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---
description: IRF's new participant study finds strong gift-card appeal while highlighting reward relevance, fairness, communication and varied redemption preferences.
title: IRF: gift cards motivate 77%, but programme design matters
image: https://giftcard.news/images/social/v1/irf-finds-strong-gift-card-appeal-reward-value-fairness-shaping-participation-0c48d3919d5a26b669e8bae910fa8e72.jpg
---

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# IRF finds strong gift-card appeal, with reward value and fairness shaping participation

Gift cards were highly motivating for 77% of respondents in IRF's new study. The findings also expose the limits of treating catalogue choice as the whole programme.

By [Maya Bennett](https://giftcard.news/author/maya-bennett/) September 28, 2026 5 min read [ Google News ](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=giftcard.news&utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news&utm%5Fcampaign=giftcard.news) 

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![IRF report artwork showing a group high-five with trophy and workplace recognition symbols](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/irf-finds-strong-gift-card-appeal-reward-value-fairness-shaping-participation-report-w1231.webp) 

 Source artwork accompanying IRF's Participant Preferences: Reward & Recognition Programs study. The survey was conducted in July 2026 and published in September. Photo: Incentive Research Foundation, source artwork 

Gift cards retain broad appeal in workplace rewards, but a new [Incentive Research Foundation](https://giftcard.news/organization/incentive-research-foundation-organization-7c7c133b/) study points to programme design as an equally important part of the commercial proposition. In its survey of 400 US employees, 77% rated gift cards very or extremely motivating. Cash bonuses led at 93%, followed by gift cards, paid time off at 72% and experiences at 70%. [\[S01\]](#article-source-1) [\[S02\]](#article-source-2)

Released on September 28, 2026, Participant Preferences: Reward & Recognition Programs examines how existing participants experience their employer's programme. The findings give gift-card suppliers evidence of a receptive audience while showing why simply adding brands or increasing the face value of a reward may leave other participation barriers unresolved.

## Reward value and reward relevance are different decisions

Half of respondents selected reward value as the most important factor in deciding whether to engage with a programme. Recognition type followed at 20%, while ease of earning rewards was selected by 11%. Asked when rewards or points became worth their attention, nearly half identified a threshold of at least $100\. A further 22% said the type of reward mattered more than the amount. [\[S02\]](#article-source-2)

These are different questions. The first concerns whether a programme is attractive; the second concerns when a reward feels meaningful. Neither establishes that every employee needs a $100 gift card, or that a smaller award cannot be effective. The threshold question covers rewards and points generally, rather than setting a gift-card denomination recommendation.

For buyers, the distinction changes how a catalogue should be assessed. A sufficiently valuable reward still needs to fit the recipient's priorities. For suppliers, the survey supports presenting the available choices alongside the earning rules and recipient experience, instead of using a single motivation score as proof that a programme will improve performance.

The data behind the story 

### What matters most when deciding to engage

One most-important factor selected by each respondent.

 Published values 

percent of respondents

Tap or hover for details. All values are also available in the data table.

Source 

IRF original reference deck, page 25

Single most-important selection; totals101%from rounding. July 2026 US panel, n=400\. These are programme-participant responses, not estimates for the entire workforce or evidence of incremental business performance.

Show data tableHide data table 

Scroll left or right to see all columns 

__What matters most when deciding to engage (percent of respondents)__
| Category                      | Published values          |
| ----------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| Reward value                  | 50 percent of respondents |
| Recognition type              | 20 percent of respondents |
| Ease to earn rewards          | 11 percent of respondents |
| Recognition frequency         | 7 percent of respondents  |
| Ease to give recognition      | 6 percent of respondents  |
| Do not consider these factors | 7 percent of respondents  |

## Trust remains a separate requirement

Fairness and consistency were the most frequently selected participation barrier, cited by 27%. Another 24% said rewards were not valuable or meaningful enough, and 18% identified unclear earning criteria. At the same time, 44% reported no barriers, so these concerns should not be described as universal dissatisfaction. [\[S02\]](#article-source-2)

The issue extends beyond the reward catalogue. An employee can like the available gift cards and still doubt whether the process for earning them is consistent. Increasing the award budget addresses a different problem from explaining eligibility or applying recognition criteria fairly.

The research also separates reward delivery from communication. Managers or team meetings and HR communications were each cited by 63% as ways participants learned about their programmes, compared with 36% for a recognition platform or app. A digital delivery capability consequently sits within a wider

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## In this article

### Organizations

* [Incentive Research Foundation](https://giftcard.news/organization/incentive-research-foundation-organization-7c7c133b/)

### Sources and documents

* [\[S01\] IRF Participant Preferences: Reward & Recognition Programs, September 2026 research release](https://theirf.org/research%5Fpost/participant-preferences-reward-recognition-programs/?utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news&utm%5Fcampaign=giftcard.news) — Incentive Research Foundation
* [\[S02\] IRF 2026 Participant Preferences reference deck: methodology, reward motivation and programme participation](https://theirf.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IRF-2026-Participant-Preferences-RR-Reference-Deck.pdf?utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news&utm%5Fcampaign=giftcard.news) — Incentive Research Foundation

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![Portrait of Maya Bennett](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/maya-bennett-editorial-portrait-w320.webp) 

About the author

## [Maya Bennett](https://giftcard.news/author/maya-bennett/)

Journalist — Rewards & Loyalty

Maya Bennett covers customer loyalty, employee rewards and incentive programmes for Gift Card News.

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## Your next move in gift cards.

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