Staff will receive a £50 Gloucester Gift Card to spend at almost 100 local businesses. Gloucester firms can use the trivial benefits scheme to reward staff, tax free.
Gloucester financial advisers Quayside Wealth Management is rewarding its team using the city’s local gift card this Christmas and is urging other businesses to support local to power the circular economy.
The Gloucester Quays based team will each receive a £50 Gloucester Gift Card – to spend at almost 100 local businesses in Gloucester – as a Christmas gift, taking advantage of the Government’s trivial benefits scheme that allows companies to give a £50 gift card to staff, tax free.
Gloucester’s gift card was introduced by Gloucester Business Improvement District (BID) in 2019 as a way to encourage local shopping and keep spend locked into the area. Both physical and digital versions of the cards are available.
Alex Kell is Director at Quayside Wealth Management and said it makes sense for city firms to choose local rewards and incentives for staff:
“Quayside Wealth Management is approaching its 9th year in Gloucester and supporting the community has always been a part of our ethos. When it comes to staff rewards, we choose local and this year, opted to use the Gloucester Gift Card to support local businesses whilst giving staff the freedom to spend their cards with all manner of retail, hospitality, wellness and services businesses in the city.
“It took 2 minutes to order the physical Gloucester Gift Card online and was very simple. Staff can take their family for a meal, buy food for Christmas, or anything else they fancy. It’s a thank you from us but it’s also doing something positive for the community by keeping money local and boosting the circular economy. If a business does well, it can employ people or expand its offering, and that makes Gloucester more vibrant and more successful.
“When we heard about the trivial benefit scheme, we realised that it would be a really useful initiative that would enable us to gift our staff a non-cash gift, such as the Gloucester Gift Card, tax free, so they receive the full benefit of the £50, which isn’t the case wish cash. Not only that, but firms can use it more than once a year, if needed. As well as Christmas, we’ll be using the trivial benefit scheme to gift staff the Gloucester Gift Card through the year.
“If every company in Gloucester chose to use the Gloucester Gift Card for its rewards, it would have a huge impact on our economy. This is the community that we all live in, and it’s in all of our interests to make Gloucester as strong as it can be.”
Claire Knight, Marketing & Business Engagement Lead at Gloucester BID said: “It’s fantastic to see Quayside Wealth Management making a tangible investment in our city with its Christmas rewards, and also highlighting the trivial benefit scheme as a useful way for firms to help, reward and incentives staff throughout the year. If you’re yet to thank your team this Christmas, remember that the Gloucester Gift Card offers the best of Gloucester in one gift card, making it suitable for all ages and interests.”
Gloucester’s Gift Card is part of the Town & City Gift Card initiative active across the UK and Ireland.
Colin Munro, managing director of Miconex said: “Our 2023 research showed that expectations of Christmas rewards are high. 86% of employees believe that workplaces should offer Christmas rewards, 83% would like to receive a gift card from work, and 90% say a gift card from their workplace would boost their motivation. Support for local is also high with 98% keen to support local this Christmas. The Gloucester Gift Card shows staff they’re appreciated this Christmas and offers ultimate local choice.”
Image shows Quayside Wealth Management team with the promotional Gloucester Gift Card in front of their Christmas tree with office dog, Mav.
