TL;DR:
- Christina, a small business owner, was struggling with employee motivation and team morale.
- She wanted to support her team without overextending her budget or diluting her values.
- Through Gladly, she introduced her team to a platform where they could access meaningful perks and resources on their own.
- As a result, team engagement improved, loyalty increased, and her culture became stronger than ever.
The Challenge of Keeping a Team Motivated
Christina ran a growing design studio with eight full-time employees. They were talented, mission-aligned, and genuinely cared about the work. But after a few tough quarters, the energy was fading.
Client demands were higher than ever. Deadlines were tight. Raises and bonuses weren’t always feasible.
Christina noticed the signs: missed standups, shorter Slack replies, less laughter on Zoom. The work was still getting done, but the spark was dimming.
She didn’t want to lose her team. She didn’t want to lose what made them great. But she also didn’t want to offer generic gift cards or throwaway incentives just to tick a box.
She needed something thoughtful, personal, and values-aligned.
Finding a Values-First Way to Empower Her Team
That’s when a peer in a leadership forum introduced Christina to Gladly.
Gladly offers curated, purpose-driven perks from ethical, community-focused brands. Through the Gladly Shop, Christina realized she could invite her employees to create their own free accounts and explore tools, discounts, and resources that matched their personal needs.
She didn’t need to hand-pick every gift. She simply needed to open the door.
The best part? Signing up is free for her and for every team member.
A Culture Shift Begins With Choice
Rather than try to guess what each employee needed, Christina held a casual team meeting and introduced Gladly.
She highlighted the platform’s variety of wellness, lifestyle, and travel perks. She let them explore at their own pace, no strings attached. For the first time, her team felt they had real support, on their own terms.
One designer booked a discounted hotel getaway through Gladly Travel. Another subscribed to ImpactSuite to try therapy journaling. A project manager bought an eco-friendly disinfectant from The Hypochlorous Company for her shared kitchen. One designer used a discount from Gabb Wireless to get a phone for her child, ensuring safety without screen-time overload. Another discovered NiTOR’s clean-label protein creamer to support her new morning wellness routine. One team lead started using Motivosity to recognize and celebrate peers, adding a much-needed layer of gratitude to daily work. Each person found what truly resonated with their lifestyle and needs.
The team looked forward to Gladly’s Wellness Wednesday emails, a moment of calm and inspiration midweek.
What Christina Learned About Leadership
She also signed her team up for Gladly’s Wellness Wednesday Newsletter, which quickly became a Slack favorite. One team member said, “It’s the only email I don’t delete right away.”
The impact? More ownership. More smiles. And a renewed sense of belonging.
Christina’s Favorite Gladly Benefits for Teams
- Gabb Wireless: Phones for kids that promote real-life connection without social media
- NiTOR: High-quality supplements to support employee health and fitness goals
- Motivosity: Peer-to-peer recognition and rewards to boost daily engagement
- Wellness Wednesday Newsletter: Weekly doses of calm, reflection, and team connection
🛍️ Explore the full Gladly Shop
📩 Subscribe to the Wellness Wednesday Newsletter
