Internationalisation has continued to rise in the past few years, and the total value of global trade now exceeds £15 trillion. With this rise comes an increased need for international recognition programmes – which bring many challenges to take into consideration.
Top challenges…
Translation
- Translation of languages was rated the most valuable feature of a global programme. Ensure it is accurate and will help boost utilisation levels.
- Ensure your website is translatable – in design as well as text. Use a globally acceptable design that is sure not to cause offence in any cultures.
Rewards
- Different cultures will be motivated by different rewards. Gift vouchers may prove hugely popular in one country but not in another. A diverse and global reward offering is required, such as a prepaid card which can be loaded in multiple currencies.
- The same amount in one country could have a different value in another, so take this into account when choosing reward amounts. Keep an eye on exchange rates too.
- Different cultures may reward for different behaviours. For example in some countries, the value of team work may be so strong that rewarding individuals may be inappropriate and even embarrassing.
Technology
- Ensure the countries have the technological ability to run the programme. Can their current computer systems facilitate it?
- Think about the appropriateness of the programme type. For example, do staff have online access or do they work predominantly offline? This will affect the programme type required.
Logistics
- If you send out merchandise globally from one location you will need to take postage costs, postal infrastructure, security and delivery times into account.
- Rewards may get stuck in customs, causing delays in deliveries. Check customs rules for the individual countries to ensure you are complying.
- How will the programme support work internationally? Think about the hotline, email and web support – these will all be affected by language and working hours.
