Employee Perk Ideas to Engage Your Global Workforce

Global teams thrive on a sense of belonging. Offering inclusive perks bridges geographical distances, fosters a strong company culture, and improves engagement. This, in turn, helps make the most of the diverse talents and perspectives that fuel innovation and business growth. 

So, as a business or HR leader, how do you keep the momentum going? We’re here to help you fuel the fire by offering employee perk ideas that’ll engage your global workforce. This guide touches on key topics like cultural sensitivities and perk ideas based on regional and virtual circumstances. 

Use these tips to approach your talent strategy with more empathy and elevate your global employee perks.

Understanding Cultural Sensitivity in Employee Perks

Perks that are culturally insensitive lead to costly errors and damaged relationships. They can even make people feel unsafe. When managing a global workforce, knowing how to navigate potential cultural sensitivities is essential.

Examples of Culturally Insensitive Perks

Culturally insensitive perks often stem from a need for greater understanding and consideration for diverse backgrounds and needs. Here are some examples: 

• Celebrating only Western holidays: Excluding or downplaying the celebrations of other cultures can create a sense of invalidation.
• Using stereotypes in decorations or themes: Doing this can be disrespectful and perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
• Ignoring dietary restrictions: Offering food options that don’t accommodate various dietary needs or preferences can also make people feel excluded.
• Gifting culturally insensitive items: This can be offensive and show a lack of understanding.

Always keep in mind that everyone is different. Think about how your words and actions might impact someone’s perception of their value at work. 

As a leader, you must create a workplace where everyone feels respected and included. That way, you can build an environment that nurtures everyone’s potential.

Tips for Researching and Respecting Cultural Norms 

Researching the norms of the cultures your workforce members hail from can help improve your cultural sensitivity around employee perks. While online research can be helpful, you shouldn’t stop there. 

Again, cultural norms are nuanced and complex. To navigate this, ask the source—your workforce. Get to understand their experiences, expectations, and values. This will help prevent misunderstandings.

Developing cultural sensitivity toward employees requires two main things:

1. Striking a balance between curiosity and appreciation. Ask questions politely. Listen with an open mind. This creates space for you to learn different customs and perspectives and shows your willingness to learn and understand. Displaying this empathy is critical to creating a space that respects cultural differences. 

2. Asking for feedback. Implementing changes is just the first step. To truly understand their impact, it’s essential to solicit ongoing employee feedback to gauge their satisfaction and comfort levels. 

The bottom line is that we all crave connection and a sense of belonging. That’s why celebrating diversity and respecting different cultures is so important. It creates a workplace where everyone feels like they matter.

Employee Perk Best Practices for Regional Adaptations

Want to make your global team feel valued? Tailor your perks to their culture. By understanding what matters in different regions, you can boost employee happiness and loyalty. 

To achieve this, we encourage you to tap into employee surveys to deliver perks that authentically connect with workforce members. 

Some areas worth discussing in these surveys include: 

• Local/regional preferences: Gather information about local customs, traditions, and values to understand what employees in each region might appreciate and what they might not appreciate. 
• Local values: What values do employees find meaningful in a given office/region? Collaborate with local HR leaders to identify reward and recognition strategies that have proven to be effective. 
• Local laws and regulations: Ensure your perks comply with local labor laws and regulations. Consult with legal experts to verify your program is compliant.

Before you implement employee perks, run them by your workforce. They are your ticket to delivering a successful employee perk program. 

Upon review, you might test new perks to gauge their effectiveness and popularity. Continuously gather feedback to make necessary adjustments over time. 

Virtual Employee Perk Ideas for a Remote Global Workforce

Virtual perks are essential for fostering engagement and a sense of community among remote employees. They can combat isolation and boost morale, bridging the physical distance and establishing a sense of connection. 

We’ve broken down virtual employee perk ideas based on areas of focus.

Health and Wellness 

• Global fitness classes: Offer live-streamed fitness classes led by instructors from various time zones to accommodate employees worldwide. You might even consider combining classes (if time zones permit) to help employees across countries participate in the virtual class together. 
• Multilingual mental health support: Provide access to counseling services, meditation apps, or stress management workshops.
• Fitness challenge: Create a fitness challenge leaderboard so the employees can support one another from different offices or countries. 

Professional Development 

• On-demand learning resources: Provide a library of on-demand courses, webinars, and workshops accessible to all wherever they are.
• Global mentorship programs: Connect employees with mentors from different countries to foster cross-cultural learning and development.
• Language learning resources: Offer language learning tools and resources to support employees in acquiring new languages.

Recognition & Rewards

• Personalized recognition: Tailor recognition programs to individual preferences and cultural norms to ensure rewards are meaningful and appreciated. 
• Peer-to-peer channels: Implement peer-to-peer recognition programs and public appreciation channels to encourage workforce members across the globe to celebrate together. 
• Global rewards marketplace: Provide a rewards marketplace with a wide range of options that cater to employees from different regions.
• Virtual awards ceremonies: Host virtual award ceremonies to celebrate employee achievements and recognize outstanding contributions. Or consider sending out company-wide messages that inform employees across the globe.

Community Building 

• Time zone-friendly team-building activities: Schedule virtual team-building activities at times that accommodate employees in different regions. Fun ideas include murder mystery games, virtual escape rooms, and book clubs. 
• Cultural exchange events: Organize virtual events that celebrate different cultures and traditions, such as cooking demonstrations or cultural presentations. This can provide everyone with a bigger-picture perspective and understand their colleagues better. 
• Global volunteer initiatives: Facilitate opportunities for employees to participate in virtual volunteer projects that benefit communities worldwide. Encourage employees to share their experiences with teams. 

Seasonal and Holiday-Specific Ideas for Employee Perks

Seasonal and holiday perks aren't just nice to have—they're essential for keeping your team happy and motivated. Showing your employees you care by giving a little extra goes a long way toward building a positive work atmosphere.

Consider seasonal offerings' power to create a truly impactful perk strategy. Remember, holidays vary across cultures, so involve your employees in the planning process. Get the ball rolling with the starter ideas below.

Spring Perks

• Wellness challenges: Step challenges, meditation sessions, healthy recipe contests
• Outdoor activities: Company picnics, hiking or biking excursions, outdoor team-building activities
• Professional development: Tuition reimbursement, conference attendance, mentorship programs

Summer Perks

• Flexible hours: Summer Fridays, compressed workweeks, remote work options
• Virtual team-building events: Online games, trivia contests, virtual happy hours
• Family-friendly perks: On-site childcare, summer camp discounts, flexible time off for family vacations

Fall Perks

• Training programs: Leadership development workshops, technical skills training, soft skills development
• Holiday preparations: Holiday parties, volunteer opportunities, office decorating contests 
• Recognition awards: Employee of the quarter awards, peer-to-peer recognition programs, service anniversaries

Winter Perks

• Health and wellness: Flu shot clinics, mental health resources, wellness challenges
• Virtual holiday parties: Festive online gatherings, gift exchanges, holiday-themed games
• Bonuses: Performance-based bonuses, holiday/end-of-year bonuses, spot bonuses for exceptional work

Elevate Your Global Employee Perks Strategy

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to build stronger employee relationships. Discover how celebrating milestones can boost morale and drive business success. Unlock your company’s full potential with Awardco’s expert guidance.