10 Best Global Employee Reward Programs that celebrate individuals and spark belonging

1. Hilton – Catch Me at My Best

Hilton is one of the world’s most recognisable hospitality groups, employing hundreds of thousands of people across thousands of properties. The brand has long put guest experience and team member care at the centre of its culture. Hilton invests in engagement programmes that reinforce service standards and human moments every day.

What the program looks like

Catch Me at My Best invites guests and colleagues to nominate team members who deliver exceptional hospitality. Nominations are collected during the programme period and managers publicly recognise winners, sometimes surprising them with playful moments such as an in-hotel trolley sweep or on-the-spot celebrations. The activity is simple, scalable and focused on spotlighting everyday service.

Why it works

Guest-sourced recognition feels authentic because it comes from the people who benefit most from the work. The surprise and public celebration amplify the emotional impact and make recognition memorable. It also signals to the wider team that service excellence is noticed and rewarded.

How you can adapt it in your business

Start with a digital or physical nomination form where customers or peers can publicly praise someone for going above and beyond. Pair nominations with a brand-appropriate, experiential reward such as a team lunch, a spotlight on internal channels, or a small curated gift. Keep the process low-friction and visible so recognition becomes part of daily culture. 

Source: Travel With Purpose | Hilton TWP

2. Airbnb – Annual travel credit

Airbnb shifted how people travel by enabling stays that feel local and lived in, and the company positions belonging at the centre of its mission. The business connects hosts and guests across millions of listings and invests in culture that mirrors that customer promise. Employees are encouraged to experience the product as a way to strengthen brand empathy.

What the program looks like

Airbnb provides employees with travel credits paid quarterly or annually to stay in Airbnb listings anywhere in the world. Teams sometimes use this credit to run offsite gatherings or to simply explore the product on personal time. The program is designed to turn staff into lived-experience storytellers for the product.

Why it works

Giving the product back to employees creates authentic brand ambassadors because they return with first-hand stories and new perspectives. The reward is aspirational yet relevant to the company’s purpose, so it connects recognition to identity. Experience-based rewards tend to create stronger recall than one-off items.

How you can adapt it in your business

Design a recognition reward that lets people sample your product or a brand-relevant experience, for example product vouchers, event tickets, or a short retreat. Make it easy to use and encourage sharing of experiences internally so the recognition multiplies across the culture. 

Source: Careers at Airbnb

3. Salesforce – Volunteer time off (VTO)

Salesforce is a global CRM leader that embeds social impact into business through its 1-1-1 model of time, product and equity giving. Philanthropy and community engagement are core elements of its employer value proposition. The company makes structured giving part of career life rather than an afterthought.

What the program looks like
Salesforce offers employees a set number of paid volunteer days each year to support nonprofits and community projects. Staff can use these days for hands-on volunteering or skills-based pro bono work, with internal recognition for high participation. The programme is accompanied by donation matching and visibility around impact.

Why it works

VTO aligns personal purpose with organisational mission, boosting motivation and pride. It shifts recognition from individual reward to collective impact, reinforcing belonging with shared meaning. Publicly acknowledging volunteers also models the behaviour the company values.

How you can adapt it in your business

Start by offering one or two paid volunteer days and encourage teams to use them together for impact and bonding. Share stories and outcomes internally and consider a small donation match to amplify the signal that community work matters. 

Source: Salesforce

4. Google – gThanks and peer bonuses

Google is known for a culture of innovation and for building systems that let colleagues recognise each other across teams. The company has layered recognition into its everyday practices so appreciation is frequent and visible. Peer-driven acknowledgement is an accepted part of working life there.

What the program looks like

Google’s systems let employees send public thank-you notes and nominate peers for small peer bonuses that carry monetary value. The process is fast and often manager-approved so recognition can be immediate and tangible. That combination of emotional thanks and a practical token is used across offices globally.

Why it works

The emotional note validates effort while the bonus provides a concrete reward, reinforcing the behaviour. Peer-led recognition spreads appreciation beyond hierarchical lines and creates a culture where people look for and call out good work. Timely acknowledgement also strengthens team morale.

How you can adapt it in your business

Implement a simple peer recognition channel for public thanks, and allocate a modest monthly budget for spot peer bonuses managers can approve quickly. Keep the system transparent so recognition becomes an everyday habit rather than a rare event. 

Source: Bonusly

5. Zappos – Zollars internal currency

Zappos has built a reputation for a quirky, people-first culture that prizes service and employee happiness. The company treats culture as a strategic differentiator and experiments with playful ways to show appreciation. Peer recognition is baked into the way teams operate.

What the program looks like
Zappos introduced internal tokens called Zollars that employees award each other for acts that exemplify company values. Zollars can be redeemed for merchandise, experiences, or charitable donations, making recognition both fun and useful. The system is highly social and encourages daily gratitude.

Why it works
A token economy gamifies appreciation and helps recognition happen organically, not just from managers. Having tangible points to redeem adds perceived value, while allowing redemption for charity aligns recognition with meaning. The approach keeps culture alive through small, frequent gestures.

How you can adapt it in your business
Create a branded token system—digital points or physical tokens—that employees can award peers. Offer a modest catalogue of redeemable items and allow donation options to broaden meaning. Keep the process playful and visible. 

Source: Forbes

6. Spotify – Wellness week and wellbeing stipends

Spotify is a global streaming platform that emphasises creativity, flexible working and employee wellbeing. The business has publicly invested in policies that support work-life balance and psychological safety. Spotify’s people programs are designed to reflect the diverse needs of a creative workforce.

What the program looks like
Spotify runs an annual Wellness Week where employees are encouraged to unplug company-wide, plus it provides flexible stipends for wellbeing or personal development. The combination of coordinated time off and discretionary funds gives staff permission and resources to recharge. Teams often share the ways they used the time, multiplying cultural benefit.

Why it works
A company-wide pause signals that wellbeing is a shared priority and not just an individual responsibility. Stipends let employees choose what truly replenishes them, which increases relevance and uptake. The visible commitment builds trust and reduces burnout risk.

How you can adapt it in your business
Introduce a short company-wide wellbeing break and offer a modest stipend that employees can spend on health, learning or creative hobbies. Encourage sharing of experiences afterward to build cultural momentum and normalise rest. 

Source: HR Blog

7. Netflix – Flexible parental leave and trust-based time

Netflix established a culture that prizes autonomy and accountability, aiming to treat employees as responsible adults. Historically, the company led with radical policies to demonstrate trust. Those policies have evolved but the principle of autonomy remains a cultural bedrock.

What the program looks like
Netflix introduced an unlimited parental leave approach allowing new parents to take significant time, though the policy has been adjusted over time to reflect operational realities. The original policy gave employees the discretion to manage leave within performance expectations, and the company also experimented with other flexible time models.

Why it works
Allowing employees control over major life events demonstrates trust, which itself is a strong form of recognition. Policies that respect life outside work foster loyalty and signal that the organisation values people as whole humans. When paired with clear performance expectations the approach balances freedom with outcomes.

How you can adapt it in your business
Pilot flexible leave for parents or offer a generous, trust-based approach to personal time off that managers support. Pair flexibility with clear role expectations so people feel supported rather than untethered. Monitor uptake and adjust the design so it fits your operational model. 

Source: WIREDSHRM

8. Adobe – Spot awards and the Founders’ Award

Adobe is a leader in creative software and has a recognisable culture of celebrating both everyday craftsmanship and standout innovation. The company intentionally recognises contributions at scale to reflect its global footprint. Adobe combines quick turnaround rewards with prestige awards annually.

What the program looks like
Adobe runs immediate “Spot Awards” for in-the-moment contributions and an annual Founders’ Award that honours exceptional, values-led work. Spot Awards are typically vouchers or small cash awards while the Founders’ Award carries organisational recognition. The two-tier approach ensures both routine and extraordinary acts are celebrated.

Why it works
Spot Awards reinforce positive behaviour in real time and keep morale high, while an annual, prestigious award highlights long-term impact and role-modelling. The combination gives breadth and depth to recognition so it feels credible rather than tokenistic. It also signals that both daily craft and strategic achievement matter.

How you can adapt it in your business
Create a small, manager-allocated budget for immediate spot recognition and design an annual award that showcases values-driven examples. Publicise recipients so the recognition becomes a learning moment and a behavioural guidepost. 

Source: Adobe Benefits

9. PwC – flexPoints and volunteer benefits

PwC is a major professional services firm that links people programmes to client impact and community contribution. The firm invests heavily in development and has built structured recognition and volunteering into its global offer. Its scale creates opportunities for both individual and team recognition.

What the program looks like
PwC offers real-time recognition tools such as flexPoints where colleagues acknowledge each other and redeem points for experiences or vouchers. The firm also provides paid volunteer time and career-embedded community programmes, connecting recognition with purpose. These programmes are promoted internally and linked to broader career milestones.

Why it works
A digital recognition platform makes appreciation visible and immediate, and connecting it to meaningful rewards reinforces value-based behaviour. Combining recognition with community action aligns personal purpose and corporate identity, which increases engagement and retention. Public recognition across a large organisation also builds shared culture.

How you can adapt it in your business
Introduce a simple points-based or shoutout system that lets colleagues reward one another, and couple that with modest experiential redemption options. Add optional volunteer time so recognition links to purpose and your employer brand story. 

Sources:

PwC+1

Flexpoints

10. Southwest Airlines – SWAG platform and Kick Tail recognition

Southwest Airlines has cultivated a friendly, employee-first culture that is tightly linked to customer experience and brand personality. The airline makes recognition a routine part of working life and designs reward systems that match its fun, service-led identity.

What the program looks like
Southwest uses an internal SWAG platform where employees send “Kick Tail” notes and leaders award SWAG points for above-and-beyond behaviour. Points are redeemable for merchandise, experiences or Rapid Rewards travel points, making recognition tangible and tightly connected to what matters in the business.

Why it works
Recognition that leverages the brand promise—travel and fun—feels authentic and motivating. Peer-driven notes plus leader-issued points create a layered approach so appreciation is both frequent and meaningful. Redeemable rewards add practical value and encourage behaviours aligned with the customer experience.

How you can adapt it in your business
Design an internal recognition hub where colleagues send thank-you notes and managers can award points redeemable for brand-relevant perks. Ensure the catalogue of rewards ties back to something meaningful to your people so recognition feels purposeful. 

Source: Southwest

From recognition to belonging

Recognition does not need to be complicated, but it does need to be intentional. The best programs align with company values, spark joy, and build emotional connection between people and the brand they work for. Whether you are running a global corporation or a small local business, the lesson is the same: recognition fuels belonging, and belonging fuels performance.

For more inspiration, you can also explore some home-grown initiatives in our article 10 of the 'Coolest' Wellbeing Benefits offered by Australian Companies.

At Belong Creative, we believe recognition is one of the most powerful ways to build cultures of belonging. If you would like to design an employee recognition program that truly reflects your values and inspires your people, we can help. 

When the right people feel they belong to your brand, incredible things happen.

Contact Belong Creative at hello@belongcreative.com.au to schedule a free Magnetic Brand Strategy session.