How a global brand reinvented employee recognition across 107 countries
Recognising employee loyalty and long service is something that should feel truly meaningful, and not just another date in the calendar.
For one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, the challenge wasn’t whether to celebrate service milestones, but how to do it better, and expand it to fit a global scale.
With more than 100,000 employees across more than 100 countries, the company knew that a traditional, one-size-fits-all approach to long service awards simply wasn’t good enough.
What they needed was a recognition programme that would feel personal and engaging for every employee, no matter where they were in the world.
The starting point: A well-intentioned but limited programme
The company already had an anniversary scheme in place, but it only reached around 11,000 employees in five countries.
While the intention was there, the execution was falling short.
The programme felt disconnected, inconsistent, and didn’t reflect the company’s’ commitment to putting people first.
It was clear that a more strategic and scalable solution was needed, one that would not only recognise years of service, but also create a shared experience that celebrated loyalty in a way that felt truly rewarding for the individual.
Just as importantly, the new approach needed to be intuitive for managers and consistent across regions, while accounting for local and cultural nuance.
Building something better
Working closely with BI WORLDWIDE, the company set out to completely redesign its service anniversary experience.
The new vision was ambitious, with the aim of reaching employees in more than 100 countries and creating a meaningful moment for every service milestone.
At the heart of the new programme was BI WORLDWIDE’s DayMaker platform, a recognition hub that allowed for easy automation, personalisation, and social engagement.
Some of the key features of the new approach included:
- Milestones that matter: Rather than saving recognition for only major milestones, the company now celebrates anniversaries starting from year one, and then every five years after that, up to 50. This helped to create a more inclusive culture where everyone’s contribution was acknowledged.
- Personal, not generic: Each employee’s celebration was designed to feel personal, thanks to early manager input, tailored messaging, and content that reflected the individual’s time with the business. Former team members, colleagues from other departments, and even external collaborators were invited to contribute to celebration walls, creating a shared moment.
- Global consistency with local relevance: While the core structure of the programme remained the same across countries, local teams were able to adapt the experience to suit cultural norms and preferences. Whether that meant offering different reward choices or translating content into one of the 11 supported languages, flexibility was throughout the system.
- Support for managers: Recognising that managers play a critical role in bringing any recognition moment to life, the programme provided them with prompts, planning tools, and best practice tips to help create more memorable experiences, whether that’s in-person or virtually.
- Bringing moments to life: Each anniversary was anchored around a digital celebration wall, where photos, stories, videos and messages could be shared. The recipient can download their wall as a keepsake, giving them something tangible to remember the occasion. Colleagues were notified ahead of time through a ticker system, ensuring nobody missed the opportunity to contribute.
Recognition that resonates
The impact of the new programme was both immediate and wide-reaching.
In just one year, the company expanded its anniversary recognition to cover 80% of its 100,000 strong workforce, across 107 countries.
This represented a hugely successful increase in reach, without adding complexity for internal teams.
The new programme has sparked a real culture shift.
About 90% of anniversaries now include contributions from the employee’s colleagues, which is a clear sign that the celebrations are resonating, and that people want to join in.
The ability to blend digital and personal touches means that every anniversary feels like a real moment, not just an email or a card.
It has helped the business reinforce a consistent employee experience across all markets, while also allowing regional teams to shape the celebrations in ways that feel right for them.
More than just a milestone
Recognition doesn’t need to be grand to be meaningful, but it does need to feel authentic.
This global organisation’s transformation of its service anniversary programme is proof that, with the right tools and approach, even something as traditional as a long-service award can be turned into a vibrant, personal experience that genuinely connects people.
In a working world where talent is mobile, and employees want to feel valued beyond just their outputs, having the right programmes in place can play a central role in building engagement, fostering belonging, and showing appreciation at scale.
Supplied by REBA Associate Member, BI WORLDWIDE
BI WORLDWIDE is a global engagement agency delivering measurable results for clients through inspirational employee and channel reward and recognition solutions.
