Hiring globally gives your company access to incredible talent, diverse perspectives, and the potential for 24/7 productivity. Great, right?
But it also comes with inherent challenges, including figuring out how to design a benefits package that works for all of your international employees. Hint: it isn't as easy as duplicating your headquarters' policy and calling it a day.
That's because each country has its own laws governing what benefits your company is legally required to provide, such as healthcare, paid leave, and retirement contributions. However, legal compliance is just the baseline. To attract top talent, you must offer global employee benefits plans that exceed what's mandated.
Your human resource team's goal should be to create a compliant global benefits strategy that works across borders and offers enhanced benefits that your employees value. Get it right and you'll build a loyal, engaged global workforce. Get it wrong, and that brilliant developer you just hired in São Paulo might start looking elsewhere before their first month even wraps up.
Key takeaways:
- Statutory benefits vary dramatically between different countries, requiring location-specific offerings.
- A significant percentage of global talent cite benefits as an essential factor when deciding whether or not to take a job.
- Employee feedback and local market research are vital for designing benefits that matter to your global workforce.
Global Benefits Aren't One-Size-Fits-All
Employment laws governing mandatory benefits vary dramatically from country to country, making a universal employee benefits package legally impossible.
Take paid time off for maternity leave, for example. As of 2025, Norway offers 49 weeks at 100% pay or 59 weeks at 80% pay. The United Kingdom provides six weeks at 90% pay plus 33 weeks at GBP 187.18 weekly (or 90% of earnings, whichever is lower). Meanwhile, the United States only guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
These differences aren't limited to mandatory time off. For example, the Philippines (and many other countries) requires companies to pay employees a 13th-month salary, while in Portugal, employers must provide employees with at least 40 hours of annual training.
Some countries' labor laws mandate specific health benefits contributions, while others require employers to fund Social Security systems and pension plans. Understanding these requirements is the foundation of compliant global employment.
Why Enhanced Benefits Offerings Matter
When designing a successful benefits program, legal compliance should be your starting point, not your endpoint. Employees expect more than the minimum. They want more flexible benefits, support, and investment in their well-being.
A competitive benefits package signals that your company values its people and is willing to invest in their success. That message matters — especially when top candidates are choosing between multiple offers.
On a recent episode of RemoFirst's Freedom of Work Podcast, benefits expert Ashley Ugorji — who has designed global benefits packages for multiple startups — shared that, "If you want to hire the best, who are experienced, and that have offers from other major companies, you need to offer something substantial."
Research from WTW shows that 42% of employees in the EMEA region say their benefits package was an important reason they decided to work for their current employer, while in the Asia Pacific region it's all the way up to 65%. That's almost two in every three employees! This is why ensuring your company offers competitive benefits is essential.
Benefits don't always have to cost money, either. For example, many employees value flexible work arrangements over traditional perks like gym memberships or catered team lunches. In fact, a 2025 U.S. GAO study found that one tech firm reduced voluntary turnover by 33% simply by adding two remote work days per week.
Survey Employees to Understand What They Value Most
The most effective benefits strategy starts by understanding what your team actually values rather than making assumptions. Employee feedback could reveal preferences that surprise you and prevent costly investments in unused perks.
Ugorji learned this lesson firsthand: "I've actually had a few companies where people weren't using the additional benefits. We had to ask them, 'Is this not working for you?' And then we would find the actual problems."
In one case, her team discovered that a petrol allowance wasn't being used by their Vietnamese employees. When the company asked why, they learned that their team members in Vietnam could only pay for certain things, like petrol, with a debit card, but the company had provided them with credit cards.
"The Vietnam team is 55% of the company, which means more than half of the company was having this issue," Ugorji explains. "But the only way you're going to know is if you collect the feedback and the data to see that it's an issue."
Survey your employees about which benefits matter most to them personally and professionally. Ask about current pain points in their work-life balance, healthcare needs, or financial priorities. Include questions about benefits they've valued at previous companies and perks they'd consider a waste of resources.
Create multiple feedback channels — anonymous surveys for honest input, focus groups for detailed discussions, and regular one-on-ones where the topic of benefits might naturally come up. Remember that preferences may shift as your team grows and matures, so make feedback collection an ongoing process rather than a one-time event.
Build Scalable, Location-Aware Benefits
Start with a foundational framework that defines your core benefits philosophy, then adapt mindfully for each market. Identify your must-haves — the benefits every employee should receive regardless of location — then layer on country-specific offerings based on local norms and legal requirements.
Location-aware benefits sometimes mean offering perks that are mandatory in some countries but not others. For example, providing paid parental leave to U.S. employees creates equity with international teammates who receive it by law. Similarly, you might "top off" employees who only receive partial pay during parental leave to put them on equal footing with employees in countries where it's fully paid.
It also means understanding the cultural differences between employees. For example, are employees in a particular country more likely to value supplemental health insurance, extra PTO days, or childcare benefits?
Prevent Benefit Envy Across Borders
Perceived inequity in benefits allocation can quickly undermine team cohesion and impact retention. When employees compare packages across countries and see significant disparities, resentment builds — especially if one group appears to receive preferential treatment.
Transparency becomes your most effective tool for managing these perceptions. Clearly communicate how benefits are determined and explain that your approach ensures everyone receives packages of approximately equal value, even when specifics differ.
Focus on offering global perks that feel inclusive and provide equal access. Wellness stipends, professional development budgets, and company-wide holidays ensure everyone can participate regardless of location. These universal benefits create shared experiences that strengthen your company culture.
When location-specific benefits are necessary, frame them as responses to local market conditions rather than arbitrary decisions. Employees generally understand that the cost of living, cultural norms, and legal requirements vary — they just want assurance that the company is fair and thoughtful in its approach.
Benefits That Go Beyond the Basics
Once you've covered healthcare, retirement plans, and time off, consider benefits that differentiate your company and support modern work styles. Enhanced health coverage through private insurance can provide better care access in countries with universal healthcare systems.
Wellness program benefits have proven particularly valuable for distributed teams. Mental health support, fitness stipends, and meditation app subscriptions address the unique challenges of remote work while promoting overall employee well-being.
Professional development stipends for courses, certifications, or conference attendance demonstrate investment in employee growth while keeping your team's skills current. These benefits often provide excellent return on investment through improved performance and retention.
Remote work benefits are significant for global teams and deserve thoughtful planning. Home office stipends support the creation of productive personal workspaces, while equipment allowances ensure everyone has the tools they need to succeed. Coworking space memberships can help remote employees stay focused, connected, and engaged.
Consider offering unique benefits that reflect your company's values. "I've seen companies like Zapier offer team and individual bonus plans," says Ugorji. "Other companies have offered a year-long supply of diapers to new parents on the team."
Don't overlook flexibility as a benefit. Flexible working hours, unlimited time off policies, and sabbatical options often cost little but provide tremendous value to employees seeking work-life balance. These in-kind benefits can be just as valuable as traditional monetary compensation.
Spread the Word About Your Benefits Offerings
The best benefits package in the world won't help with recruitment or retention if people don't know about it. Ugorji recommends treating benefits communication like a product launch: "We're going to have a launch, we're going to have a Q&A, and then we're going to build documentation for candidate experience."
Create comprehensive documentation that's easily searchable and accessible. Include country-specific information so employees understand exactly what applies to them. Use multiple communication channels — videos for visual learners, detailed written guides for reference, and interactive sessions for questions.
Make benefits a prominent part of your employer brand. Feature your competitive benefits offerings on your website and in job postings, tailored to specific regions where you're hiring. These become key differentiators that help candidates choose you over competitors.
Internally, regular communication keeps benefits top-of-mind and ensures utilization. Ugorji suggests using various formats: "I love making videos, memes, GIFs, and information graphics. And meet people where they are. Engineers don't like email, so put them in Slack."
Schedule annual benefits reviews where employees can ask questions, provide feedback, and learn about changes or additions. These sessions demonstrate ongoing investment in employee satisfaction while gathering insights for future improvements.
As your team grows, revisit your benefits strategy regularly. What works for a 10-person startup may not scale to 100 employees across multiple continents. Build review cycles into your planning process to stay competitive and compliant.
Offer Benefits for Your Global Team With RemoFirst
Creating and managing competitive global benefits packages doesn't have to overwhelm your HR team. RemoFirst simplifies international employment by handling compliance, payroll, and benefits administration — including navigating country-specific requirements — across 185+ countries.
As an Employer of Record (EOR), we ensure your global employees receive all mandatory statutory benefits. You also have the option to provide them with enhanced benefits through RemoHealth and RemoHealth Local — personalized and international private medical insurance.
Schedule a demo to see how RemoFirst can help you confidently hire international employees and offer competitive benefits packages without navigating the maze of local regulations yourself.
