There was a time when long service at a company was just expected. You worked, you stayed, you got a trophy, maybe a gift card, and that was that. But these days? Sticking around for 10, 15, or even 25 years is a statement. A flex. A sign that you’ve built something bigger than just a career.
And a moment like that deserves more than a standard-issue congratulations.
At Infosys, long-service awards were already a tradition, a trophy, a certificate, and a gift card to honour employees' dedication. It was thoughtful, it was structured, and it mattered.
But something was shifting. Employees weren’t just seeing Infosys as a workplace, they were wearing their tenure like a badge of pride. The logo wasn’t just a company symbol anymore; it meant something personal. And if people take pride in something, shouldn’t they get a way to own it, flaunt it, and celebrate it their way?
So, Infosys started thinking bigger. What if long-service awards weren’t just received but chosen? What if tenure wasn’t just marked but worn, used, and shown off?
And that’s when everything changed.
The Problem? Too Many Moving Parts
Now, turning tenure into something personal and exciting sounds great on paper. But in reality? It was a logistical maze.
Infosys already had a system in place, but that system relied on multiple third-party vendors to handle different parts of the process. And when too many hands are in the mix, things start slipping through the cracks.
Delays? Frequent.
Missed timelines? More often than they’d like.
A process that felt more complex than it needed to be? Definitely.
And for international employees, things got trickier. Returns were a headache. If something wasn’t right, sending it back wasn’t always easy or even possible. Instead of a smooth, exciting moment of recognition, the experience sometimes felt… complicated.
Infosys wanted long-service awards to feel effortless, exciting, and seamless across the globe. But first, they had to fix the foundation.
Hitting Reset on Recognition
Infosys didn’t need a quick patch-up job, they needed a fresh start. A system that didn’t just work but actually made long-service awards exciting again.
They wanted something simple, scalable, and built for choice. No more chasing vendors, no more wondering if an award would show up on time. Just a smooth, opt-in experience that employees could look forward to.
That’s when they turned to Mandaala.
Instead of untangling the existing mess, Mandaala built a system that cut out the noise. One that kept the tradition intact but made the process friction-free.
Long-service awards were about to go from routine to remarkable.
A Two-Portal System That Let Employees Own Their Milestone
Infosys wanted a system that gave employees control over their milestone celebration. Something seamless, structured, and actually exciting.
So, we built exactly that.
A two-part portal system that turned recognition into something employees could claim, customize, and celebrate their way.
Portal 1: Claiming the Milestone Kit
Every quarter, Infosys shared a list of employees hitting major work anniversaries. That’s when our system kicked in.
Instead of passively waiting for their awards, employees could log into and redeem their milestone gift themselves.
The experience was simple: They logged in, confirmed their details, and clicked to claim their milestone kit. No guesswork, no follow-ups, just a straightforward way to say, “Yes, I’m celebrating this.”
Inside the kit?
A milestone trophy: because tenure deserves more than just a “Congrats!” email.
A hardbound certificate: something real, something worth keeping.
A gift voucher: but not just any voucher. The denomination reflected their tenure—the longer they’d been at Infosys, the bigger their reward.
And that voucher? It wasn’t just a standalone reward, it was the key to Portal 2.
Portal 2: Turning Recognition Into a Personal Celebration
Long-service awards mean different things to different people. Some want something they can own and wear, a tangible reminder of their time at Infosys. Others prefer the flexibility to choose something that fits their lifestyle.
Portal 2 made that choice possible.
Employees could log in and decide how to use their voucher:
Infosys- branded merchandise : A hoodie, a bag, or accessories, something that wasn’t just a gift but a symbol of their journey. For many, the Infosys brand was more than just a logo, it was a badge of pride, a reminder of the years they’d spent growing with the company.
Global gift cards : Not everyone is into company merch, and that’s okay. With options from 50+ countries, employees could choose something personal, something that actually fit their preferences, no matter where they were in the world.
Instead of receiving a generic token, employees got to pick how they marked their milestone. Whether it was a hoodie they’d wear proudly or a gift card that let them choose their own reward, the experience felt intentional, personal, and truly theirs.
Recognition That Sticks
The system was built, the choices were in place, and employees were redeeming their milestone gifts without a second thought. But what they picked? That’s where things got interesting. With a gift card option available, you’d think employees would go straight for the easy cash equivalent, but 10-15% actively chose Infosys-branded merchandise instead, and that number is climbing. That’s not just a preference; that’s pride in action. When employees pick a hoodie or a bag over free spending money, it’s not just about a reward, it’s about owning their connection to the brand and wearing it beyond the office walls.
And behind the scenes? Everything just worked. No vendor delays, no missing shipments, just a system that ran itself, tracked itself, and delivered awards exactly when and where they needed to be. With global fulfillment and a dashboard that gave Infosys full visibility, recognition wasn’t just happening, it was happening right. Milestones felt like moments, not afterthoughts, and the impact stretched far beyond a single redemption.
Making Milestones Feel Like a Win
Infosys didn’t just smooth out a few wrinkles in their long-service awards, they gave them a whole new life. No more guessing when an award would arrive, no more one-size-fits-all gifts. Instead, employees got to call the shots, pick their reward, and actually feel excited about their milestone. Recognition went from being a routine process to something they could own. Literally.
Because tenure isn’t just about counting the years, it’s about the journey, the moments, and the pride of being part of something bigger. And when recognition is done right, it doesn’t just sit on a shelf, it gets worn, used, and shown off.
That’s the kind of recognition we love building at Mandaala. A little bit of MerchTech, a whole lot of magic, and a system that just works. Because the best milestones? They’re the ones employees actually want to celebrate.
Let’s talk about how to make that happen. Find a time that works for you, and let’s build recognition that sticks.
