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Great recognition starts with great intentions. Most companies want to celebrate their people - for big wins, long service, and everyday impact. But when you’ve got thousands of employees across dozens of countries, turning that intention into something consistent, meaningful, and fair? That’s the real challenge.
One of Ben’s Benefits Design consultants, Nicole Godman, recently partnered with a global client to help design a reward and recognition programme that could do just that - combining cultural nuance, scalable systems, and standout moments that actually matter to people.
The result is a framework any enterprise with a mixed or distributed workforce could learn from - whether you’re looking to refresh your approach or build something brilliant from scratch. And with Ben’s new Reward and recognition module at the heart of it, the whole process is simple to run, easy to adapt, and genuinely impactful.
The recognition gap in mixed workforce and global enterprises
Enterprises with a globally distributed or mixed workforce face unique challenges when it comes to recognition:
- Cultural nuance: A reward that feels meaningful in head office might fall flat in other regions.
- Workforce diversity: Deskless teams, regional offices, and hybrid workers all experience the business differently, and may want to be recognised in different ways.
- Administrative complexity: Managing global budgets, payroll integrations, and local compliance adds friction - especially at scale.
That’s where Ben’s platform - and our consultative approach - can make a big difference.
A framework that works across regions and teams
When one of our global customers asked Nicole to help design a new global reward and recognition programme, she collaborated to build a structure around three key pillars. These can be adapted to suit any large, globally distributed business:
1. Monthly cross-functional impact awards
These monthly awards are designed to break down silos and celebrate collaboration - spotlighting employees who go above and beyond their role to drive progress across teams.
How Ben can help with regular recognition:
Ben lets companies set up recurring, visible recognition moments across countries and teams - with real monetary rewards issued instantly through digital debit cards (no more unused points). Recognition can be sent in just a click from Slack or MS Teams, so engagement doesn’t get lost in a system nobody uses.
Plus, Ben’s AI tools help managers personalise shoutouts on the fly - so recognition still feels thoughtful, not templated.
2. Quarterly values champions
Each quarter, six standout individuals are recognised - one for each company value. These are high-profile awards that celebrate the people carrying the culture, and give the business regular moments to reinforce what great looks like.
How Ben can help with values-driven rewards:
With centralised dashboards of all company shoutouts, people teams get full visibility into who’s being recognised (and who might be missing out). That makes it easier to nominate true values-carriers - and to make recognition more equitable across the business.
Recognition messages can also be tied directly to your companies values, so it’s easy to see who should be nominated for each quarterly award category.
Ben also gives teams control over how rewards are distributed, with built-in multi-currency support and approval workflows based on spend.
3. Tenure recognition that goes beyond money
Long service deserves more than a generic plaque. The tenure programme we designed combined percentage-based salary awards with compensated leave - from extra paid days off to sabbaticals at major milestones (like 5 or 10 years of service).
How Ben can help with tenure recognition:
Thanks to flexible reward workflows and automated nudges, it’s easy to celebrate service anniversaries without manual lift. Budget management tools help finance teams stay in control, while managers get prompts to mark big milestones - on time and with impact.
Recognition that’s personal, global, and scalable
This framework isn’t just about handing out rewards - it’s about making appreciation a habit. And with Ben, it becomes part of your culture by design:
- Recognition happens where people already work (Slack/MS Teams).
- It can be tied directly to company values, making it personal to your business and culture
- It’s quick to give but still meaningful, thanks to AI-powered personalisation.
- Everything’s tracked in one place - with visibility, control, and fairness built in.
We don’t just offer the tech. Our in-house consultants, like Nicole, partner with your team to design programmes that really work for your people.
Need a helping hand with rewards and recognition?
If your organisation is scaling fast, operating across markets, or simply ready to take recognition more seriously, now’s the time to act. Recognition isn’t fluff - it’s a critical part of retention, engagement, and performance. But only if you do it right.
Ben gives you the platform, the strategy, and the support to do just that.