Date: 10 September 2026
The original article can be read here.
Leaders of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) bought £540,599.27 worth of gift vouchers as rewards for high performance, between 2023 and 2026, The Herald reported yesterday (9 September).
Government credit card spending records show that, between September 2023 and February 2026, officials made 202 gift card purchases, according to The Herald.
Speaking about the department’s reward strategy, a DESNZ spokesperson told The Herald: “Non-cash awards are used to reward and drive high performance. The vouchers are bought in line with established guidelines.”
Stories like this are a helpful reminder of how much weight sits behind reward budgets, Joshua Brown, operations director at rewards platform Cordoba Rewards, stated to HR magazine.
Brown said: “Vouchers are a well-established, low-friction way to recognise good work, and it’s good practice to have clear guidelines in place for how they’re used.
“More broadly, whenever any organisation is investing at this level in recognition, it’s worth regularly revisiting how closely that recognition is tied to specific behaviours, so it continues to feel personal and earned rather than routine.”
“£540,000 is a big number in isolation, particularly in the public sector, so it will inevitably attract attention,” Jo Werker, CEO of reward and benefits platform Boostworks, told HR magazine.
Werker explained: “What matters from a reward perspective is what sits behind that figure. If these awards are genuinely linked to high performance, employees need to understand what that means, why somebody has been recognised, and whether everyone has a fair opportunity to be rewarded.”
HR has an important role in setting guidelines for reward strategies, Werker added: “A good reward strategy starts with clear objectives and criteria. [It also] gives managers the confidence to recognise people consistently. This last point is important because managers are often where a well-designed strategy either comes to life or falls down.”
DESNZ’s largest monthly total for gift card purchases was £42,122.29 recorded in March 2024, according to analysis by The Herald.
HR can help set benchmarks on what rewards work best, John Mullally, group risk and healthcare consultant at employee benefits consultancy Cartwright Employee Rewards, told HR magazine.
Mullally said: “There is a need to attract and retain talent so there may be times where gift cards may be warranted. But with any taxpayer-funded organisation, how employees are rewarded is always going to be subject to additional scrutiny.
“HR can maintain a level of consistency across departments so that what is being done is a considered approach in the organisation.”
When asked about current reward trends, Brown noted seeing a shift towards more flexible alternatives to gift cards.
Brown said: “We're seeing a genuine shift away from cash and single-brand vouchers towards flexible, points-based platforms that let recipients choose from products, experiences and multiple retailers.
“Employers increasingly want reward that reflects their culture and creates real anticipation and choice, not just a transaction. Vouchers aren't disappearing, but organisations serious about performance and engagement are moving towards reward models with far more strategic intent behind them.”
Werker explained: “We’re seeing greater emphasis on frequent, timely and personalised recognition, with employees having more choice over rewards that are genuinely useful to them.
“Ultimately, the value of a voucher comes from the reason it was given and the recognition that accompanies it.”
