ZayZoon Unveils Rewards & Recognition as First Step Toward a Reconnected Workplace for SMBs

EWA leader expands platform with tools to foster stronger employer-employee relationships in today’s shifting labor market.

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ZayZoon, the leader in Earned Wage Access (EWA) solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, today announced the launch of its new Rewards & Recognition product. This latest innovation marks the first step in ZayZoon's broader expansion into a comprehensive employee experience suite with EWA at the helm, designed to help employers foster stronger, more engaged, and more connected workplaces.

The new Rewards & Recognition tool empowers employers to celebrate their employees' achievements in meaningful and timely ways, fostering a culture of appreciation that drives motivation and retention. With Rewards & Recognition, businesses can:

• Send Gift Cards Instantly: Easily send gift cards to recognize achievements, with hundreds of popular brands to choose from.
• Celebrate Team Achievements: Utilize a social-style recognition feed to appreciate accomplishments, visible to all internal team members.
• Align Recognition with Core Values: Reinforce positive behaviors by linking rewards to company values.
• Monitor Engagement Effortlessly: Track participation and impact with an intuitive interface.

Designed with the unique needs of SMBs in mind, the Rewards & Recognition tool streamlines the process of celebrating employee achievements. The Rewards & Recognition tool’s low barrier to entry, mobile access and simplified features with no training required helps small businesses build a culture of appreciation without the burden of added administrative work. Nearly 10% of workers feel demotivated when they don’t receive recognition for hard work, which has an impact on workplace productivity. Rewards & Recognition makes it easier than ever to implement a robust recognition program that spotlights workers for their efforts.

Rewards & Recognition is the first step in ZayZoon’s 2025 commitment in reimagining the employee experience for SMBs, with additional products coming this spring and throughout the year:

• Communications & Announcements: A streamlined tool for employers to share company news, updates, and key information, ensuring better alignment and engagement across teams and across locations
• Surveys & Polls: An intuitive tool to gather real-time feedback from employees, helping businesses stay connected to their teams’ needs and concerns.

The beta cohort, which consisted of 175 ZayZoon clients that tested the tool in 2024, sent a total of 4,000 shout outs and awarded just over $100k to their SMB employees.

Why It Matters

The relationship between employers and employees is one of the most influential connections in a person’s daily life. Yet, many SMBs struggle to maintain engagement and retain employees in the face of evolving workforce expectations. A lack of effective tools to support engagement directly impacts retention and attendance, making it harder for businesses to build reliable teams.

"The labor market has shifted," said Tate Hackert, Co-Founder of ZayZoon. "Employees have more options than ever, but employers haven’t adapted quickly enough. SMBs, in particular, have been underserved by HR technology, leaving them without the tools needed to build stronger, more connected workplaces. With this new suite of tools, we're changing that – helping SMBs create environments where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to show up and stay."

ZayZoon has already plugged into thousands of businesses across North America, providing flexible EWA solutions that help employees access their wages on their own schedule. This next phase of product line expansion aligns with the company’s mission to not only enhance financial flexibility but also foster a workplace experience that drives employee retention, engagement, and attendance.

A Reconnected Workplace

Employee demands are changing. Workers today seek more than just financial wellness; they want to feel recognized, heard, and connected to their workplace. ZayZoon's growing suite of products bridges this gap by offering employers simple, accessible tools to actively engage their teams.

More information about ZayZoon’s Rewards and Recognition offerings can be found here: https://www.zayzoon.com/book-demo-r-and-r.

About ZayZoon

ZayZoon works with North American SMBs to create the reconnected workplace, where deskless workers have greater control, opportunity, recognition and confidence in their jobs. Integrating with all major payroll platforms and backed by over 300 partners, ZayZoon is designed for ease of use and rapid implementation, allowing employers to quickly offer immediate access to earned wages connected to their existing payroll systems. Beyond pay access, ZayZoon provides financial education, employee engagement tools like rewards and recognition, and valuable financial perks—including savings on prescriptions and insurance—all aimed at boosting employee satisfaction and enhancing the overall workplace experience.

To learn more, visit https://www.zayzoon.com/.