Sheffield BID is encouraging employers to consider rewarding staff with the Sheffield Gift Card for Christmas this year, keeping money local and supporting local economic recovery.
Ongoing restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic mean that many employers are looking for new ways to reward their staff.
The Sheffield Gift Card can be redeemed with over 80 businesses in Sheffield City Centre, including independent and national traders, and is available for employers to buy from £5-£200.
Recipients of the Sheffield Gift Card can use the card like local currency, in one transaction or many, and on retail, hospitality, services and leisure. Each Sheffield Gift Card is a prepaid Mastercard which is valid for 12 months from purchase, offering employers a secure way to gift.
Cards can be purchased online and delivered straight to the recipient. Employers are able to make bulk orders of the gift card directly with Sheffield BID. Employers in the area who reward staff with the Sheffield Gift Card can take advantage of the UK trivial benefits scheme. A business can give an employee a benefit of up to £50 without paying tax, but only if the benefit isn’t in cash.
The Sheffield Gift Card was launched in 2017 in response to the shop local movement. The Gift Card and Voucher Association valued the UK gift card market at £7bn in 2019, also reporting that 98.6% of gift cards are spent within a year of being received and 65% will be spent on top of the value of the card received. The Incentive Research Foundation research placed gift card programmes at the top of incentive wish lists for employees.
Diane Jarvis, Sheffield BID Manager says the Sheffield Gift Card is a socially conscious choice for employers wanting to support Sheffield City Centre whilst giving their staff a reward they will appreciate: “There are approximately 730,000 adults living in the city of Sheffield. If each adult in the city buys, or is gifted, a £10 Sheffield Gift Card, that is £7.3m we are locking into Sheffield city centre, which would have a huge impact on disposable income and employment."
Further details about the gift card can be found online at www.sheffieldgiftcard.co.uk. Businesses interested in gifting the card to employees can enquire further by emailing info@sheffieldgiftcard.co.uk.
