Multinational employers have always faced challenges in meeting the diverse health and well-being needs of their employees. They often must navigate a maze of labor laws and tax codes, varying insurance models, compliance needs, regional crises, cultural norms and much more as they strive to offer benefits to all their employees, around the world.

As Business Group on Health commemorates the 20th anniversary of our Global Institute, a community of multinational employers, thought leaders and industry representatives, we take a moment to reflect on how the global benefits landscape has evolved and will continue to evolve.

Growing Focus on Governance

There has been much talk in the last two decades about a globalized world, which often refers to the interconnectedness and interdependence of countries across the economy, the workforce and technology. Yet, for health and well-being leaders with responsibility for overseeing benefits across the globe, that interconnectedness has not always existed in benefits programs. To address these challenges, employers are increasingly turning to structured governance frameworks as a solution. Evidence shows that effective governance enables organizations to proactively manage risks, align benefits with corporate values, and respond swiftly to evolving regulations or workforce needs.

For example, best practices highlighted in the Business Group’s Constructive Governance Communications guide include establishing clear roles and responsibilities for global and local benefits teams, maintaining transparent decision-making processes and leveraging data-driven reporting to monitor outcomes and drive improvements. Some leading employers also implement regular cross-regional governance meetings and standardized communication protocols to ensure all stakeholders are aligned and informed.

By adopting these governance practices, employers can more efficiently oversee benefit programs that are tailored to local needs while maintaining global consistency, ultimately enhancing employee satisfaction and organizational resilience.

Increased Need to Balance Consistent Benefit Offerings with Local Needs

Over the last 20 years, there has been a shift in thinking about health and well-being by multinational employers. What were once conversations about providing specific benefits individualized for each country, has now transformed into a conversation about how to incorporate consistency in benefit offerings while also acknowledging the diverse needs of employees. In fact, the Business Group’s 2025 Employer Well-being Strategy Survey highlights the continued movement toward global consistency for well-being programs, with 85% of employers either operating with such a strategy or in the process of implementing one.

In the Business Group’s Creating a Globally Consistent Benefits Strategy Guide, we highlight how conducting a comprehensive review of infrastructure barriers and understanding legal mandates allows organizations to develop a global consistent benefits strategy that overcomes challenges and meet the diverse needs of their workforce.

Employers who are members of Business Group on Health benefit from access to resources and peer insights that help them identify these evolving needs and design benefits strategies that balance global consistency with local relevance. This ensures that benefit offerings support the overall well-being and engagement of their multinational workforce.

Emphasis on Connecting with Peers

Global employers need more than ever a network that fosters peer-to-peer learning and collective problem-solving. Through both in-person and virtual forums, Business Group on Health members gain exposure to innovative approaches and real-world solutions from other leading multinational organizations. This network is especially valuable during times of crisis or regulatory change, as it enables rapid sharing of best practices and lessons learned.

Business Group on Health has supported multinationals by providing:

• An in-person and virtual network of peers and external experts to collectively solve problems.
• Access to multiple perspectives, as represented by colleagues in diverse locations and in varied roles, including global benefits leaders, global well-being leaders and chief medical officers.
• Real-time access to global insights, especially in times of crisis like the measles outbreaks, natural disaster response and well-being support during times of unrest.

In 2024 alone, leaders from 88 multinational employers across 24 countries gained actionable strategies and solutions by participating in regional events across EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Latin America—connecting with fellow HR, benefits, and well-being professionals to address shared challenges and opportunities.

The Future 

Multinational entities continually adapt the design and delivery of benefits for diverse and geographically dispersed workforces. As this global landscape evolves further, the Business Group will continue to serve as a vital resource so that multinational employers better navigate complexity in the benefits arena and lead with impact.