recognition, however, is not limited to these moments. Birthdays are celebrated with a shared lunch, new employees are welcomed in a way that makes them feel part of the team from day one, and career milestones are acknowledged as part of our shared journey. Even when someone moves on, we take a moment to say thank you—this, too, says a lot about culture. When rewarding takes this form, it doesn’t feel like a separate campaign. It is simply the way we work.
Rewarding also builds well-being
When recognition is regular, its impact is greater than that of a single moment. It creates an atmosphere where people feel they belong and feel safe to succeed—and also to fail. At the same time, it strengthens mutual appreciation and makes everyday work smoother. In such a culture, feedback is not only given in performance reviews, but as part of daily interactions. This makes work feel lighter and often more productive as well.
The right tools support everyday life
When the right tools are in place, continuous rewarding does not add to administrative workload. Delicard gift cards offer flexibility in situations where you want to recognize someone quickly and personally whether it’s thanking someone for a job well done, celebrating a milestone, or offering spontaneous recognition. It’s also worth familiarizing yourself with gift taxation: when the value of a gift is under €100, it is tax-free.
At the same time, Edenred’s employee benefits support everyday well-being. Lunch benefit, sports and culture benefits, and other solutions are not just perks, they are a tangible part of employees’ well-being and energy in daily life.
Year-round rewarding is ultimately simple. People want to feel seen and appreciated not once a year, but as part of everyday work.
When this is done consistently, the impact becomes visible quickly. Engagement strengthens, the work community becomes closer, and the sense of purpose at work grows. At the same time, something is created that is difficult to copy: a culture where people enjoy working and want to give their best.
Rewarding is not tied to the calendar. Before the summer holidays, for example, is a natural moment to pause and say thank you. Summer gifts have gradually grown in popularity alongside traditional end-of-year gifts. Explore different gift card options and place an order easily online, or contact our sales team to request an offer.
