As organizations grow and evolve, their programs need to grow with them. Different teams work in different ways, rewards mean different things to different people, and global companies rarely follow one set of rules. That’s why in the fourth quarter of 2025, we delivered updates designed to help programs become more flexible, adapt to different governance needs, and reach employees where they are. What we delivered in Q4 2025 Recognition context fields – Capture project details and award rationale for high-value recognitions Flexible incentive campaign types – Separate monetary and non-monetary programs with tailored approval flows Grouped celebration reminders – Consolidate multiple birthdays and anniversaries into single manager notifications Zero-points catalog browsing – Let employees explore rewards without redemption blockers SMS notification opt-in – Reach deskless employees through their preferred channel Localized Total Rewards experiences – Regional layouts, currencies, and data presentation Local Admin role – Country-specific administration without fragmenting global governance These innovations reflect our broader vision: bringing recognition, total rewards, communications, surveys, and talent development together in one People & Culture Intelligence platform that generates the insights you need to keep improving. This quarter caps off a year of sustained product innovation. From smarter recognition flows to better Total Rewards visibility and AI agents for managers, 2025 was all about flexibility, intelligence, and ease of use. Check out our Year in Review for the full story. Recognition and Rewards: Programs that scale without creating barriers Recognition and Rewards programs need to work both ways: structured enough to maintain trust and accountability as they scale, and open enough that employees can explore, engage, and participate without friction. This quarter’s updates address both sides of that balance. Adding context and accountability to recognition programs Best for: HR Admins, Program Owners, Approvers Several of our enterprise clients shared a common challenge around high-value recognition programs. While the programs themselves were well designed, approvers often lacked enough context to confidently review recognitions. In parallel, HR teams needed clearer records to support reporting, audits, and long-term program analysis. To address this, recognition programs can now include optional fields that capture the project or initiative behind a recognition, as well as the rationale for granting it. This information is captured during the recognition process and displayed in approvals and reporting, creating a clear audit trail from submission through review. This added context supports better decision-making, strengthens trust in the process, and allows recognition programs to scale without losing clarity or purpose. For HR teams, it provides the documentation needed for governance standards, program audits, and executive reporting. Adapting incentive campaigns to different reward models Best for: HR Admins, Program Owners Incentive programs serve different purposes. Some reward financial outcomes, while others encourage participation, reinforce values, or recognize specific behaviors. Clients running a mix of these programs told us that applying the same structure and approval rules to every campaign created unnecessary friction. In response, incentive campaigns were updated to better reflect how rewards are actually used. Organizations can now choose between monetary and non-monetary initiatives and decide when approvals are required based on the nature of the campaign. This makes it easier to design incentive programs that align with their intent. Lighter initiatives can move faster, while more formal programs retain the structure they need. The result is operational flexibility without compromising control. Approval workflows remain fully configurable, so organizations maintain complete control over which campaign types require review. See how intelligent R&R systems capture context, reveal patterns, and help you make smarter decisions about culture and talent. get the whitepaper Making celebration reminders easier to manage Best for: Managers Celebration moments such as birthdays and work anniversaries are important, but they are easy to miss when reminders arrive too late or in large numbers. Updates to celebration reminders now group multiple events into a single summary when they fall on the same day. Managers receive one clear overview instead of several separate notifications, making it easier to see what needs attention and act on it. This small change reduces inbox noise and supports more consistent recognition of everyday moments. Exploring rewards without blockers Best for: Employees Browsing the rewards catalog should feel open and informative, even when employees don’t yet have points to redeem. Previously, users with zero points encountered blockers early in the redemption flow, limiting their ability to explore what’s available. With this update, employees can now freely browse products and experiences without interruption. Product descriptions, images, customization options, experience details, and donation information remain fully accessible. All related payment and top-up elements are automatically hidden, keeping the experience clean, consistent, and easy to navigate. This creates a more intuitive experience by allowing employees to explore the catalog freely, discover what’s available, and save ideas for later, even if they’re not yet able to redeem. Reaching employees through the channels they actually use Best for: HR Admins, Employees (frontline and deskless teams) Not all employees work at a desk or have regular access to email or mobile apps. For frontline and deskless teams, this can create gaps in communication and recognition. To support these environments, employees can now opt into receiving SMS notifications and manage their contact details directly within their profile. This removes reliance on HRIS data for phone numbers and gives employees control over how they receive important messages. This update was driven by real-world use cases where SMS is the most reliable way to reach employees. It helps ensure recognition and communication moments reach everyone, regardless of role or work environment. SMS opt-in is employee-controlled, and organizations can configure which notification types are available via SMS. Total Rewards Hub: Flexibility across global and local realities As organizations scale globally, Total Rewards experiences need to balance consistency with local relevance. The latest updates focus on supporting that balance without adding administrative complexity. Total Rewards experiences that reflect local context Best for: Employees, Managers, HRIT Global employees need Total Rewards information presented in ways that match their regional expectations, not just translated into their language. The Total Rewards Hub now adapts more fully to an employee’s location. Beyond translation, the experience adjusts layouts, currencies, widgets, and data presentation based on regional expectations and structures. Employees see rewards information in formats that make sense locally, while managers gain clearer visibility into rewards across different regions. This helps reduce confusion and builds confidence in the information being presented. Supporting local administration without disrupting global governance Best for: HR Admins, HRIT Global organizations often need regional administrators to manage rewards at a local level. At the same time, they need to preserve centralized oversight. The introduction of a Local Admin role allows organizations to delegate country-specific responsibilities while keeping existing admin roles and workflows unchanged. Local administrators automatically see only the information relevant to their region, while global teams retain full visibility and control. This supports localized ownership without fragmenting the overall Total Rewards setup. Permissions are role-based and regionally scoped, with global admins retaining full visibility and override capabilities. From flexibility to impact These updates give you more ways to run programs that fit your organization: recognition with the governance you need and Total Rewards experiences that adapt to regional expectations. In 2026, we’re keeping the same pace. Expect more innovations that strengthen our People & Culture Intelligence platform, new capabilities that surface insights faster, connect employee moments to business outcomes, and help you make smarter decisions about recognition, rewards, and culture. If you’d like to explore these updates or see how our solutions can support your people strategy, book a demo with our team. Let’s connect Related posts Semos Cloud Q3 2025 Product Innovation: Removing Friction from Recognition, Feedback, and Rewards read more Redefining Total Rewards: From Fragmented Data to Strategic Advantage read more Semos Cloud H1 2025 Product Innovation: Powering Meaningful Employee Experiences read more
