Zendit has published an employee recognition guide grouping 32 gift card ideas by the needs they serve, from household spending to leisure and charitable giving. The January 2025 article combines reward selection with practical steps for organizing a digital gift card program.

The guide cites Fiserv’s 2024 employee research, which found that 86% of respondents considered gift cards an appropriate incentive. Purchase flexibility and ease of use were cited by 79% and 64%, respectively. Zendit uses those findings to argue for a varied catalog rather than one reward for every employee.

Its suggested options include Visa and Mastercard prepaid rewards, broad retailers such as Amazon and Target, and grocery choices such as Walmart and Safeway. Restaurant and delivery examples include Starbucks, Chipotle, Uber Eats and DoorDash, while streaming and gaming options address different leisure interests.

For larger occasions, the guide discusses travel and wellness rewards, including accommodation, transport and spa gift cards. It also includes charitable giving options for recipients who would prefer to support a cause.

Zendit recommends that employers first define the purpose and budget of the program, then select a range of rewards suited to their workforce. Its suggested workflow uses a digital distribution platform and automated delivery to handle milestones and other recognition events.

The company presents its gift card API as a means of selecting products by country, category and brand and sending them through an existing business system. The article’s central operational recommendation is to organize choice and delivery together, so that a selected reward can reach the intended employee at the appropriate time.