Building an employee rewards program for one office is straightforward. Building one that works for offices in Manila, Munich, and Minneapolis at the same time is a different challenge entirely. What feels like a generous reward in one country can feel confusing, inaccessible, or even worthless in another.

That's why more HR and total rewards leaders are turning to global rewards catalogs: curated marketplaces that let every employee, regardless of location, redeem points for something they actually want. Below, we'll cover the most popular redemption options across a global rewards catalog, what makes a global program successful, and how to make sure your rewards actually fit the employees receiving them.

What is a global rewards catalog?

A global rewards catalog is a marketplace of redemption options, from gift cards to merchandise to cash, built to work across multiple countries, currencies, and languages. Instead of one fixed set of rewards shipped out from headquarters, employees browse a catalog tailored to their own region and redeem points for whatever fits their life. 

The goal is to give every employee, no matter where they're located, the same quality of experience and the same freedom of choice.

Why redemption options matter more than most programs realize

When a program offers limited items at marked up prices, employees aren’t going to be happy with their options. And this is exponentially more true for global workforces.

Consider that a $50 reward might buy dinner for two in New York or a week of groceries in Manila. A prepaid card that works seamlessly in the U.S. may charge steep conversion fees or simply not be accepted somewhere else. Getting redemption options right isn't a nice-to-have; it's the difference between a program employees actually use and one they quietly ignore.

The most common redemption categories in a global rewards catalog

Most global reward marketplaces are built around a handful of core categories that show up across nearly every program:

• Gift cards: Still one of the most requested reward types worldwide, gift cards give employees flexibility to shop where they already shop, from major retailers to local and regional brands.
• Marketplace and retail products: Direct access to a retailer's catalog, like Amazon, lets employees redeem points for everyday products shipped straight to their door.
• Prepaid and virtual payment cards: Loaded points on a virtual or physical card that work almost anywhere a payment card is accepted, giving employees the freedom to spend however they choose.
• Cash and cash-equivalent options: Whether through payroll or direct deposit, converting points to cash remains one of the most requested options, especially among employees who want maximum flexibility.

The common thread across all four is choice. Even within a fairly standard set of categories, the wider and more locally relevant the options, the more likely a reward actually resonates.

Some platforms go well beyond this baseline, adding categories like travel bookings, curated experiences, charitable giving, and fully custom company merchandise catalogs. These aren't standard across the industry, but where they exist, they meaningfully widen what "choice" can mean for an employee.

Tailoring global rewards to fit region, currency, and spending power

A rewards catalog that works well domestically can fall flat the moment it crosses a border. A few things separate a program that truly works globally from one that just technically operates globally:

• Local currency, not currency conversion: Employees should see reward values in their own currency, not a converted estimate from headquarters. Awardco's platform, for example, supports local rewards across 135 countries and 163 currencies, so employees never have to do the math themselves.
• Regionally relevant brands: An employee in Tokyo should see brands they actually shop at, not a list of U.S. retailers they've never heard of. Localized, custom catalogs make redemption feel personal instead of foreign.
• Realistic spending power: A reward that's a modest treat in one market might be a significant purchase in another. Point values and reward tiers should account for regional cost of living and purchasing power, not a single flat conversion rate.
• Fulfillment and shipping realities: Physical rewards need to actually arrive. Programs that promise global rewards but stumble on international shipping, customs, or delivery timelines quickly lose employee trust.
• Cultural recognition norms: Recognition itself isn't universal. Some cultures favor public praise, others prefer private acknowledgment, and some emphasize team recognition over individual spotlighting. A thoughtful global program accounts for these differences rather than exporting one region's norms to everyone else.
• Language and accessibility: Employees should be able to browse, redeem, and get support in their own language. A catalog that only functions in English isn't a global catalog; it's a domestic one with a passport.

Getting these details right takes more intention than loading a single catalog and hoping it works everywhere. But when it's done well, employees across every region get an equally meaningful experience, which is the entire point of a global program in the first place.

Common mistakes global rewards programs make

Even well-intentioned programs run into the same handful of problems when they expand across borders:

• Relying on a single multi-currency card: It sounds like an elegant fix, but in practice it often means high conversion fees, uneven merchant acceptance, and employees left to sort out the details themselves.
• Loading one catalog and calling it global: A single list of rewards, translated but not localized, still centers one region's preferences. Employees elsewhere end up choosing from options that were never really built for them.
• Underestimating shipping and fulfillment: A reward that gets stuck in customs or arrives weeks late undercuts the entire purpose of the recognition moment.
• Ignoring local tax and compliance requirements: Reward taxability varies by country and reward type. Programs that don't account for this upfront often run into payroll or reporting issues later.
• Treating recognition norms as universal: A public shoutout that lands well in one culture might feel uncomfortable in another. Programs that don't adapt to regional recognition norms risk recognition that reads as performative rather than genuine.

Most of these mistakes come from treating "global" as a translation problem instead of a design problem. Avoiding them takes the same intention outlined above: local currency, relevant brands, realistic spending power, and reliable fulfillment.

What Awardco's own data shows about reward preferences

Awardco's marketplace goes beyond the standard set of gift cards, marketplace products, prepaid cards, and cash. It also includes travel bookings, curated experiences, charitable giving, and fully custom company merchandise catalogs, giving employees a far wider range of ways to spend their points. 

Even with all of that variety available, a clear pattern shows up in the redemption data. For example, the single most redeemed item on the Awardco platform right now is Amazon gift cards, followed closely by virtual prepaid cards.

Why is that? When Awardco offers electronics, hotel stays, clothing, furniture, and all manner of physical items, why are these cards the most popular?

It’s because they're flexible, general-purpose options that let the employee decide what happens next.

If employees themselves aren't always sure exactly what they want at the moment, employers have even less chance of guessing correctly on their behalf. A catalog stocked with predetermined items, however well-intentioned, is a bet on what someone else values. A catalog built around choice removes the guesswork entirely.

This is why point-based rewards work so well, especially when they're connected to a large reward network. Employees earn points for recognition and simply decide, at the moment of redemption, what matters most to them: cash today, a gift card for a favorite retailer, or something else entirely. 

Awardco's platform gives employees access to the largest reward network available, so that choice never comes at the expense of options. The result is a recognition program that feels personal to every single employee, without requiring HR to predict thousands of individual preferences.

A research-backed consideration

While gift cards are an extremely popular choice—Fiserv's Q4 2023 Gift Card Survey found that 80% of employees would prefer a gift card as a reward from their employer, and the leading reason, cited by 77% of respondents, is that gift cards let them purchase what they actually want—they aren’t the only, or even the best, option.

Awardco's own 2026 State of Recognition report found that while gift cards remain a popular reward, they don’t impact employee engagement much. Rewards like personalized items, swag, and activities all impacted engagement more.

So the lesson is, a wide catalog lets employees redeem the flexible option most of them reach for, while still leaving room for the more personal choices that tend to deepen engagement.

Frequently asked questions

Are gift cards taxable for employees globally? Reward taxability varies by country and reward type, so there's no single global rule. Some regions treat gift cards and cash-equivalent rewards as taxable income, while others have exemptions for small or infrequent gifts. Companies running global programs should confirm withholding, payroll reporting, and filing requirements for each region during setup rather than assuming one country's rules apply everywhere.

How do companies handle currency conversion for global rewards? The best global rewards platforms display point values directly in an employee's local currency rather than converting on the fly, which avoids confusion and unpredictable exchange rate swings. Some platforms also support redemption through existing local payment accounts, avoiding conversion fees altogether.

Do all employees prefer the same type of reward? No. Preferences vary by region, generation, and individual circumstance. Cash and gift cards tend to have the broadest appeal because of their flexibility, while younger employees often show more interest in experiences and charitable giving. This is part of why choice-based catalogs consistently outperform fixed reward lists.

Can companies still customize a global rewards catalog? Yes. Most platforms allow organizations to build custom catalogs curated by region, role, or program, so companies can maintain budget and brand control while still giving employees a meaningful set of choices.

The takeaway

A global rewards program isn't about offering the most rewards. It's about offering the right rewards, in the right currency, through the right brands, with enough flexibility that every employee finds something worth redeeming. Gift cards, prepaid cards, cash, and marketplace access consistently top the list because they put the decision where it belongs: with the employee.

Ready to see what a truly global rewards catalog looks like in practice? Explore Awardco's global rewards marketplace and see how employees everywhere can redeem rewards that actually fit their lives.