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At our recent Global Benefits Leaders Dinner at The Shard, senior HR, Reward, and Benefits leaders gathered for an open discussion on what it really takes to modernize global benefits with technology.

During the fireside chat, Dan Couzens, Global Benefits Director at Red Hat, and Sophie Gilliam, EMEA Benefits Lead at Ciena, shared candid reflections on their transformation journeys 鈥� from governance and IT partnerships to automation, AI, and global alignment.

We received more questions than we could cover live. Below, Dan and Sophie expand on some of the most practical themes raised on the night.

Validating data and managing risk at scale

What SOX processes or requirements are in place to validate data sent to Benifex?

At Ciena, Sophie explained that structured data-governance processes are already in place, with consistent guiding principles across regions.

Core employee data is validated at the source through Workday controls and audit logs. Changes impacting benefits 鈥� such as eligibility, dates, or employment status 鈥� are subject to automated checks. Data feeds to external providers go through reconciliation steps so anomalies can be flagged early.

The focus is on ensuring accuracy at the point of entry, rather than relying on downstream fixes.

At Red Hat, Dan noted that there are no specific SOX compliance processes related to data transfer. However, data fed to Benifex is transferred securely via SFTP directly from Workday.

How technology has shaped broker conversations

How has the implementation affected your broker relationships?

At Ciena, introducing the platform has improved the quality of conversations with brokers.

Sophie explained that the team now has better visibility of enrollment patterns, demographics, and utilization. That visibility means they can challenge assumptions and design more intentionally, rather than relying on anecdotal insights.

Conversations have shifted toward long-term trends, rather than focusing primarily on annual renewal cycles.

Importantly, the platform hasn鈥檛 replaced the broker relationship 鈥� it has made it more data-driven.

Partnering with IT: A true business-technology collaboration

What has your experience been partnering with IT on implementation?

For Ciena, this was described as a strong partnership. IT handled integrations, security reviews, and change control, while Sophie led benefits design and user experience. A joint project team, clear ownership, and weekly checkpoints helped keep the program on track.

Crucially, it was positioned not as a 鈥渂enefits project,鈥� but as a shared business-technology initiative.

At Red Hat, Dan shared a similar emphasis on partnership. The Benefits team worked closely with their Workforce Technology team (WTS) from the initial business case through to implementation. WTS were integral during the RFP and vendor assessment, clearly articulating technical requirements and integration considerations. Having their input, feedback, and buy-in was essential 鈥� and resource planning was critical to the project鈥檚 success.

Securing financial backing for a global rollout

How did you secure financial backing for a global implementation?

At Ciena, a clear ROI story was built around risk reduction, global consistency, and administrative efficiency. Demonstrating scalability 鈥� not just local wins 鈥� helped secure leadership support, as did the clear employee experience uplift.

At Red Hat, Dan highlighted that a solid business case was developed covering known issues and strategic outcomes aligned with global benefits and broader business goals. This included:

• Driving efficiencies and removing manual processes.
• Freeing up Operations capacity for more value-added work.
• Scalability to avoid hiring additional operations staff as headcount grows.
• Reduction of risk due to processing errors.
• Improved associate experience and engagement.
• The ability to gain more meaningful insights into benefit cost and utilization.

The opportunity to streamline administration through scalable technology aligned directly with the goals of Operations and Technology functions.

Deciding which benefits belong on the platform

How did you decide which benefits to add to the platform?

At Ciena, decisions were guided by employee feedback, Benifex insights, and local compliance requirements 鈥� striking a balance between global standards and local relevance. In most cases, all country benefits were included in the Benifex platform, even if some remained managed externally with content and links only. For example, Bike to Work in the UK and Germany is managed via the provider鈥檚 external site, so the platform includes content and a direct link rather than a transactional journey.

At Red Hat, Dan shared that all programs owned by the Benefits team will be visible on the platform. However, not all benefits will be transactional, as some processes are already automated or managed via vendor systems. Each program was assessed to determine opportunities to automate and remove manual intervention while maintaining an optimal associate experience.

Automation, reimbursements & flexibility

Are you using the platform to manage reimbursements or flexible allowances?

Ciena doesn鈥檛 currently operate flex allowances through the platform. Where reimbursements exist, they remain within Workday.

At Red Hat, Dan confirmed that where possible, the technology is being used. Some programs are 鈥� or will be 鈥� managed through a spending account model, while others may still redirect to an existing flex administrator for processing.

Managing provider resistance to automation

How have you handled resistance from providers where automation is limited?

Sophie acknowledged this can be challenging in certain markets. Starting with the simplest automation possible, setting clear minimum data standards, and engaging providers early in the process has helped build progress over time. It鈥檚 an ongoing journey, but Sophie highlighted that although not everything can be automated, transparency helps manage expectations.

At Red Hat, Dan noted this hasn鈥檛 yet been a significant issue. The key, he said, is discussion and partnership. Broker relationships can also help bridge automation gaps where needed.

AI: Potential and perceived risk

Where do you see risks with AI making assumptions about employees鈥� needs?

Ciena鈥檚 view is that the risks lie in oversimplification or misinterpretation. AI can surface patterns, but it shouldn鈥檛 dictate individual choices. Governance, transparency, and human oversight are essential. The goal is to help employees navigate options 鈥� not steer them toward predetermined outcomes.

At Red Hat, Dan shared that they鈥檙e not yet using AI to support associates with benefits choices. He sees potential risks in AI hallucination and in ensuring sufficient data is available to properly train smaller language models.

Both perspectives reinforced a consistent message: AI should enhance the experience, not replace human judgement.

Engagement beyond annual enrollment

Is the platform used year-round or primarily for annual enrollment?

At Ciena, while open enrollment remains the peak period, engagement continues throughout the year 鈥� particularly around life events, new hires, education, and checking coverage details. Increasing year-round usage remains a focus as employees grow more comfortable with self-service.

At Red Hat, it鈥檚 still early to assess engagement in depth. The platform has been live in four countries for only a few months and has so far launched softly. However, initial login and activity data look positive. The long-term goal is for the platform to become a one-stop shop for all benefits information and administration 鈥� not just a once-a-year destination.

The biggest blocker to buy-in

What was the biggest challenge in securing global alignment?

At Ciena, aligning regions around a common approach was the main hurdle, as each market has its own preferences and legacy processes. Early stakeholder engagement, strong governance, and demonstrating quick wins helped build trust and momentum. Highlighting risk reduction and data accuracy also resonated strongly, and once people saw the operational benefits, momentum built naturally.

At Red Hat, Dan highlighted the importance of getting all relevant teams to the table 鈥� Workforce Technology, Payroll, Operations, and Leadership 鈥� and ensuring they clearly understood the business need. Timing also played a key role, particularly following internal reorganizations. The alignment of scalable technology with Operations and Technology goals also helped unlock support.

A shared theme: Progress over perfection

What came through clearly from both Red Hat and Ciena is that global benefits transformation isn鈥檛 about chasing perfection. It鈥檚 about creating clarity, reducing risk, improving visibility, and using technology to enable both operational efficiency and a better employee experience.

Thank you again to Dan and Sophie for their openness 鈥� and to everyone who joined us for such a thoughtful discussion.

You can watch the on demand session here to revisit the discussion. If you鈥檇 like to discuss specific topics covered throughout the event, speak to a Benifex expert.