3 min read
Money and finance may be universal, but attitudes towards them can vary across cultures and regions. So why should your global financial wellbeing strategy take a one-size-fits-all approach when employees have different financial priorities?
AXA XL embraced this mindset, recognizing that with 10,000+ employees in 29 countries, a localized approach would be essential. By tailoring global financial wellbeing initiatives to regional needs, they boosted engagement and provided meaningful support to their employees.
Matthew Hunt, Head of Global Benefits for AXA XL, joined us for our February webinar, ‘Inspiring local teams for global financial wellbeing success in 2025 and beyond’. During this webinar Matthew shares how his think global, act local approach has helped him drive engagement with their financial wellbeing program.
Through employee surveys, AXA XL uncovered significant differences in financial confidence across regions. Matthew Hunt, Global Total Rewards Leader at AXA XL, saw this firsthand:
“We recognized that financial wellbeing means different things for different people, and for [our financial wellbeing strategy] to be truly impactful, it had to be adapted to reflect local cultures and challenges.”
Why does a local strategy matter?
For global companies like AXA XL, financial challenges vary widely. Topics relevant in one region may not resonate in another. Ensuring relevance is key to driving engagement and impact.
To make financial wellbeing more accessible, AXA XL launched Invest in You last year - a global campaign brand that could be adapted regionally. This ensured that financial education remained engaging, actionable, and culturally relevant for all employees.
The more employees engaged with financial education, the more confident they became. AXA XL’s approach reinforced a critical lesson: financial wellbeing isn’t just about providing resources, it’s about making them meaningful.
Bring a global strategy to life locally
Education was just the start. AXA XL knew that real engagement and change would come from within – by leveraging local champions and influencers. As reinforced by Matthew Hunt:
“We have financial wellbeing champions in different parts of the business with different geographies and functions. It’s been important for us to engage them because they are really at the front line with our employees.”
By empowering local champions, AXA XL ensured that their financial wellbeing strategy felt personal and relatable. Utilizing their champions within the organization meant they were able to see real-time insights into employee concerns that helped tailor initiatives to their regions.
The impact? AXA XL saw an increase in trust, engagement, and wellbeing strategy that truly reflected employees’ financial realities.
“These individuals were really passionate about financial wellbeing. We made sure we tapped into their energy and commitment to drive the initiative forward.”
Is this approach successful?
The short answer is yes, AXA XL was able to find there had been a real impact:
What does that mean for you?
A successful financial wellbeing strategy doesn’t have to be one-size-fits-all. AXA XL saw a need for change and embraced a localized approach, with results that speak for themselves both through nudge’s data but also employee feedback:
“People were keen to get involved and to learn, and we had really good feedback from them”, says Matthew. “We actually did a survey afterward, just to find out more about how they felt it landed locally in their countries, and the feedback was fantastic with everyone thinking it was worthwhile.”
Your organization can do the same. By listening to employees, leveraging local influencers, and using platforms like nudge, you can create a financial wellbeing strategy that resonates globally and locally.
Want to find out more local and global insights? Download our global financial wellbeing playbook to get actionable insights with real success stories.