Transitioning from Sodexo, how Pluxee is shaping employee benefits

Pluxee (formerly Sodexo BRS) is the leading employee benefits and engagement company that opens up a world of opportunities to help everyone enjoy more of what really matters to them. With over 26 years of legacy, the organisation nurtures a strong relationship with 11,000+ companies across India.

In conversation with Adgully, Harish Sarma, Marketing and Product Director, Pluxee India, delves into the transition of Sodexo BRS into its current identity, Pluxee.

With 14+ years of corporate experience, Sarma has played a pivotal role in Pluxee’s evolution, leading the brand through the new identity adoption. He explores the company’s strategy for upholding its established legacy while embracing a bold new identity. The emphasis is on how the brand plans to evolve persistently, leading as an innovative solution provider in the employee engagement and benefits space.

The legacy of Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services and its new identity

In the transition to Pluxee, how has the company ensured continuity in trust, quality, and service that customers associate with the legacy of Sodexo BRS?

As Sodexo BRS transitions to its new identity, Pluxee proudly reaffirms our dedication to the constant pillars of trust, quality, and service excellence. With a vast network comprising 3.5 million consumers, 150,000+ merchants, and 11,000+ clients, Pluxee embraces our role as a Partner of Trust.

The refreshed brand identity and a renewed focus on innovation in employee benefits underscore our commitment to elevating the workplace experience. We continue innovating within the employee benefits space, empowering consumers to prioritise what matters most to them.

We continue to innovate the modern workplace and embrace sustainability through initiatives like Green PIN and digital contracting. This vision is further reaffirmed by our global goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2035.

As we build on the Sodexo BRS legacy, our commitment extends to creating a world of opportunities for everyone.

What are the distinctive features and innovations that showcase the brand’s commitment to embracing change and staying at the forefront of the industry?

Pluxee’s commitment to innovation and adaptability is evident through our rich history of pioneering industry benchmarks and consistently providing cutting-edge solutions. Since 1997, we’ve evolved from offering meal benefits to being a top choice for employee benefits in India. We’ve adapted to changes, transitioning to a fully digital platform with the Pluxee India app, emphasising our commitment to staying technologically advanced.

What sets Pluxee apart is our forward-thinking approach to addressing the evolving needs of a diverse workforce. By focusing on digital and financial inclusion, particularly for small and mid-sized firms, startups, and unicorns, Pluxee is catering to the entrepreneurial spirit of the current generation. This commitment positions us as a catalyst for economic development within local communities.

Moreover, our emphasis on consumer engagement is evident through the holistic approach to employee benefits. Including new-age benefits such as well-being, travel, gadgets, and a user-friendly app showcases our dedication to meeting the changing workforce expectations. As the first choice for numerous major public and private employers, Pluxee’s commitment to embracing change and providing innovative solutions remains solid, making us a key player in shaping the industry’s future.

What milestones and goals does Pluxee aim to achieve as it moves forward, maintaining a balance between preserving the trusted legacy and embracing the bold new identity?

Pluxee is dedicated to adopting a fresh new identity deeply ingrained in innovation, digitisation, sustainability, and more. We aim to optimise solutions for clients, consumers, merchants, and partners, ensuring that our products positively impact their daily lives.

Our suite of employee benefits solutions is evolving into a new avatar, with a keen emphasis on providing valuable benefits to companies and enhancing the well-being of consumers. Central to this strategy is our commitment to environmental sustainability. Pluxee envisions achieving net-zero status by 2035, and we’re actively undergoing a profound transformation of our operations to reach this goal. We have already implemented sustainable practices, such as offering solutions that help eliminate physical PINs and cards, with plans to further reduce plastic and paper usage by introducing digital-only card issuance and allowing consumers to request physical cards on a need basis.

This approach aligns with our commitment to sustainability and enhances the overall consumer experience by offering flexibility and reducing environmental impact. Pluxee is more than just a brand; it’s a commitment to creating an ecosystem that cares for the current and future generations.

What Pluxee stands for and signifies:

Could you delve into the etymology, symbolism, and design choices behind Pluxee’s logo, providing insight into the thought process that went into crafting the brand’s visual identity?

Pluxee’s logo is an embodiment of our core values and mission to enhance the lives of both employers and employees. The etymology of the brand name, ‘Pluxee’, is an amalgamation of words with significant meaning:

‘Plux’ conveys positivity and symbolises the world of opportunities we seek to provide, making life more joyful for all stakeholders involved.
The ‘X’ in the logo represents personalised and sustainable experiences, underlining Pluxee’s commitment to tailoring solutions to individual needs. It also signifies the brand’s dedication to putting stakeholders first in all endeavours.
The double ‘ee’ in Pluxee serves a two-fold purpose, standing for ‘employee engagement’ and emphasising the empowerment of the workforce to shape their lifestyles.

The design choices behind Pluxee’s logo mirror its digital, optimistic, and innovative identity. As a brand deployed in 31 countries, the logo represents a global outlook, aligning with the diverse range of solutions it offers. Pluxee’s commitment to meaningful, engaging, and personalised experiences is visually encapsulated in the logo, reflecting the brand’s dedication to contributing to the well-being of individuals at work and beyond. From meals and gifts to wellness and mobility, Pluxee’s logo represents our promise to bring enhanced value to people’s lives, symbolising optimism, and innovation.

In the transition to Pluxee, how does the change resonate with and impact various stakeholders such as consumers, merchants, clients, and employees? What specific benefits or transformations can they anticipate?

Sodexo BRS’s transition to Pluxee marks a significant leap forward in our commitment to serving and empowering various stakeholders.

For consumers, the change resonates with the promise of an enhanced experience. Pluxee is dedicated to making it easier for individuals to access and utilise their benefits, offering a broader range of choices, including new-age benefits such as learning, well-being, travel, and gadgets. This commitment caters to the evolving needs of consumers. It aligns with the new generation’s entrepreneurial mindset, providing a world of opportunities to enjoy more of what really matters to them.
Merchants, the backbone of our success story, can anticipate even more value with Pluxee.
The transition brings forth enriched and powerful offerings, ensuring that our vast network of clients is better equipped to manage their employee benefit programmes.
Pluxee’s commitment to sustainability and social responsibility further adds to the positive impact on communities. With initiatives like digitising contracts, offering cardless payments, and collaborating with eco-conscious vendors, Pluxee aims to reduce its environmental footprint.
The focus on diversity, inclusion, and support for differently-abled individuals and women entrepreneurs underscores our dedication to creating a more inclusive business environment.

Ultimately, the transition to Pluxee showcases our holistic commitment to nurturing stronger relationships and creating a world of opportunities for all stakeholders involved.

How Pluxee will lead the employee engagement landscape:

Could you outline Pluxee’s vision for the future of employee benefits and how the company plans to lead in shaping this evolving terrain?

Pluxee’s vision for the future of employee benefits is grounded in a commitment to creating enriching and sustainable experiences for employees at work and beyond. The company aims to lead in shaping the evolving terrain of employee benefits by focusing on digital and financial inclusion, particularly for small and mid-sized firms, startups, and unicorns. We recognise the changing needs of the workforce and are dedicated to evolving with these expectations.

Pluxee’s suite of products, including a multi-benefit platform, incentive and recognition solutions, and a digital cafeteria offering, reflects the company’s dedication to providing a comprehensive range of benefits. Pluxee acknowledges the shift in employee expectations beyond traditional discussions of compensation to a desire for more appreciation, autonomy, learning, and diverse benefits.

We envision a future where employee engagement is a global standard, and Pluxee is at the forefront, offering a range of future-ready benefits accessible through a single platform. The commitment to stakeholder experience, enriched offerings, and sustainability underscores Pluxee’s role as a leader in shaping the future of employee benefits, contributing to a positive work environment and creating a world of opportunities for businesses and employees alike.