Why eSIMs belong in your employee benefits package

The way we think about employee benefits is evolving. Traditional perks like health insurance, pensions, and paid time off remain foundational, but today's globally distributed, remote-first workforce expects more.

People leaders increasingly design benefits that not only cover the basics, but also actively support employees' day-to-day experiences — especially when work takes them abroad.

We sat down with Dominique Morel, People Operations Lead at Airalo, to chat about how one benefit that is moving from "nice-to-have" to "must-have" is connectivity abroad.

“I wouldn’t even say to some extent it’s a perk. I would say it’s a given — a bit like most places you get a laptop. If you’re expected to travel, you’re expected to have connectivity.”

— Dominique Morel, People Operations Lead at Airalo

For some companies, this connectivity means high roaming costs. Fortunately, Airalo for Business was designed to centralize team connectivity and reduce roaming expenses.

The hidden cost of poor connectivity abroad

When employees travel for conferences, client meetings, or team off-sites, connectivity is often the first hurdle they face upon landing abroad. This is often when connectivity is needed most.

Missed emails, important updates, and revisions to presentations or documents must be actively communicated with employees. Losing out on updates not only makes work harder, but could also lead to missing pivotal business opportunities.

The impact goes beyond inconvenience. Missed emails can mean missed opportunities. Struggling to access schedules or documents erodes productivity. Furthermore, the emotional toll of not being able to quickly touch base with loved ones can make employees less willing to travel again.

“Connectivity is now a baseline expectation; it’s how most of our work is done and communicated. Without it, it’s hard to see an alternative for employees being productive and updated abroad.”

Why eSIMs solve this problem

This is where eSIMs — and Airalo for Business — come in. With a business eSIM, employees can land in a new country, activate their new eSIM, and connect within minutes.

With Airalo for Business:

• A sales rep touches down in Singapore and opens their Airalo app. Within minutes, they are online, checking the latest client updates before their first meeting.
• A consultant at a conference in Paris can use real-time translation apps, navigate the city confidently, and check in with family back home.
• A remote team gathering in Mexico City stays seamlessly connected, sharing locations for team dinners and coordinating last-minute agenda changes.

Without Airalo for Business:

• Employees scramble to connect to hotel Wi-Fi, only to find it unreliable or capped.
• Time is wasted queuing at airport kiosks or fumbling with reimbursements for local SIM cards.
• Critical updates, calls, or collaboration opportunities are delayed, creating frustration and stress.
• The lack of visibility into roaming expenses, available data, and budgeting challenges creates additional problems.

For HR leaders, the difference is clear: Airalo for Business makes connectivity for traveling employees straightforward and helps reduce roaming expenses.

👀 Why join Airalo for Business? The ultimate eSIM solution for business travel

From perk to core benefit

At Airalo, Dominique and the People Operations team think about benefits in terms of core versus additional. Core benefits are what every employee needs to be successful in their role — things like tech setups, time off, and now, connectivity.

“A core [benefit] is making sure we’re connected,” she said. “It enables you to do your job in an amazingly impactful way without barriers.”

Connectivity empowers traveling employees to stay productive, present, and engaged without friction. Instead of stressing about logistics, they can focus on what really matters: delivering value, building relationships, and representing their company well.

For HR leaders, that shift removes administrative headaches (like reimbursements for roaming costs) and reduces the likelihood that employees see business travel as disruptive or draining.

Rethinking benefits for a modern workforce

The future of benefits is not just about covering costs. It is about enabling employees to thrive—wherever they work. For companies with distributed teams and frequent travelers, global connectivity is no longer optional. It is a core benefit that ensures employees feel supported, productive, and cared for.

“Benefits should remove barriers,” Dominique concluded. “You want employees to look at work and think, ‘I’m enabled to do my job in an impactful way without obstacles.’ Connectivity plays a huge role in making that happen.”

How business eSIM perks strengthen employer brand and talent retention

Connectivity also plays a powerful role in how employees perceive their company. For traveling employees, the moments in between—getting from the airport to the hotel, navigating a new city, or coordinating team dinners—can be just as important as the official agenda.

“It shows that you care not just about the big events, but also the small touches in between,” Dominique shared. “When companies remove those barriers, it creates a more seamless experience. If travel feels enriching rather than draining, employees are much more likely to embrace it.”

This matters not just for employee experience, but also for employer branding and talent retention. Forward-thinking employees want to work for organizations that recognize modern challenges and provide modern solutions. Including connectivity as a core benefit signals that the company values productivity, work-life balance, and employee well-being in equal measure.

For roles that require frequent travel—like sales, consulting, or leadership—it can even be a differentiator in the talent market. Candidates will compare companies on how thoughtfully they support the travel experience, and digital-first benefits like eSIMs show innovation and care.

Airalo for Business makes team connectivity easy

Airalo for Business was built with corporate teams in mind. Through a centralized platform, HR teams can administer team connectivity within a few clicks. The platform was designed to centralize all actions.

With Airalo for Business, you can:

• Instantly assign eSIMs to traveling employees. Employees receive eSIMs on their mobile via the Airalo app.
• Centralize billing with one monthly consolidated invoice, meaning no more tracking down receipts or reimbursements.
• Set budgets and purchase limits per employee, team, or branch.
• Enable self-purchase limits, allowing employees to purchase their own eSIM from the Airalo app and bill it directly to the organization.
• Monitor usage trends and gain insights into travel patterns to help plan the baseline and expectations for upcoming years.

This self-service model empowers employees to connect the moment they land, while giving HR visibility and control.

“Having these kinds of self-service models saves you time,” Dominique noted. “But it also means the team member doesn’t feel there’s a constant chain of approvals. You’ve enabled them—and they can just run with it.”

Integrate Airalo for Business into your travel policy

Adding an eSIM solution to your official corporate travel policy or employee handbook streamlines expectations and simplifies travel. 

Plus, over 20 million users already love Airalo. Our team has designed the solution to be intuitive, easy to adopt, and onboard seamlessly thanks to SSO and SCIM configuration. 

Measuring ROI: The value of connectivity as a benefit

Like any benefit, HR leaders need to measure the return on investment (ROI). With Airalo for Business, you can track ROI across both quantitative and qualitative metrics:

• Reduced roaming expenses: Lower monthly bills compared to international roaming.
• Time savings: Less time spent managing reimbursements or troubleshooting connectivity.
• Employee satisfaction: Higher ratings in employee surveys, especially among frequent travelers.
• Productivity gains: Fewer delays accessing documents, client updates, or communication tools.
• Global collaboration: Stronger, smoother in-person team gatherings and client interactions.

In short, eSIMs don't just cut costs — they also improve the employee experience.

Tips for HR leaders from Dominique

When implementing new benefits, here are some best practices we have seen that help increase adoption and employee satisfaction:

• Ask your teams what they value. Needs differ by role, generation, and geography, it won't be the same value add for every company.
• Think beyond the office. Benefits should support both work duties and life moments while traveling.
• Remove friction. If a process (like reimbursement) creates barriers, find a way to automate or eliminate it.
• Stay forward-thinking. Benefits are a reflection of company culture and values—modern solutions signal a modern employer.

FAQs

How does offering an eSIM platform simplify admin work for HR and People teams?

Centralized eSIM platforms like Airalo for Business drastically reduce administrative burdens and simplify financial tracking.

Instead of processing countless individual expense reports and receipts for local SIM cards or roaming charges, HR teams manage one consolidated monthly bill. Additionally, the platform allows admins to set clear budgets and purchase limits per team or employee, giving the organization visibility and control over spending.

Does the Airalo for Business give HR control over employee spending?

Yes, a major feature of the Airalo for Business solution is budget control and visibility.

HR or team leads can proactively manage travel expenses by setting custom spending limits for an individual employee, an entire department, or a branch. The platform provides real-time monitoring and analytics, allowing administrators to track data consumption and adjust budgets as needed. This control eliminates unexpected roaming charges and makes cost forecasting for future travel much easier.

Plus, no subscription or sign-up fees are required. Businesses benefit from eSIM packages for over 200+ countries and regions at a corporate discount.

What types of eSIM packages do you offer, and what services do they include?

With over 1,000 eSIM packages to choose from, you can provide connectivity wherever business goes.

1. Local eSIMs: These cover a single country (for example, Spain). Choose this option for employees traveling to one focused destination.
2. Regional eSIMs: These cover multiple countries within a region (for example, all of Europe or Southeast Asia). They are ideal for employees on multi-country tours or regional business trips, offering seamless coverage across borders.
3. Global eSIMs: These cover over 130 countries worldwide. Choose this option for frequent international travelers or executives with highly flexible itineraries.

Our plans provide flexibility in service and data allowance:

• Service type: We offer both data-only, and data, voice and text. 
• Data allowance: Data plans are available in a range of sizes, from 1GB bundles to unlimited options.
• Top ups and automatic renewals: Employees are never left disconnected. They can quickly purchase a top-up through the app, or you can set up automatic renewals to ensure their connection is never interrupted.