Employee COVID-19 Vaccine Incentives – Which Work Best?

By now, many employers have made getting their workers vaccinated a major priority. Some employers choose to go with the stick approach, putting job security on the line for employees who don’t get vaccinated. Other employers are going with the carrot, offering incentives for employees to get vaccinated. The question is, which incentives work best for increasing employee vaccination rates?

June surveys conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 65% of employees were encouraged by their employer to get a covid-19 vaccine. Some employers have offered free donuts, tickets to events, gift cards, and more. Everyone is trying to figure out the magic formula to motivate their employees. Some choices have worked better than others. 

Paid time off is a popular choice as an incentive for employees to get vaccinated. The American Rescue Plan allows companies to claim payroll tax credits if they offer PTO for getting a vaccine and the company has less than 500 employees. PTO can be an effective incentive, however, this option may not work for all companies. 

Merchandise can include things like free t-shirts, mugs, fitness gear, etc., and can be a fun way to incentivize vaccinations. If you have a current company health and wellness incentive program with a points-based marketplace, you could offer points for vaccinations. These points can be spent in your rewards marketplace on merchandise of the employee’s choice. 

Another incentive option is instant win games and sweepstakes. You could enter employees in a drawing for a big prize, like a new smart TV, robot vacuum, big cash prize, or whatever else might fit your demographics. This can be a fun way to incentivize employees, as there is something exciting about the chance to win big. 

Cash equivalents like gift cards and prepaid cards are almost always winners in any type of incentive program. You can offer gift cards for brands you know are popular among your employees. Alternatively, you can use prepaid cards, which give employees a far wider range of options. Both gift cards and prepaid cards can be physical or virtual. Virtual will save you money on shipping and production while also giving your employees the pleasure of instant gratification. 

At the end of the day, the incentives that will work best for your employees depend more on your understanding of your people than on the incentives themselves. Take time to consider the needs, demographics, and interests of your employees to determine what will work best. If you are uncertain on what direction to go in, our team at All Digital Rewards can offer expert insight into what will be a good choice for your organization. 

If you are interested in implementing employee vaccination incentives, contact our team at All Digital Rewards. Our SaaS Platform technology will simplify every kind of health and wellness promotion and give you peace of mind that your program is in good hands. We have the capabilities to set up a new program for you or connect to your existing system – whatever will meet your needs. We also offer support services and an extensive rewards catalog. To learn more about how we can help you with vaccination incentives and wellness programs, call us today at 866-415-7703, or click on the button below to schedule a demo.